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Page 22 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MAy 23, 2025 Say nr Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller Does Medicare Cover Vision Care and Eye Exams? Dear Savvy Senior, What all does Medicare cover when it comes to vision care? I currently have good vision insurance through my employer but will lose it when I retire. Almost 65 Dear Almost, Many soon-to-be retirees are a bit blurry with what Medicare does and doesn’t cover when it comes to vision care. The good news is that Medicare covers most medical issues like cataract surgery, treatment of eye diseases and medical emergencies. But unfortunately, routine care like eye exams and eyeglasses are usually the benefi ciary’s responsibility. Here’s a breakdown of what is and isn’t covered. Eye exams and treatments: Medicare does not cover routine eye exams that test for eyeglasses or contact lenses, but they do cover yearly medical eye exams if you have diabetes or are at high risk for glaucoma. They will also pay for exams to test and treat medical eye diseases if you’re having vision problems that indicate a serious eye problem like macular degeneration, dry eye syndrome, glaucoma, eye infections or if you get something in your eye. Eye surgeries: Medicare will cover most eye surgeries that help repair the eye function, including cataract surgery to remove cataracts and insert standard intraocular lenses to replace your own. Medicare will not, however, pick up the extra cost if you choose a premium multifocal lens that restores full range of vision, thereby reducing your need for glasses after cataract surgery. The extra cost for a premium lens can run $1,500 to $4,000 per eye. Eye surgeries that are usually not covered by Medicare include refractive (LASIK) surgery and cosmetic eye surgery that are not considered medically necessary. Eyeglasses and contact lenses: Medicare will not pay for eyeglasses or contact lenses, with one exception: If you have had a conventional intraocular lens inserted during cataract surgery, Medicare will pay for eyeglasses or contact lenses following the operation. Ways to Save Although original Medicare’s vision coverage is limited to medical issues, there are ways you can save on routine care. Here are several to check into. Medicare Advantage plans: Many of these plans, which are alternatives to original Medicare and sold through private insurance companies, cover routine eye exams and eyeglasses, but coverage is limited so be sure you understand the specifi cs. While I don’t recommend enrolling in an Advantage plan just to get vision coverage it is an option you should know about. To locate Advantage plans in your area that provide vision coverage, go to Medicare.gov/ plan-compare or call 800-6334227. Purchase vision insurance: If you get routine eye exams and purchase new eyeglasses annually, a vision insurance plan may be worth the costs. These policies typically range between $5 and $30 per month. Most plans will also have copays or deductibles you’ll be responsible for. Check veterans’ benefi ts: If you’re a veteran and qualify for VA health care benefi ts, you may be able to get some or all of your routine vision care through VA. Go to VA.gov/health-care/aboutva-health-benefi ts/vision-care to learn more. Find cheaper shopping options: Many retailers provide discounts – between 10 and 50 percent – on eye exams and eyeglasses if you belong to a membership group like AARP or AAA. You can also save by shopping at discount retailers like Costco Optical, Sam’s Club Optical or Target Optical, which are all recommended by Consumer Reports. Or consider buying your glasses online at retailers like ZenniOptical.com, EyeBuyDirect. com or GlassesUSA.com which off er big savings. To purchase glasses online, you’ll need a valid prescription from an eye doctor (no more than a year old), plus your pupillary distance number, which is the distance, measured in millimeters, between the centers of your pupils in each eye. Look for assistance: There are also health centers and local clinics that provide free or discounted vision exams and eyeglasses to those in need. To fi nd them put a call into your local Lions Club (see Directory.LionsClubs. org) for referrals. Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070. nior ior SPORTS | FROM PAGE 21 ducing triple, the team’s lone extra base hit in the game. Freshman M.J. Guida chipped in with two singles. Sophomore Tyler Freni, Chris O’Neil, Jose Portillo and Nordeivy Santana each singled once. The Revere game last week was close, but the visitors just had trouble catching up to the Patriots after they scored three in the second to take a 3-0 lead. The Tide got one back in the third, but the host team regained the lead for good, when it accounted for the game-winner in the fourth. Everett kept on battling, however, scoring runs in the fi fth and seventh innings to trim the defi cit to one, before the offense eventually stalled to prevent it from at least getting that game-tying run. It was their fourth one-run loss this year. The off ense scratched out six hits, all singles by Charles Govostes, Nordeivy Santana, Freni, Berberena, Guida and O’Neil. Isaiah Goffi gan pitched the fi rst four innings, allowing seven hits, two walks and four runs, but only three were earned. He fanned five. Armani Negron went the fi nal two, issuing just one hit, while striking out two. Love praised Negron after the Revere game, saying, “Armani has been pitching great for us.” But they might have beaten Revere, and three other opponents this spring if they were able to get that clutch hit, according to the second-year Everett coach. If those four games went in the other direction, his squad would have already qualifi ed for the postseason. Despite these heartbreakers, Love still likes what he sees regarding the future of the program. “We have seven varsity players coming back next year, but the biggest thing for us right now is to keep future Tide players in Everett.” While making the postseason this year is beyond the team’s grasp, Love emphasizes that it was not the only goal this season. “I also wanted to see the players grow individually, which they did,” he said. “We defi nitely have a bright future, and we hope to continue to build up the overall depth, again by keeping Everett kids in Everett.” 529 Plans as an Estate Planning Vehicle O ne of the advantages of a Section 529 plan is that to the extent a parent or grandparent funds it, the monies then held in the 529 plan are not included in the estate of the parent or grandparent. Furthermore, the parent or grandparent would still maintain control over the account itself if they are the named Custodian of the account. In fact, the parent or grandparent has the right to ask for a return of the funds contributed to the 529 plan. A parent or grandparent can gift up to $19,000 per year per person without reducing the maximum federal estate tax/ gift tax exemption amount (currently $13.9million for each taxpayer). Some parents or grandparents may be reluctant to make an irrevocable gift because they might feel they might need that money someday. A husband and wife can “split gift” and transfer $38,000 per year per individual. The $38,000 qualifi es for the annual “tax free” per donee gift. Keep in mind Massachusetts does not have a gift tax. A taxpayer can gift as much as he or she wants to a child or grandchild and not be concerned about a Massachusetts gift tax. Therefore, a parent or grandparent can subsequently change his or her mind and take the money back. If that were to happen, then the monies taken back fall back into the “gross” estate of the parent or grandparent. In addition, any withdrawal not used for the benefi ciary’s qualifi ed education expenses subjects the “earnings” to income tax and a 10% penalty. One great feature of a 529 plan is that a parent or grandparent can “frontload” the contributions by gifting 5 years worth of the $19,000/donee/ year tax-free gift exclusion amount, or $95,000, into a 529 plan for one son or grandson. If both parents or grandparents join in on the gift, the amount that can be funded each year into a 529 plan for each son or grandson then jumps to $190,000. If the parent or grandparent dies prior to the end of the fi veyear period, the contributions to the 529 plan allocated to the years after death would be included in their “gross” estate. The power of a Section 529 plan cannot be overestimated. Even if the estate is nowhere near the federal exemption amount, one might still stand to save a lot of money in Massachusetts estate taxes. The fi ling threshold is now $2million for taxpayers dying in Massachusetts on or after January 1, 2023. If someone were to die having a “gross” estate of $1,999,000, having previously gifted away to children and/ or grandchildren to establish 529 plans $760,000 ($190,000 to each of 4 children and/or grandchildren), an estate tax return would not have to be fi led because you do not have to add back these “non taxable” gifts to the “gross” estate to determine if you have met the $2million threshold for fi ling a Massachusetts estate tax return. Therefore, you would not even have to pay any estate tax on the $1,999,000 remaining in your estate. In fact, even taxable gifts (i.e. gifts over the $19,000 per donee tax free gifts) do not have to be added back to your gross estate upon your death to determine if your gross estate exceeds $2million. The $19,000 annual gift allowance is simply not a “taxable” gift. It is a “tax free” gift and for federal estate tax purposes and does not reduce your $13.9million federal estate tax exemption. Once a Massachusetts estate tax return is required to be fi led, only the excess over $2million is actually subject to tax as a result of the $199,600 tax credit provided by the state. That number is the Massachusetts estate tax on the fi rst $2million of taxable estate. Joseph D. Cataldo is an estate planning/elder law attorney, Certifi ed Public Accountant, Certifi ed Financial Planner, AICPA Personal Financial Specialist and holds a masters degree in taxation.

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