Does Medicare Cover Cataract Surgery?

Yes, Part B, the part of Medicare for doctor visits, covers cataract surgery and a standard lens implant. You pay 20% of Medicare's price after your yearly deductible, and fancier lenses cost extra. After each surgery, Part B also helps pay for one pair of glasses. If cloudy vision is making it hard to drive or read, you'll want to know your costs before you pick a date. Your surgeon's office can check them first.

Medicare pays if

• You have Part B.
• Your eye doctor says you need the surgery.
• Your surgeon and the surgery center or hospital take Medicare.
• You get a standard lens, or you pay the extra for a fancier one.

Not sure Medicare will pay? Ask anyway, because coverage can depend on where you live, Medicare.gov says, and the surgeon's office can check before you book. If you want a hand, a Pair Team advocate can help you sort it out.

What cataract surgery costs with Medicare (2026)

These are national averages for one eye in 2026, from Medicare's Procedure Price Lookup. They include the surgeon and the facility, but not your deductible. You may need more than one doctor, so there can be other bills, Medicare says.

How much will I pay for cataract surgery?

You usually pay 20% of Medicare's price for cataract surgery, after the $283 deductible in 2026. At a surgery center or hospital, you pay 20% to the facility and 20% to the surgeon. Prices change by area, so ask for your own estimate.

If both eyes need surgery, each eye is a separate surgery with its own 20%. If both are in the same year, you meet the deductible once.

Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) is one of the Medicare Savings Programs. If you have it, the surgeon and the facility can't bill you for the 20%.

Does Medicare pay for premium lenses?

Medicare pays only for the standard part of a premium lens. Some lenses also fix near vision or astigmatism, so you may need glasses less. You pay the extra cost for that part, under Medicare's rules. Medicare still pays its share of the surgery and a standard lens, and you can choose the standard lens instead.

Does Medicare pay for glasses after cataract surgery?

Yes, Part B helps pay for one pair of glasses with standard frames after each cataract surgery with a lens implant. You can get one set of contacts instead. You pay 20% after the deductible, plus the extra cost of nicer frames. Buy from a supplier that participates in Medicare. For the other eye care Medicare pays for, see Medicare and eye exams.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan

Your plan must cover cataract surgery, because it must cover what Original Medicare covers. You may need the plan's OK first, and a surgeon in its network. Your share follows the plan's rules, so call the plan before you book.

What to do

1. Ask the surgeon's office three things. Do you take Medicare? Will it be at a surgery center or a hospital? What will I owe?
2. If they offer a premium lens, ask them to put in writing what Medicare won't pay before you agree.
3. Plan your ride home. You can't drive after surgery, so someone needs to take you home, the National Eye Institute says. If both eyes need it, plan a ride for each surgery.
4. After surgery, get your glasses from a supplier that participates in Medicare, so Part B can help pay.
5. Check your Medicare Summary Notice, which Medicare mails every 6 months if you had care. Compare it with any bill, and if they don't match, call the billing office, then 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). If Medicare says no, see how to appeal a Medicare denial.

What a Pair Team advocate does

If both eyes need it, that means two surgeries about a month apart, and no driving home after either one. This is what we do:

• Set up rides to the surgery, back home, and to the checkups after.
• Call the surgeon's office and your plan so you know what you'll owe before the date.
• Help you apply for a Medicare Savings Program or Medicaid if the 20% is hard to pay.
• Help with what usually comes with it: food, utilities and housing while you heal.

An advocate is covered by Medicare if you qualify. It takes two minutes to find out.

Check if you qualify for a Pair Team advocate

Frequently asked questions

Does Medigap pay my 20%?

Most Medigap plans pay all of your share, but Plans K and L pay only part of it.

Can I have cataract surgery in a doctor's office?

Yes, you can have cataract surgery in a doctor's office, which Medicare.gov lists as one place it can be done. There, you pay 20% of Medicare's price for the lens and the surgery, after the deductible. Ask your surgeon where they operate and what each place costs.

Is laser cataract surgery covered?

Medicare pays the same for cataract surgery whether or not the surgeon uses a laser, its rules say. With a standard lens, the surgeon and the surgery center can't charge you extra for the laser. Extra charges are allowed only for the premium lens part.

What if I have Medicaid too?

If you have Medicaid too, Medicare pays first, and full Medicaid then pays most of what's left. See Medicare and Medicaid together.

Will Medicare pay for a second pair of glasses?

No, Medicare does not pay for a second pair, because Part B helps pay for only one pair after each surgery. After that, glasses are yours to pay for, unless you have other coverage like Medicaid or a plan with vision care.

Sources

• Cataract surgery, Medicare.gov
• Procedure Price Lookup, code 66984, Medicare.gov
• Eyeglasses and contact lenses, Medicare.gov
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS
• CMS Ruling 05-01, Presbyopia-Correcting Intraocular Lenses, CMS
• Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery and CMS Rulings 05-01 and 1536-R, CMS
• Cataract Surgery, National Eye Institute
• Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program, CMS
• Compare Medigap plan benefits, Medicare.gov
• Medicare Summary Notice (MSN), Medicare.gov
• Premium IOLs: A Legal and Ethical Guide to Billing Medicare Beneficiaries, American Academy of Ophthalmology