Does Health Insurance Cover Hearing Aids?

Does health insurance cover hearing aids? In the past, the answer would probably have been no – hearing aids were considered a choice, and therefore not necessary. Of course, those who have hearing loss are more than likely to disagree with that because wearing hearing aids will improve their lives in many ways, but this was not how insurance companies saw things.

Today things have changed or are at least changing. By 2018, around three-quarters of all those enrolled in Medicare had access to insurance that covered hearing aids and as the years go on, that number is growing. In fact, many insurers are choosing to add hearing aids to their insurance coverage as a way to attract new customers; they understand that not only are hearing aids hugely beneficial to the patient, around one in three people will have some kind of hearing loss by the age of 65 – this means a lot of potential customers.

Customer Demand

Customer demand is always something that will help make changes, which is as true in the medical insurance industry as in any other. This is yet another reason why you’ll find many more insurers offering to cover the cost – or at least a partial cost – of your hearing aids now.

Thanks to professional hearing instrument specialists and the information you can gather online, consumers now have much more knowledge of healthcare than ever before. This means that they know what to ask for, and they know which insurance companies to stay away from if they don’t offer what is required.

Plus, the fact that having better hearing means being able to live life to the fullest means they no longer want to allow it to go untreated. They want to make the most of their lives, no matter what age they are and a hearing aid could be the answer. So, it is no longer a luxury item; it is something that anyone who has hearing loss will benefit from and could finally be seen as a necessity, which insurance companies will have to cover.

Health Insurance Competition

There are many different health insurance companies these days, and that is another factor that has meant it is much more likely to find your hearing loss needs serviced when in the past this was not the case. With so much competition, health insurers need to do what it takes to gain the most customers; that means pleasing those customers and giving them exactly what they want. For some, that will be covering hearing aids in their policies.

It’s worth checking your health insurance now, even if you don’t currently have hearing loss. You may need to wear hearing aids in the future and being prepared for this ahead of time by finding a great insurance company that you’re happy with and that includes hearing aids in their coverage, can save a lot of worry later on.

How Much Do Hearing Aids Cost?

Hearing aids can vary in price, and it will depend on the hearing aid you need and the different functions you want. Just as with anything, there are high-end and low-end options. Everyone’s finances are different, and that figure might be something that some can cover, but it won’t be something that is comfortable for everyone, so having insurance that will deal with it for you will give you the ultimate peace of mind.

Why See a Hearing Instrument Specialist?

If you think you are experiencing hearing loss, then the best thing you can do, regardless of what your insurance does or does not cover, is to make an appointment to see a hearing instrument specialist. This way, you can have a hearing screening and test, and can diagnose any hearing loss. The sooner you do this, the sooner any treatment can start and the sooner you can go back to your everyday life.

Once you know whether or not you have hearing loss, you can look at the different options with your hearing instrument specialist. They may recommend a hearing aid, although there are other treatments. It will depend on the severity of your hearing loss and your lifestyle and age.

At this point, you can think about the different payment options you have – your hearing instrument specialist will be able to help you. For more information and to learn more, please contact Kenwood Hearing Centers at 510-768-7091.