Yes. Medicare Part B may cover cataract surgery when you meet its coverage requirements. Surgery removes a cloudy natural lens and usually replaces it with an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens. Coverage can include the surgeon, facility, and conventional lens. Medicare’s cataract-surgery guidance explains the benefit.

What Does Medicare Pay?

After the Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the approved amount for covered clinician services when the provider accepts Medicare’s approved amount as full payment, called assignment. Your facility costs depend on where you have surgery. A hospital outpatient department can charge a separate copayment. At an ambulatory surgical center, a facility for same-day surgery, you generally pay 20% of its Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible. Ask for the facility’s estimate rather than assuming every charge uses the same 20% calculation.

Medicare also covers one pair of eyeglasses with standard frames or one set of contact lenses after each cataract surgery that implants an intraocular lens. Use a Medicare-enrolled supplier and ask about assignment. The post-surgery eyewear benefit has its own supplier and upgrade rules.

What May Cost Extra?

An eye surgeon may offer a premium lens, advanced measurement, laser feature, or refractive service intended to reduce dependence on glasses. Medicare may pay the amount associated with the covered conventional treatment while you pay the noncovered upgrade.

Ask for a written breakdown of the covered and optional portions before surgery. If the provider expects Original Medicare not to pay for an item, it may give you an Advance Beneficiary Notice, a written warning explaining why Medicare may not pay and what you could owe.

What About Medicare Advantage?

Medicare Advantage must cover medically necessary cataract surgery, but you may need to use network providers, get a referral or approval before surgery, and pay your share of costs. Confirm the surgeon, facility, anesthesiology group, and eyewear supplier.

Request estimates from the surgeon, facility and anesthesia provider, with optional upgrades listed separately.

Medicare policy sources last checked: October 8, 2026.