Does AARP Offer Vision Coverage?

AARP grants members access to hundreds of discounts and programs ranging from health and financial tools to travel and dining and nearly everything in between. 

One the many benefits offered by AARP includes vision coverage, which can be a benefit of AARP membership and can be included as a benefit of some AARP Medicare Advantage plans.

What Vision Coverage Does AARP Offer?

AARP membership itself offers members ways to save on vision care. Each AARP membership offers nationwide discounts on eyewear, eye exams, contacts, LASIK eye surgery and more at over 45,000 participating providers through the EyeMed discount program.

Beneficiaries may also be able to get AARP vision provider coverage through a Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plan that offers vision benefits.

AARP has a partnership with UnitedHealthcare in which AARP members may enroll in an AARP Medicare Advantage plan, an AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) plan or an AARP Medicare Part D prescription drug plan if eligible and in a qualifying enrollment period. 

Medicare Advantage provides the same coverage as Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) while also offering some additional benefits for things like vision, dental and prescription drug coverage, which Original Medicare doesn’t typically cover.

Many of the Medicare Advantage plans offered by UnitedHealthcare in partnership with AARP include vision benefits such as annual eye exams, designer frames and prescription lenses. Some plans may also add benefits for things not covered by AARP MyVision Care plans, such as coverage for cataract surgery and other more advanced vision care.

Another option for AARP vision coverage is through an AARP MyVision Care program, which is also provided through EyeMed. MyVision Care offers three levels of standalone vision insurance plans. The insurance plans require only a copayment for eye exams and lenses while providing discounts or an allowance to put toward the cost of frames or contact lenses.

AARP MyVision Care plans are accepted at major retailers like LensCrafters, Target Optical, Glasses.com and Pearle Vision among others. You can find an AARP-participating eye doctor by using the AARP Find an eye doctor search tool.

How to Enroll in AARP UnitedHealthcare Vision Coverage

To enroll in AARP vision coverage, you must first be an AARP member. A standard AARP membership costs $16 per year and grants you access to the organization’s vision discount program. 

If you would like more from your vision coverage, you may then enroll in one of AARP’s MyVision Care plans or a UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan. 

To be eligible for a Medicare Advantage plan, you must first be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. 

You may only enroll in a plan that is sold where you live, so if AARP UnitedHealthcare providers do not service your area or you want to compare plans from multiple different carriers to ensure you’re getting the best deal, a licensed insurance agent can help.

An agent can help you compare different plans that may include vision coverage and help you review the cost, benefits and participating providers of each plan so you can make a well-informed decision about your vision coverage and other benefits.