Hearing Aids Answers: Financial Assistance
Hearing Answers: Hearing Aids: Financial Assistance
Can I obtain financial assistance for a hearing aid?
Hearing aids are generally not covered by health insurance companies, although a very few do. Diagnostic tests may be covered, even if the hearing aids themselves are not.
For eligible children and young adults ages 21 and under, Medicaid will pay for the diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss, including hearing aids, under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) service. Also, children may be covered by their state’s early intervention program or State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
Medicare does not cover hearing aids for adults; however, diagnostic evaluations are covered if they are ordered by a physician for the purpose of assisting the physician in developing a treatment plan. Since Medicare has declared the "bone anchored hearing aid" (BAHA) a prosthetic device and not a hearing aid, Medicare will cover the BAHA if other coverage policies are met.
Some nonprofit organizations provide financial assistance for hearing aids, while others may help provide used or refurbished aids. Contact the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders’ (NIDCD’s) Information Clearinghouse with questions about organizations that offer financial assistance for hearing aids. You may also check this site's Resources page for links to helpful orgnazations and civic groups..