Hearing loss is common in older adults, but many still don’t wear hearing aids. In addition to helping people to hear better, hearing aids have been demonstrated to have a positive impact on physical and mental health.
Cost is a leading factor in why some people don’t use hearing aids. If you’re over 65, you may wonder whether Medicare covers hearing aids.
Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids or the exams for fitting them. Some Medicare Advantage plans, however, offer added benefits not covered by Original Medicare, including hearing services.
Medicare does cover hearing implants. Other programs and organizations also offer financial assistance for hearing aids. Given the high out-of-pocket cost of hearing aids and their importance to overall health, anyone with hearing loss may want to consider all their options.
Hear! Hear! The many health benefits of hearing aids
An estimated 37.5 million U.S. adults have some degree of hearing loss, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Many could benefit from hearing aids, yet only about one in four who need them use them, says NIDCD.
One recent study — the most definitive one to date of hearing issues in older Americans — produced similar results. It found that around 65 percent of adults aged 71 and older have hearing loss, yet only 29 percent use hearing aids. The authors also noted that hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline, dementia, impaired physical function, and poorer health resource utilization, and that it is a significant factor in healthy aging.
Research continues to emerge showing the benefits of hearing aids. Here are some of the latest findings:
- Results from one large clinical trial showed that wearing hearing aids reduced the risk of cognitive decline by nearly half in older adults with mild to moderate hearing loss.
- Several studies have linked hearing loss to a higher risk of dementia. A study from the The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) observed that the risk is considerably higher for people who don’t use hearing aids compared with people who use hearing aids.
- Research from the University of Colorado found that older adults with hearing loss have a 2.4 greater risk of falls than their peers with normal hearing — and that regular hearing aid use reduced their fall risk by 50 percent. Falls cost $50 billion a year and are the leading cause of injury death for adults 65 and older, per the CDC.
- Hearing aids can improve mental health. A JAMA 2020 study discovered that using hearing aids reduced the risk of psychological distress resulting from hearing loss. Other studies have shown fewer depressive symptoms within three months of hearing aid use. People with hearing loss are twice as likely to report their mental health as poor or fair versus those without hearing loss.
- Hearing aid use might lower the risk of death. Adults with hearing loss who regularly wear aids were found to have a 24 percent lower risk of mortality than those who never wear them, according to USC researchers, suggesting that hearing aids may play a protective role in people’s health.
Research indicates that hearing loss is a common issue in older Americans that tends to get worse with age. While slightly more than half of 71- to 74-year-olds have hearing problems, that number jumps to 90 percent for those 85 and older.
In a 2023 Harris Poll, one in four Americans over the age of 50 responded that they didn’t know hearing health can impact their overall health and well-being. Those who did report hearing difficulties cited numerous negative health effects, including diminished social life, personal relationships, mental health, and ability to perform daily tasks.
Does Medicare pay for hearing aids?
Many people who need hearing aids often don’t use them; around one-third of those diagnosed with hearing loss told Harris Poll hearing aids are too expensive.
On average, prescription models cost $4,000 to $6,000 per pair. The FDA authorized the sale of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids in 2022. At around $1,000 per set, OTC hearing aids may be more affordable than prescription aids, but many Americans still can’t afford them.
And unfortunately, Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover prescription hearing aids, OTC hearing aids, or exams for fitting hearing aids. But Medicare Part C may provide hearing aid coverage.
- Original Medicare does not cover hearing exams for the specific purpose of buying hearing aids. Patients must pay 100 percent of the cost for hearing aids and exams.
- Medicare Part B covers hearing and balance exams for diagnostic purposes ordered by a doctor or health care provider. Patients pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount after they meet the Part B deductible and a hospital copayment (if the exam is performed in an outpatient setting).
- Medicare Part C, or Medicare Advantage, is an alternative to Part A and Part B run by private insurance companies instead of the federal government. In addition to covering everything that Original Medicare covers, some Part C plans offer supplemental benefits for hearing aids and related services, such as an audiologist exam.
Part C is only available to individuals already enrolled in Original Medicare. If you currently have a Medicare Advantage plan, contact your insurance company to ask whether it covers the cost of hearing aids.
- Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage can also help to pay for cochlear implants, an electronic device that replaces a damaged part of the ear and is intended for people with severe or total hearing loss.
Medicare coverage of cochlear implants is subject to strict eligibility criteria. One of the requirements is that hearing aids have not successfully treated a person’s hearing loss.
Original Medicare will pay 80 percent of the costs for cochlear implants for those who qualify. This includes the device, surgery, and rehab. A Medicare supplement insurance plan (Medigap) or other secondary insurance plan might cover the remaining out-of-pocket costs.
Other options to pay for hearing aids
Hearing aids are expensive, but their many health benefits make them essential for the hearing impaired.
Anyone who has coverage through a private health insurance plan — either their own or a spouse’s — should check to see if the plan covers hearing aids. Flexible spendings accounts, health savings accounts, and Veterans Administration benefits might also help to pay for hearing aids.
Another option, for those who qualify, is Medicaid. Because it is administered at the state level, Medicaid coverage for hearing aids varies from state to state.
Over half of state Medicaid programs provide hearing aid coverage, according to the Hearing Loss Association of America, although there are state-specific coverage limits for adults over the age of 21. Typically, a Medicaid recipient must have a hearing loss diagnosis and a hearing aid prescription from their doctor.
Charitable organizations and discount programs also offer non-insurance options to assist with hearing aid costs. Options to consider are:
- Starkey Hearing Foundation
- Lions Clubs International
- Easter Seals
- Let Them Hear
- Miracle-Ear Foundation
- Hearing Aid Project
- EPIC Hearing Healthcare
- Hearing Industries Association Guide to Financial Assistance for Hearing Aids
Your elder law attorney can provide guidance on Medicaid eligibility and applications and finding other ways to pay for health care.
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