Those who are either on Medicare, or know somebody who is, are likely already aware of the fact that it does not cover all medical costs. There are several services which are not covered, and the list would be too extensive to reproduce here. Even so, it is helpful to understand some of the major things that are not covered, so that people are aware of the costs that they could be facing before getting involved.
One of the things that you can be fairly sure will not be covered is alternative medicine. Alternative medicine includes anything that is experimental and has not been tested extensively. It also includes work such as acupuncture, homeopathic procedures, and most chiropractic procedures. There may be an exception if chiropractic work is necessary in order to fix misalignment in the spine, such as when the disks move out of position.
In most cases, if you receive care outside of the United States, it will not be covered by Medicare. While many countries offer universal healthcare, not all of them offer it for all procedures or to foreigners.
Cosmetic surgery generally is not covered by Medicare. There are some exceptions, such as if an individual is malformed or seriously injured. With some exceptions, dental care is considered to be primarily cosmetic, and is not covered by Medicare either.
In most cases, hearing aids are not covered. This includes examinations which can be performed in order to prescribe or set up hearing aids. There are some exceptions for individuals who have severe hearing loss.
Long term care is not covered. In other words, an individual who needs to live in a nursing home will not be covered by Medicare. Any type of personal care where an individual must be helped with bathing, toilet, and dressing is not covered. There are some exceptions to this rule, however.
Housekeeping services are not covered either. This includes meal preparation, shopping, and cleaning. Again, there are some exceptions, such as when an individual is receiving hospice care.
Services that are not directly related to medical care are not covered. For example, if a hospital charges for the use of a television while in the hospital, Medicare will not cover these expenses. Seeking a private hospital room, using the telephone, missing appointments, obtaining copies of x-rays, and so forth are not considered to be medical care expenses.
Any transportation provided by medical personnel that is not for emergency services is also not covered.
