What kind of payment plans are available for hearing aids?
Hearing aids are expensive. It can be no surprise that it is estimated only 1 of 5 adults who could benefit from a hearing aid wears one. It’s not just a matter of vanity and denial, but cost. A pair can cost thousands of dollars, and insurance often doesn’t cover it. Even Medicare, the federal insurance for people 65 and over and the disabled, doesn’t cover hearing aids in most cases. Medicaid often does and must for children.
Some private health care plans cover the costs of audiologic tests, a hearing aid evaluation, and even partial or full coverage of a hearing aid. Check with your health insurance company or your benefits manager to find out exactly what audiology services your policy covers. You may wish to advocate for inclusion of audiology services in your plan if not included.
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.
If you will be paying for your own hearing aids then you need to shop wisely. Siemens is the largest maker of hearing aids in America but their models tend to be very expensive, while the popular Beltone hearing aids are cheaper and often more readily available in stores.
One of the first questions that first-time buyers have is whether they need a hearing aid for both ears. The degree of hearing loss in each ear can vary greatly, especially in cases where the loss has been caused by an accident. But most people with age-related hearing loss experience it in both ears. In this case it is usually better to get an aid for each ear.
Do remember that the cost of purchasing a hearing aid does not start and end with the price of the hearing aid. In fact there are several aspects of a hearing aid sale that will cost you more than the hearing aid themselves. You need to ask questions about price, restock charge, how long the hearing aid is likely to last, the cost of maintenance and repair, length of factory repair warranty, cost of batteries etc. It’s well worth shopping around.
And what if you buy hearing aids and can’t adjust to using them? Laws in almost 2/3 of the states require a trial period for all hearing aid sales. Most audiologists provide a trial period even if it is not required by law. You may choose to try a different make or model if the first choice is not satisfactory. If you decide to cancel your purchase during this trial period, there may be a nonrefundable fitting charge for professional services and your custom earmold. You should discuss these policies with your audiologist prior to purchase.
