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Programs to Help Families Pay for a Child's Hearing Aid

According to Senior Series, a publications of the Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Aging Network, a hearing aid can cost anywhere from $600 to more than $2,000, depending on the type of hearing aid your child needs. You must pay for batteries separately. Some families have difficulty coming up with that kind of cash, especially if their hearing-impaired children require other special equipment or have other costly needs because of their disabilities.

  1. Private Health Insurance

    • In some states, group health plans must by law help pay for hearing aids for children. In other states, some private health insurance companies help pay for hearing aids for children, but many do not. The amount covered by private insurance plans varies from plan to plan. Contact your insurance company to find out if your plan covers hearing aids. In many cases, you'll need to look for other sources of help.

    Medicaid

    • Medicaid typically pays for hearing aids for children, even in states where they will not pay for adult hearing aids. Coverage varies from state to state, though. For instance, in some states Medicaid only pays for one hearing aid in a lifetime and in some states it only pays for replacement hearing aids every seven years. Unfortunately, your child will likely require new hearing aids more often than that because the size and shape of his ear will change as he grows.

    State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies

    • State vocational rehabilitation agencies will sometimes help pay for hearing aids for teens that need hearing aids to get jobs upon completing high school. In some cases, these agencies do not actually pay for hearing aids, however will offer low interest loans to help families get hearing aids for their children.

    Organizations that Help

    • Numerous organizations help families pay for children's hearing aids, including the United Healthcare Children's Fund, the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund, the Lions Club International, the Starkey Hearing Foundation's Hear Now program and Sertoma. Your child's doctor, speech and language therapist or audiologist may be able to tell you about other programs that might help you. If your child receives services at a hospital or clinic, the social worker there may also be able to direct you to sources of assistance. Each program has its own criteria for eligibility and application process.

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