How to Pay for Hearing Aids

About 28 million Americans have hearing loss, and 95 percent of them can benefit from hearing aids, according to the Hearing Loss Association of America. But only about about 22 percent use them. Hearing aids can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to more than $6,000, and many patients require two of them. According to the Hearing Loss Association, more than 71 percent of those with hearing aids have to pay for them out-of-pocket. But if you need hearing aids and cannot afford them, there are several avenues worth investigating for help.

Instructions

How to Pay for Hearing Aids

• 1

  Ask your health insurance company. In most cases they do not cover hearing aids. But some do pay at least a portion of the cost. The policies vary by company and by state. In January 2009, New Jersey, for example, enacted legislation requiring state-regulated health insurers to pay for medically-necessary hearing aids, up to $1,000 per device, for people 15 years old and under. And some Federal Employee Health Benefits cover adult hearing aids.

• 2

  Investigate your state's Medicaid plan. Most state Medicaid plans cover hearing aids, according to Joseph L. Matthews, who has written books on medical care and aging issues, but eligibility requirements for hearing aid coverage vary widely. Some states have conditions as providing coverage only for the lowest-income Medicare recipients or those with the worst hearing, or covering only certain kind of hearing aids. Check with your state Medicaid program or a local social service agency.

• 3

  Take advantage of your veteran status, if you have served in the military and are eligible. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides hearing aids, but not to everyone. Generally, you must having hearing loss connected to your military service, have significant other disabilities or have "very special needs," according to the VA.

• 4

  Check with charitable and social service organizations serving the deaf and hard of hearing in your community. They are likely to know of any hearing aid banks, low-cost clinics, and state assistance programs. If you are of working age, they may be able to connect you with a vocational rehabilitation agency in your area that can help cover the cost of hearing aids. At the national level, Hear Now, a nonprofit program connected with the Starkey Hearing Foundation, helps low income people who have run out of other options to acquire hearing aids. Hear Now is at http://www.sotheworldmayhear.org/hearnow/.