Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids?

Greg Wilson

Updated on:

Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids?

Are you wondering, “Does Medicare cover hearing aids?”

Here’s everything you need to know about whether or not Medicare will cover your hearing aids.

If you’re hard of hearing and need Medicare’s assistance, you’ve probably asked yourself this.

After all, hearing aids for seniors can be expensive. They require the devices and the batteries, which helps to have them covered. 

Below, we’ll get into Medicare’s coverage of hearing aids, so keep on reading!

Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids? What Medicare Says

So, does Medicare cover hearing aids?

It depends on what kind of plan you have. 

Overall, there are four different Medicare “parts.”

Part A covers hospital, hospice, and nursing care. Part B covers preventative and necessary considerations, including seeing doctors before surgeries. 

These first two plans are known as the Original Plan.

Part C plans are known as Advantage Plans. They often cover all of the services offered by Medicare and then some.

Part D plans cover prescription drugs.

Unfortunately, Medicare has made it very clear on its website that it does not cover hearing aids under its Original Plan.

It also does not cover exams. Under Medicare alone, you will pay for your hearing-related services entirely out-of-pocket.

Are There Any Exceptions?

Fortunately, yes!

Medicare’s Original Plan differs from the Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C). 

However, they often add additional elements not present in the Original Plan. Some of these include coverage of hearing aids and hearing exams. These plans are offered through private companies and provide similar content to Medicare.

Medicare recommends contacting the plan’s provider to see whether or not your hearing-related services are covered.

Why Doesn’t the Medicare Website Tell Me Whether My Part C Plan Covers Hearing Aids?

To put it simply: each plan provides different coverage.

Often, what is and isn’t offered differs by the state, so the availability of hearing aid coverage might depend on your location.

The Hearing Loss Association of America recognizes this, and they have information on Medicare Advantage Plans organized by the state. Because of this, they are an excellent resource for finding coverage that best fits your needs.

Why Won’t the Original Plan Cover My Hearing Aids?

This goes back to 1965.

Back then, The Medicare Act of 1965 excluded hearing aid coverage from Medicare, stating that hearing aids were low in cost and routinely needed. 

In addition, people had lower life expectancy, meaning fewer people suffered from hearing loss related to age. This made it less urgent for Medicare to cover hearing-related healthcare at the time.

Sadly, because of a lack of coverage, most people on Medicare are not receiving the hearing care they need. As mentioned above, however, there are exceptions.

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Want to See What Medicare Plans Are Available for You?

Now that you know the answer to the question, “Does Medicare cover hearing aids?” you might wonder how to enroll in your perfect plan.

Senior Affair is dedicated to helping you find the right Medicare plan for you.  

If you qualify for Medicare but don’t know where to start, we have licensed insurance agents ready to answer your questions and help you enroll in Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement Insurance, and Prescription Part D plans.

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