While traditional Medicare does not cover hearing aids, you may have other options. Let us help you find out what your insurance benefits cover.
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Does Medicare cover hearing aids
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Insurance is complicated in the United States. That's especially true if you have a mixture of government and private-pay insurance. While traditional Medicare does not cover hearing aids, you may have other options. Let us help you find out what your insurance benefits cover. Call 888-379-7214 to get started.
What is Medicare?
Medicare is a federal insurance program that covers seniors, aged 65 and older. It also covers younger individuals who have certain disabilities, as well as people with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).
What are the types of Medicare?
Medicare has the following types:
Medicare Part A
Covers hospital stays, skilled nursing facilities, hospice and limited home healthcare
Medicare Part B
This part includes doctor's office visits, some medical supplies and certain preventative services.
Medicare Part C
Insurance companies offer Medicare Part D plans that can be added to traditional Medicare plans for prescription drug coverage.
Medicare Part D
Private insurance companies may offer Medicare-approved programs called Medicare Part C, or Medicare Advantage plans (MA Plans). Sometimes known as Medicare replacement plans, Medicare pays certain approved companies to cover Medicare benefits. These plans provide Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B coverage and add some additional coverage. Advantage Plans are only available to people who have Medicare Parts A and B.
Individuals can choose from various types of Medicare Advantage Plans:
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As with Medicare, you can see any doctor or healthcare provider if they accept the plan. Individual plans decide how much you pay when you receive care.
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This insurance generally offers in-network and out-of-network care options.
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Generally limited to providers who are in-network only, you may need a referral from a primary care provider for hearing-related and other coverage. You may add out-of-network care by using an HMO Point-of-Service (HMOPOS) plan.
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Specifically, for people with special needs, these plans often are designed for people who carry both Medicare and Medicaid, live in a nursing facility or have serious/chronic medical conditions.
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These plans combine a high-deductible healthcare plan with a special medical-related bank account. Generally for these plans, Medicare will deposit money into an MSA account from which you use the funds to cover healthcare-related expenses.
Medicare Advantage Plan coverage varies widely. Even within the same company, people may have different coverage. Sometimes this covers hearing-related visits, and some MA plans include hearing aids (or a portion of the cost of hearing aids).
Coverage varies widely, and your policy may provide partial or full coverage. In some cases, the policy may provide coverage up to a certain dollar amount.
What medicare supplement plans cover hearing aids?
Unfortunately, this isn’t a straightforward answer.
Coverage varies widely, even within the same insurance company. Therefore, when choosing plans, you may want to select one that includes hearing-related coverage.
If you already have a plan in place, HearingLife can check with your insurance on your behalf to see what services are covered.
Medicaid and hearing aids
Medicaid enrollees may be pleased to know that many states, though not all, do cover hearing aids. In some cases, coverage depends on the overall cost, the frequency of purchase, and whether the customer is a child or an adult (many state programs cover the cost of hearing aids for children).
Although coverage often varies by state – and even by region – HearingLife accepts many insurance plans, including some Medicare Advantage Plans. And we work with you to find out what benefits apply to your needs. We accept hearing aid insurance from many national companies. Please note that hearing aid coverage may vary by state.
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- United Healthcare
- Blue Cross Blue Shield (varies by state, and Federal BCBS)
- Anthem
- Aetna
- Humana
- Other insurance companies
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- Illinois
- Iowa
- New York
- Rhode Island
- Texas
- Wisconsin
Many – although not all – of our offices accept Medicaid for hearing aids and hearing health-related appointments.
Policies and plans vary, and our patient care coordinators and other associates are happy to confirm what your benefits include.
Some of our locations accept hearing aid insurance benefits from TruHearing®. TruHearing has various models, including:
TruHearing® Choice Plan – many of our offices accept their benefits
TruHearing® Select Plan – offers more targeted coverage
Call our hotline to get answers now! 888-379-7214
Important note: Medicare Open Enrollment Period
For 2020 coverage, open enrollment is between October 15, 2019 and December 7, 2019. During this time, you can add or remove Medicare Part D and Medicare Part C programs.
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Please fill out this form, and we will call you to discuss your coverage.
We help you make hearing aids more affordable
Our experts can help you to understand which financing options are available to you, and we can guide you every step of the way. Book a free consultation to learn more.
FAQ about Medicare coverage for hearing aids
Sources
1Gretchen Jacobson, et al., "Medicare Advantage 2017 Spotlight: Enrollment Market Update." Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medicare-advantage-2017-spotlight-enrollment-market-update/ Accessed November 21, 2018.