Does Health Insurance Cover Hearing Aids?

A lot of our patients postpone having hearing tests and seeking support with hearing loss because they are worried about health insurance coverage for hearing aids. We appreciate that hearing aids might not have been at the front of your mind when you chose your health insurance policy. But, as a result, it is understandable not to know what level of coverage you’re entitled to as part of the policy.

Our expert audiologist team at Advanced Hearing of Brighton has created a small overview of the different options available to finance your hearing aids. A variety of options are available to our clients depending on their situations. Below we demystify the relevant insurance financial assistance for the purchase of hearing correction.

Health insurance coverage for hearing aids

If you didn’t pick your health insurance with the assumption that you might need new hearing aids, you might not be aware of how most health insurance plans handle hearing corrections. Typically, hearing aids are not part of the coverage of most health insurance providers. While this doesn’t mean that your health insurance plan belongs to the list, it’s best to get in touch with your insurer before taking a hearing test.

It’s worth noting, however, that some medical insurance plans can include some level of assistance for hearing health. Your insurer can cover the total or partial cost of hearing tests and hearing aid fittings. While this doesn’t include the purchase of hearing aids, it can also reduce your financial involvement. We recommend reaching out to your insurer to ensure you understand your options before making any decision regarding your hearing aids. Some providers can cover partial costs for preferred brands and partners in your area.

What insurance plans offer coverage for hearing aids?

Medical insurance policies that provide some level of cover for hearing aids are likely to follow strict options. Therefore, you want to clarify the following points before seeing an audiologist:

• If the health insurance policy pays a specific amount toward the cost of hearing aids: You want to ask your insurer whether the amount is designed as assistance for the purchase of a hearing aid set or per ear. Additionally, you want to find out when the amount is renewed, aka when you can expect assistance to buy your next hearing aids.
• If the health plan provides a specific purchase allowance for your hearing aids when you buy from a contracted provider. You will need to know how the allowance payment works, namely whether the audiologist can bill the health insurer directly or whether you have to submit paperwork for a refund. Besides, you also want to find out how frequently the allowance is renewed (typically every three to fivee years).
• If the health insurer has negotiated discounts with a specific list of providers: You want to make sure you pick hearing aids from the list to benefit from a discount.
• How to know when your hearing loss level is eligible for hearing aids benefit.

The insurance policy can also varies depending on your age. Indeed, some states mandate health insurance providers to offer hearing aids cover for children (either full or partial). Some states also mandate health insurance companies to provide hearing aids cover for adults too. These states are: Arkansas (children and adults), Colorado, Connecticut (children and adults), Delaware, Georgia, Illinois (children and adults), Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire (children and adults), New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island (children and adults), Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Other solutions to cover hearing aids expenses

If your health insurer doesn’t cover hearing aids, alternative programs can offer some hearing aid benefits. For example, you may be eligible for Medicaid or Medicare Advantage Plan, which both include some level of hearing aids assistance for adults depending on your situation.

The Department of Veteran Affairs is one of the largest providers of hearing aids in the U.S. If you are a veteran, it is worth getting in touch to figure out whether you qualify for benefits and assistance with your hearing aids.

Some organizations, such as teacher retirement groups, state government employee groups, and the AARP, also offer hearing health programs to deliver savings on hearing aids and hearing health.

Financing your hearing aids purchase

Your audiologist can also guide you toward a financial program that provides short-term loans or a payment plan. The most popular financial program for health treatments is CareCredit, which over 75,000 health providers accept. Ideally, you want to check patient finance programs before booking your appointment with an audiologist.

Most audiologists have some level of financing available. You can often find information on their website or by calling during their opening hours.

Unsure how to proceed with your hearing aids purchase? Get in touch with our team at Advanced Hearing of Brighton at this phone number 810-355-2245 for more information. We can help you figure out the best financing option for your situation.