Obamacare Mystery: Why Can't You Buy Vision Coverage?
Congressional gridlock means eye exams and glasses aren’t covered
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When healthcare.gov opens enrollment for new health insurance plans on Nov. 15, it will offer a wide array of medical and dental coverage options. But because of a wrinkle in the way the Affordable Care Act was written, consumers won’t be able to find eye insurance on the government exchange.
Under Obamacare, health plans offered on the exchanges must cover medical vision care like cataract surgery. They also have to pay for eye exams and glasses for children. Those same health plans, however, aren’t required to cover glasses or contact lenses for adults; and federal tax credits that help people buy insurance on the exchanges can’t be applied to stand-alone policies.