Ask a Boise County client what surprised them after turning 65 and you hear the same three things: the dentist bill, the new glasses and the hearing aids. Original Medicare leaves most of that out, and by the time the bill arrives it is too late to choose a different plan. This page reads the 2027 benefit filings for the 14 Medicare Advantage plans sold in Boise County and puts the real dollar amounts side by side. For the wider plan comparison, see our Advantage or Medigap guide for Boise County.
The Short Version: Key Takeaways
- Original Medicare excludes routine dental care, eye exams for glasses, eyeglasses and hearing aids, with a few narrow exceptions (42 CFR 411.15).
- Each of the 14 Boise County Advantage plans lists preventive dental, a routine eye exam, an eyewear allowance, a routine hearing exam and hearing aids for 2027 (CMS benefit files).
- Dental differs most. 11 plans add fillings, root canals or dentures with a yearly limit of $1,000 to $3,500. 3 stop at preventive care.
- Eyewear allowances are small: $100 to $250, and some pay only every two years.
- Hearing aids still cost money: $499 to $999 per aid on 4 plans, $575 to $750 on 8, and a $700 or $1,000 yearly allowance on 2.
- The extras are one piece of the choice. Doctors, prescriptions and the out-of-pocket maximum usually matter more.
Not sure what your dentist, eye doctor and hearing provider accept?
Send us their names. We check which 2027 plans we represent line up with them and show you the dollars before you decide.
Call or text 208-350-9933 Send us a messageWhat Original Medicare Covers, and What It Does Not
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) is built around illness and injury, so federal regulation excludes maintenance care for teeth, eyes and ears.
| Service | Original Medicare | Narrow exception |
|---|---|---|
| Routine dental care | Excluded | Inpatient hospital services for a dental procedure when the stay is required by your medical condition or the severity of the procedure |
| Eye exam for glasses or contacts | Excluded | Care to diagnose or treat an eye disease is separate |
| Eyeglasses and contact lenses | Excluded | One pair after each cataract surgery that inserts a lens implant |
| Hearing aids and fitting exams | Excluded | None listed |
Source: 42 CFR 411.15, services excluded from coverage (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, November 2026).
A Medigap policy does not change this, because it pays your share of services Medicare already covers. Medicare Advantage plans must cover everything Parts A and B cover and may add benefits beyond that (42 CFR 422.101, 422.102). Dental, vision and hearing are the most common additions, and each plan decides its own amounts.
The 14 Plans Sold in Boise County for 2027
CMS lists 14 Medicare Advantage plans for Boise County in 2027, not counting Special Needs Plans: 8 from Humana, 4 from Blue Cross of Idaho, 2 from UnitedHealthcare. 10 have a $0 Part C premium and 9 include drug coverage (CMS 2027 Landscape file). We matched each plan to its 2027 Plan Benefit Package, the detailed filing every plan submits to CMS, and read the dental, eye and hearing sections. Listing a plan here does not mean Personal Touch represents it.
Dental: Where the Dollars Differ Most
CMS filings split dental into preventive care (exams, x-rays, cleanings) and comprehensive care (fillings, crowns, root canals, gum treatment, extractions, dentures, bridges, implants). Every plan covers the first. Only 11 of 14 add the second.
| Plan | Yearly dollar limit | Your share of comprehensive work |
|---|---|---|
| Secure Blue Courage (PPO) H1302-004 | $500 preventive plus $1,500 comprehensive | 50% for root canals, dentures, bridges and implants; $0 copay for fillings, gum care and oral surgery |
| True Blue Rx 32PSP (HMO) H1350-032 | None filed | No comprehensive dental listed |
| True Blue Rx 33 (HMO) H1350-033 | None filed | No comprehensive dental listed |
| True Blue Valor (HMO) H1350-006 | $500 preventive plus $1,000 comprehensive | 50% for root canals, dentures, bridges and implants; $0 copay for fillings, gum care and oral surgery |
| Humana Full Access (PPO) H7617-028 | $3,000 total | 0% to 50% by service; dentures 50% |
| Humana Gold Plus H2486-005 (HMO) | $1,000 total | 0% to 30% by service; dentures 30% |
| Humana Total Complete (HMO) H5619-177 | $1,500 total | 0% to 50% by service; dentures 50% |
| Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO) H5216-427 | $1,500 total | 0% to 30% by service; dentures 30% |
| Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO) H5216-455 | $2,500 total | $0 copay on comprehensive services |
| Humana Value Choice (PPO) H5216-132 | $2,500 total | 0% to 50% by service; dentures 50% |
| Humana Value Choice (PPO) H7617-031 | $3,500 total | 0% to 50% by service; dentures 50% |
| HumanaChoice H5216-048 (PPO) | None filed | Only periodontal maintenance and anesthesia with a covered service, $0 copay |
| AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC ID-0005 (HMO-POS) H4604-012 | $1,000 total | 50% on every comprehensive service |
| AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx ID-MA01 (HMO-POS) H4604-019 | $1,500 total | 50% on every comprehensive service |
Source: CMS CY2027 Plan Benefit Package, dental file (pbp_b16), Boise County, accessed November 12, 2026. Coinsurance ranges are as filed by service category.
Three patterns stand out. The yearly limit runs from $1,000 to $3,500 (median $1,500) and, for most plans, is one pot that exams and cleanings also draw from. The coinsurance matters as much: root canals, bridges, implants and dentures are often 30% to 50%, so dentures can leave a bill in the thousands while the plan still has limit left. Humana USAA Honor Giveback H5216-455 files $0 copays inside a $2,500 limit, which makes its cost easy to predict.
The third pattern is no comprehensive dental at all. True Blue Rx 32PSP and True Blue Rx 33 cover exams, x-rays and cleanings only, and HumanaChoice H5216-048 adds only periodontal maintenance and anesthesia. If you need a crown or a bridge in 2027, those plans will not pay for it.
Most each plan will pay toward dental in a year, 2027
Source: CMS CY2027 Plan Benefit Package, dental file (pbp_b16), Boise County. Plans with separate preventive and comprehensive limits are shown as the two added together.
| Plan | Yearly dental limit | Part C premium |
|---|---|---|
| Humana Value Choice (PPO) H7617-031 | $3,500 | $0 |
| Humana Full Access (PPO) H7617-028 | $3,000 | $0 |
| Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO) H5216-455 | $2,500 | $0 |
| Humana Value Choice (PPO) H5216-132 | $2,500 | $0 |
| Secure Blue Courage (PPO) H1302-004 | $2,000 | $0 |
| AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx ID-MA01 (HMO-POS) H4604-019 | $1,500 | $0 |
| Humana Total Complete (HMO) H5619-177 | $1,500 | $0 |
| Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO) H5216-427 | $1,500 | $0 |
| True Blue Valor (HMO) H1350-006 | $1,500 | $34 |
| AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC ID-0005 (HMO-POS) H4604-012 | $1,000 | $1 |
| Humana Gold Plus H2486-005 (HMO) | $1,000 | $0 |
Source: CMS CY2027 Plan Benefit Package, dental file and CMS CY2027 Landscape file, Boise County, accessed November 12, 2026.
Several of the highest limits sit on $0 premium plans, so the premium alone does not predict the dental benefit. A higher limit also says nothing about the network or the out-of-pocket maximum. For serious dental work, standalone dental insurance may fit better; see our Learning Center guide and our dental, vision and hearing page.
Vision: Exams and Eyewear
Vision is the most uniform area. Each plan lists a routine eye exam once a year and an allowance toward glasses or contacts. 12 plans charge $0 for the exam; Secure Blue Courage and True Blue Valor, both from Blue Cross of Idaho, charge $20. 6 Humana PPOs also cap what they pay for the exam at $75 a year.
| Plans | Routine eye exam | Eyewear allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross of Idaho (4 plans) | $0 on True Blue Rx 32PSP and Rx 33; $20 on the other two | Up to $100 for contact lenses or $50 for glasses, every 2 years |
| UnitedHealthcare ID-0005 and Patriot No Rx | $0 | Up to $200 and $250 every 2 years |
| Humana HMOs H2486-005 and H5619-177 | $0 | Up to $100 a year |
| Humana PPOs H5216-048 and H5216-132 | $0, up to $75 a year | Up to $100 a year |
| Humana PPOs H5216-427, H5216-455, H7617-028 and H7617-031 | $0, up to $75 a year | Up to $150 a year |
Source: CMS CY2027 Plan Benefit Package, eye exams and eyewear file (pbp_b17), Boise County, accessed November 12, 2026.
Think of the allowance as a discount on glasses, not full coverage; progressive lenses and frames often cost more. A routine exam for glasses is also different from medical eye care, which every plan covers under the regular medical benefit. And one exception is real: Original Medicare pays for one pair of conventional glasses or contact lenses after each cataract surgery with a lens implant (42 CFR 411.15). Check the optical network too; our answer on keeping your doctor with Medicare Advantage shows how.
Hearing: Exams and Hearing Aids
The routine hearing exam is a $0 copay on every plan. Hearing aids are where plans diverge. Each plan lists a benefit for up to two aids a year, and your cost comes in two shapes.
| Plans | Routine hearing exam | Hearing aids |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross of Idaho (4 plans) | $0 | $499 to $999 copay per aid |
| Humana (8 plans) | $0 | $575 to $750 copay per aid |
| UnitedHealthcare ID-0005 | $0 | $0 copay up to a $700 yearly allowance, both ears |
| UnitedHealthcare Patriot No Rx | $0 | $0 copay up to a $1,000 yearly allowance, both ears |
Source: CMS CY2027 Plan Benefit Package, hearing exams and aids file (pbp_b18), Boise County, accessed November 12, 2026. Humana plans: H2486-005, H5216-048, -132, -427, -455, H5619-177, H7617-028 and -031.
A copay per aid means a pair costs about $1,000 to $2,000 at these rates, with the range reflecting technology level. A yearly allowance can be cheaper for a mid-priced pair and costlier for premium devices, because you pay the difference. The shape that is not in the filing is which models and providers are included, so ask the plan before you buy. Federal rules exclude hearing aids and the exam used to fit them from Original Medicare (42 CFR 411.15), which is why the plan's own benefit matters.
Planning for hearing aids or major dental work in 2027?
Tell us what you expect to need and which providers you already use. We price the plans we represent against that picture and tell you plainly where a plan falls short.
Call or text 208-350-9933 Send us a messageThe Six Benefits Side by Side
| Benefit | Plans offering it | Typical level |
|---|---|---|
| Preventive dental | 14 of 14 | $0 copay |
| Comprehensive dental | 11 of 14 | Median limit $1,500, coinsurance up to 50% |
| Routine eye exam | 14 of 14 | $0 on 12, $20 on 2 |
| Eyewear allowance | 14 of 14 | $100 to $250, some every 2 years |
| Routine hearing exam | 14 of 14 | $0 copay |
| Hearing aids | 14 of 14 | $499 to $999 or $575 to $750 per aid, or a $700 to $1,000 allowance |
Source: CMS CY2027 Plan Benefit Package files, Boise County, accessed November 12, 2026; our count of plan filings.
Access is universal, depth is not. A brochure that says "includes dental, vision and hearing" should always be followed by: how much, how often, through which providers.
What the Extras Do Not Tell You
Your doctors and network
7 of the 14 plans are PPOs, which pay something out of network, and 5 are HMOs and 2 are HMO-POS plans, which generally do not pay out of network except in an emergency. Dental, vision and hearing networks are separate from the medical network, so ask for all of them.
Your prescriptions
5 of the 14 plans include no drug coverage, so you would need a separate Part D plan (Idaho has 8 for 2027, CMS Landscape file).
Your worst-case year
The in-network out-of-pocket maximum runs from $3,000 to $9,150, averaging $6,249. That cap is built around Medicare-covered medical care, so ask whether dental, vision and hearing costs count toward it.
Next year's changes
Benefits are filed one year at a time. Five Boise County plans with drug coverage from 2026 end for 2027 with no replacement plan (CMS 2027 plan crosswalk), and their extras end with them.
Questions to Ask Before You Pick
Every plan must give you an Evidence of Coverage and a Summary of Benefits (42 CFR 422.111). We read them with you, using these questions.
| Area | Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Dental | One limit, or separate preventive and comprehensive limits? | A combined limit is used up by cleanings first |
| Dental | What is my share for crowns, root canals and dentures? | A limit is what the plan pays, not what you owe |
| Vision | Is the allowance yearly or every two years? | A two-year allowance is half the value per year |
| Hearing | Copay per aid or yearly allowance, and which models? | Covered models may differ from what your audiologist recommends |
| All three | Is my provider in the network, and do I need a referral? | Missing a step can turn a covered service into a bill |
Source: Personal Touch's checklist, built from the CMS Plan Benefit Package fields and the disclosure documents required by 42 CFR 422.111; not a CMS list.
When You Can Change Plans
| Window | Dates | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Coordinated Election Period | October 15 through December 7, for coverage starting January 1 | Switch Advantage plans or move to or from Original Medicare |
| Open enrollment for people already in an Advantage plan | The first 3 months of the year | One election to change plans or return to Original Medicare |
Source: 42 CFR 422.62, election of coverage under an MA plan, accessed November 12, 2026.
The Annual Enrollment Period ends December 7, so if dental or hearing matters for 2027, compare now. Our answer on when you can change plans covers the exceptions, and our turning 65 checklist covers the first-time window.
What to Watch This Fall
- Your Annual Notice of Change, sent each fall: look for changes to the dental limit, hearing aid copay and network.
- A plan that ended. If yours is one of the five, you need a new plan by December 7.
- January 1 resets. If major dental work, hearing aids or glasses are planned early in 2027, check when limits reset.
- 2027 Part B figures. CMS has not yet published the 2027 Part B premium and deductible. We label them pending and will refresh when they arrive.
How We Built This Page
Plans come from the CMS CY2027 Landscape file for Boise County, Special Needs Plans excluded, as on our Boise County page. Dental, vision and hearing amounts come from the CMS CY2027 Plan Benefit Package files (pbp-benefits-2027), read with the CMS data dictionary and matched to each plan's Boise County service area. Dollar figures are as filed, and where CMS records a period other than a year, the table says so.
Limits: we did not read each plan's Evidence of Coverage, which can add rules the filing does not show, and we have not seen dental, vision or hearing network lists, so we make no claim about any particular provider. Figures are a snapshot dated November 12, 2026. This page is general education, not individual advice. Personal Touch Ins. & Benefits, LLC represents a defined set of carriers and plans, and compares those for your dentist, glasses, hearing and prescriptions at no cost to you. Call or text 208-350-9933, or send us a message.
Want the dental, vision and hearing numbers for your own situation?
Send us your dentist, eye doctor, hearing provider, doctors and prescriptions. We compare the 2027 plans we represent side by side, tell you plainly where the extras are thin, and meet by Zoom, phone or in Idaho City by appointment.
Call or text 208-350-9933 Send us a messageFrequently Asked Questions
Does Original Medicare cover dental, vision and hearing?
Mostly no. Federal rules exclude routine dental care, eye exams for glasses, eyeglasses and hearing aids (42 CFR 411.15), with narrow exceptions such as dental work tied to a covered hospital stay and one pair of glasses or contact lenses after cataract surgery with a lens implant. Medicare Advantage plans may add routine benefits on top of Parts A and B. We explain which of those fit you, at no cost. Call or text 208-350-9933.
Do the Boise County Medicare Advantage plans include dental, vision and hearing for 2027?
Each of the 14 plans we reviewed lists preventive dental, a routine eye exam, an eyewear allowance, a routine hearing exam and hearing aids for 2027. The amounts differ a lot, and 3 of the 14 add little or no comprehensive dental beyond cleanings, exams and x-rays. Special Needs Plans were not part of this review. We compare the ones we represent for you. Call or text 208-350-9933.
How much dental coverage do Boise County plans offer for 2027?
Of the 11 plans with comprehensive dental, the yearly dollar limit runs from $1,000 to $3,500, with a median of $1,500 (CMS 2027 benefit files). Most still charge coinsurance of up to 50% on root canals, dentures and similar work, so the limit is a ceiling on what the plan pays, not what you owe. We price your own dental needs for you. Call or text 208-350-9933.
Will a Medicare Advantage plan pay for hearing aids in Boise County?
In part. Each of the 14 plans lists a hearing aid benefit for 2027, but most charge a copay per aid ($499 to $999 on 4 plans and $575 to $750 on 8 plans), and 2 use a yearly allowance of $700 or $1,000 for both ears. We check which models and providers are included before you buy. Call or text 208-350-9933.
Is a plan with strong dental, vision and hearing extras the right plan?
Not automatically. A rich dental limit can sit beside a smaller doctor network, a higher out-of-pocket maximum or no drug coverage. We weigh the extras together with your doctors, prescriptions and total yearly cost. Our licensed agents at Personal Touch do that for you at no cost. Call or text 208-350-9933.
Can I add dental, vision or hearing coverage if my plan falls short?
Often yes. Separate dental, vision and hearing insurance can be bought alongside Original Medicare, a Medigap policy or a Medicare Advantage plan. Premiums, waiting periods and limits vary by company, so we quote the policies we represent for your age and ZIP code. Call or text 208-350-9933.
Keep Reading
Sources
- CMS, CY2027 Plan Benefit Package benefits files (dental, eye exams and eyewear, hearing exams and aids), plan service areas and data dictionary, accessed November 12, 2026
- CMS CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (202610), Boise County, accessed November 12, 2026
- CMS 2027 Part C and D Plan Crosswalk, accessed November 12, 2026
- 42 CFR 411.15, services excluded from Medicare coverage, accessed November 12, 2026
- 42 CFR 422.101 and 422.102, Medicare Advantage basic and supplemental benefits, accessed November 12, 2026
- 42 CFR 422.111, Evidence of Coverage and Summary of Benefits, accessed November 12, 2026
- 42 CFR 422.62, Medicare Advantage election periods, accessed November 12, 2026
Figures are labelled with the year they apply to and were checked against the official sources above on the date shown. This page is general education, not individual advice. Personal Touch Ins. & Benefits, LLC is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.