Does Cigna Medicare Cover Vision?

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While Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) does not cover routine vision care, many Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plans such as Cigna Medicare plans can offer vision coverage.

With that in mind, it’s easy to see why so many Medicare beneficiaries who want vision insurance are drawn to Medicare Advantage plans such as Cigna Medicare plans, most of which include vision coverage.  

When Do Cigna Medicare Advantage Plans Pay for Vision Care?

Cigna Medicare Advantage plans typically include vision coverage. Depending on the specific plan chosen, Cigna vision benefits may include coverage of:

• Eye exams
• Diabetic retinal and glaucoma exams
• Lenses, frames and contact lenses

Lens coverage can include single vision, bifocal, trifocal and lenticular lenses. Certain Cigna plans may cover lenses, frames and contact lenses, while other plans may provide an allowance that may be used toward such products. Or your plan may provide coverage when used within the Cigna network and a payment allowance when used out-of-network. 

Medicare Advantage plans offer Medicare beneficiaries an alternative way to receive their Part A and Part B benefits, and most Medicare Advantage plans include added benefits that aren’t covered by Original Medicare, such as routine and advanced vision care. 

Many Cigna Medicare Advantage plans may also offer prescription drug coverage, which means various medications that may be prescribed for vision-related care may also be covered by a Cigna Medicare Advantage plan. 

Will My Eye Doctor Accept Cigna Vision Coverage?

Your use of Cigna vision coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan may depend on the type of plan. 

• A Cigna HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plan may restrict members to eye care providers within the Cigna network. You may be responsible for all charges if you go outside that network for an eye exam or pair of glasses and. 
  
  
• A Cigna PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plan can give members some additional freedom to seek eye care outside of the Cigna network and still receive at least partial coverage in most cases. 

To search for a Cigna vision provider, you can use the Cigna “Find a Doctor, Dentist or Facility” tool to search the directory of Cigna providers. You may search by practice type, name or facility location. 

Cigna vision coverage may involve some of the similar types of costs associated with medical insurance. Plan members must pay their Medicare Part B premium along with any premium required by their Cigna Medicare Advantage plan. Patients may then be responsible for satisfying a deductible for covered services and items first followed by copayments or coinsurance requirements applied to the balance. 

Do Cigna Medicare Plan Pay for Cataract Surgery?

Cigna Medicare Advantage plans cover cataract surgery, as the procedure is typically considered "medically necessary" and would also typically be covered by Original Medicare (Medicare Parts A and B).

Medicare Advantage plans – like the ones offered by Cigna – are required to cover at least the same benefits as Original Medicare, and most plans tend to offer more vision benefits Original Medicare doesn't cover.

Some of the additional benefits a Cigna plan might offer can include additional coverage for prescription glasses after your cataract surgery, or even discounts towards LASIK surgery.

Where Is Cigna Medicare Vision Coverage Available?

Cigna sells Medicare Advantage plans in Washington D.C. and the following 23 states. 

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Kansas
• Maryland
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia

Cigna Medicare Vision Customer Service Phone Number

Current Cigna Medicare plan members who need help or have questions about their Medicare vision coverage can call:

• Arizona: 1 (800) 627-7534 (TTY 711)
  8 am - 8 pm, 7 days a week
  
  
• All other states: 1 (800) 668-3813 (TTY 711)
  8 am - 8 pm, 7 days a week

Enrolling in Cigna Vision Coverage

There are only a few opportunities in which you may enroll in a Cigna Medicare Advantage plan with vision coverage. 

• Your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), which lasts for seven months and begins three months before you turn 65 years old. 
• The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP, sometimes called the fall Medicare Open Enrollment Period), which lasts from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 every year. 
• Special Enrollment Periods (SEP), which may be granted throughout the year to Medicare beneficiaries who experience a qualifying life event such as moving to a new residence. 

The recommended way to sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan is with the help of an insurance agent who is licensed to sell plans on behalf of multiple different carriers. That way, you can review all the options for vision coverage available where you live and make a well-informed decision about your care.