Does Medicare cover cataract surgery?
Cataract surgery is one of the most common procedures Medicare pays for, and one of the few times Medicare buys you glasses. The questions that matter are the lens you choose and the plan you're on.
Yes. Medicare Part B covers cataract surgery, traditional or laser-assisted, including the removal of the cataract and a conventional (monofocal) intraocular lens implant, in an outpatient surgery center or hospital outpatient department. You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for the surgeon and the facility after meeting the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026); a Medigap policy pays that 20%, and an Advantage plan replaces it with its own copays and network rules. Medicare also pays for one pair of standard eyeglasses or contact lenses after each cataract surgery that implants a lens, from a Medicare-enrolled supplier, with the same 20% coinsurance. Premium lenses that correct astigmatism or presbyopia (toric, multifocal) are not covered; you pay the difference, often more than $1,000 per eye, and the surgeon must tell you in advance.
What's covered
- The surgery: removal of the cataract and implant of a conventional monofocal intraocular lens, by traditional or laser-assisted technique, when a doctor determines it's medically necessary (usually when the cataract interferes with daily activities). Pre-operative exam and measurements, the anesthesia, and standard post-operative visits are included.
- The setting: ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient department. Cost-sharing is often lower at a surgery center.
- Afterward: one pair of standard eyeglasses or contacts per surgery, from a Medicare-enrolled supplier, and the follow-up visits.
What's not
- Premium lenses: multifocal, extended-depth-of-focus or toric lenses that reduce the need for glasses. Medicare pays what it would for a conventional lens; you pay the upgrade, and the surgeon must give you the price in writing beforehand.
- Refractive add-ons: laser astigmatism correction done for convenience rather than medical need.
- Upgraded frames or lens coatings on the post-surgery glasses.
- Routine eye exams and glasses at any other time (Original Medicare); Advantage plans often add a yearly vision allowance.
What you'll pay, by coverage type
| Coverage | Your cost for covered surgery |
|---|---|
| Original Medicare only | Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) plus 20% of the Medicare-approved surgeon and facility amounts |
| Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G | The $283 deductible; Medigap pays the 20% |
| Original Medicare + Medigap Plan N | The $283 deductible; no office copay applies to surgery |
| Medicare Advantage | The plan's outpatient-surgery copay or coinsurance at an in-network facility; prior authorization often required; counts toward the plan's yearly maximum |
The premium-lens upgrade is the same out-of-pocket cost under every one of these. If you're weighing Medigap against Advantage and surgery is on the horizon, the surgery copay and the network of the surgery center are worth checking in the plan's Evidence of Coverage. Medigap · Medicare Advantage · Ask.
- Cataract surgery (Medicare.gov) — Part B, 20% after deductible; conventional lens
- Eyeglasses and contact lenses (Medicare.gov) — one pair after cataract surgery
- Medicare costs 2026 (Medicare.gov)
Common questions
Short answers to what people ask before they call.
How much does cataract surgery cost with Medicare?
Under Original Medicare you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for the surgeon's fee and the facility fee, after the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026); the approved amounts are set by Medicare and are far below list prices. With a Medigap Plan G or N the 20% is paid for you and your cost is the deductible (Plan N adds no copay for surgery). Under an Advantage plan you pay the plan's outpatient-surgery copay or coinsurance, at an in-network facility, and prior authorization may be required.
Does Medicare pay for the laser version?
Medicare covers laser-assisted cataract surgery at the same rate as traditional surgery when it's medically necessary. If the laser is used only to implant a premium lens or correct astigmatism, the extra charge for that part is not covered.
Does Medicare cover glasses after cataract surgery?
Yes, this is the exception to the no-eyeglasses rule: one pair of standard frames with corrective lenses, or contact lenses, after each cataract surgery with a lens implant, from a supplier enrolled in Medicare. You pay 20% after the deductible; upgraded frames or lens features are your cost. Routine eye exams and glasses at other times aren't covered by Original Medicare, though many Advantage plans include a vision allowance.
Surgery coming up?
Tell me your plan and where the surgery is scheduled; I'll confirm what you'll owe under Original Medicare, Medigap or your Advantage plan, and whether the surgery center is in network.