Does Medicare cover hearing aids? According www.medicare.gov, a federal government website managed by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Service, Medicare does not cover routine hearing examinations, hearing aids, or exams for fitting hearing aids. There is some coverage with Medicare Part B (medical insurance) if your doctor orders diagnostic hearing and balance exams to determine if you need medical treatment. Although the lack of or minimal coverage is unfortunate there are other options to explore.
To determine if there is financial assistance available in your state from non-profit organizations you can do a search on the internet. One option is to do a Google search for: hearing aid payment assistance in <enter your state>. From this search you may find many charitable organizations that may be able to assist you financially with your hearing aid purchase. You can find a very useful summary of some of these organizations here. A lot of the charitable organizations are providing assistance for lower income families, but not all of them. Do your research.
Other Options to Help with the Cost of Hearing Aids
Although Medicare does not provide coverage, there are other options to consider in covering the cost of hearing aids.
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Deducting Your Costs
State Vocational Rehabilitation Programs
Medicaid
Veterans Administration
Private Health Insurance Plans
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Health savings accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts that can be used for medical expenses not covered by your health insurance plan. By paying with pre-tax dollars in the HSA, you will save on your tax bill and be able to apply the funds toward hearing aids and hearing related services. To find out if you qualify for a HSA and to get the latest rules you can refer to IRS Publication 969, Health Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Favored Health Plans.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
A flexible spending account is another tax-advantaged savings account that can be used for medical expenses not covered by your insurance plan. A FSA is set up through your employer in conjunction with your traditional health care insurance plan. Funds put into a FSA must be used before the health care plan year ends. This is different than a HSA. HSA funds can be rolled into the next year if they are not used. Rules do change periodically regarding what’s covered and how much you can contribute to an FSA. Talk to your employer’s health insurance representative for the latest rules.
Deducting Your Costs
You may be able to reduce your tax bill and use some of that savings to help offset the cost of hearing aids. If you itemize your taxes, medical costs exceeding 7.5% (this may vary by year) of your adjusted gross income can be deducted from your federal income taxes. Qualified medical costs include hearing devices and batteries. For more information and to confirm coverage, please see IRS Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses.
State Vocational Rehabilitation Programs
State vocational rehabilitation programs provide assistance for workers with disabilities and may provide financial assistance for hearing devices. To find out whether or not you can benefit from this option contact your local Vocational Rehabilitation Services representative. Contact information can be found on your state government website. Benefits may be different in each state.
Medicaid
Many state Medicaid programs may provide partial or complete coverage of hearing devices. To find information specific to your state you can visit your state government website.
Veterans Administration
Visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website for details on hearing aid coverage for veterans. It’s possible that you may be able to receive coverage hearing aids and exams. To determine if you will be able to receive hearing aids through VA, start with the health Administration/enrollment section of the VA Medical Center of your choice.
Private Health Insurance Plans
Lastly, you may want to consider a private health insurance plan. The coverage will vary for hearing exams and devices. Contact your health plan representative to understand the level of hearing device coverage and any special requirements.
Summary
Does Medicare cover hearing aids? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no, but I hope this is a valuable resource to help you find the financial assistance you need to purchase the best hearing aids or hearing related services that meet your needs. Speaking from my own experience, even though the cost can be high for hearing aids, the improvement in your quality of life with improved hearing is awesome. The key is to plan ahead for the purchase and save your money. Be persistent in your research to find as much financial help as possible.
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