HEARING AIDs and 
Hearing Technology

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Where can I find general information on hearing aids?

• American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) 

• Hearing Aids 101

• Laurent Clerc: National Deaf Education Center (LC) 

• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

• Wikipedia 

• Wisconsin Law (PDF, 37 KB) on Hearing Aid Dealers

How do I know if my insurance covers the cost of hearing aids?

The average cost of a hearing aid was approximately $1,800. It is also important to note that many insurance companies do not provide coverage for hearing aids. Fortunately there are several programs willing to step in to assist in offsetting the cost on a state as well as a national level.

• Your personal health care plan

• Wisconsin Law (PDF, 28 KB)

Prior to purchasing hearing aids, make sure to check with your health care plan. If you do not have a copy of your plan, you may request one of your employer’s benefit managers. Make sure to look for terms such as: audiology, hearing care, other rehabilitation or other medically necessary services. Further clarification of coverage can be requested to your plan in writing, or you may wish to contact the American Speech-Language Hearing Association as they are abreast of current trends surrounding the insurance coverage of hearing aids and related services.

American Speech-Language Hearing Association
1080-1 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
301) 897-5700 Voice/ TTY
(800) 638-8255 Voice/ TTY
www.asha.org

Are there any Government programs that provide financial assistance in hearing aid coverage?

Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)
DVR will provide services to consumers who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind and meet DVR eligibility requirements. Assistance with hearing aids and other assistive listening devices might be provided to consumers who need such devices to secure or retain employment.

Veterans Administration (VA) 
Veterans Administration will provide hearing aids and eyeglasses to veterans who receive increased pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance or being permanently housebound, receive compensation for a service-connected disability or are former POWs or received a Purple Heart medal.

Medicare
Medicare specifically excludes hearing aids and exams for fitting hearing aids.  Hearing and balance exams are covered only if ordered by a doctor to see if you need medical treatment. Standard qualifications for the Medicare program apply. Coverage is available, however, for cochlear implantation if all criteria for Medicare coverage are met.

Wisconsin Medicaid 
Medicaid is a joint federal/state program established in 1965 under Title XIX of the Social Security Act to pay for medical services for people with disabilities, people 65 years and older, children and their caretakers, and pregnant women who meet the program's financial requirements. Wisconsin Medicaid is also known as the Medical Assistance Program, Title XIX, or T19.  Hearing aids and cochlear implants are covered services for Medicaid eligible recipients.

Katie Beckett Medicaid Eligibility Option
The Katie Beckett Program is a special eligibility process that allows certain children who are residents of Wisconsin with long-term disabilities or complex medical needs, living at home with their families, to obtain a Wisconsin Medicaid card. Children who are not eligible for other Medicaid programs because the income or assets of their parents are too high, may be eligible for Medicaid through the Katie Beckett Program, if they meet all the eligibility criteria.

Wisconsin Infant/ Children’s Statewide Hearing Aid Exchange Service (WISHES) 
The Wisconsin Infant & Children's Statewide Hearing Aid Exchange Service (WISHES) program loans hearing instruments (hearing aids and/or FM systems) for a 6 month period to newly identified deaf and hard of hearing children who are not Medicaid eligible or do not have hearing aid insurance coverage (children ages 0-3 will be given priority).

WisLoan
WisLoan is an alternative loan program for persons with disabilities, including people who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing, in Wisconsin whom wish to buy equipment such as hearing aids, modified vehicles, wheelchairs and ramps. The program is open to Wisconsin residents of all ages who have a disability. There are no income requirements, and individuals are not required to exhaust personal or public funding. Under the program, banks provide loans to qualified borrowers. Loan amounts depend on the item purchased and the ability to repay the loan.

Wisconsin First Step
Wisconsin First Step is a statewide information and referral service dedicated to helping families and professionals find resources for children birth to 21 years with special needs. It also serves as central directory for WI’s Birth to 3 Program, & links parents & professionals to Regional CSHCN (Children w/ Special Health Care Needs) Centers across the state.

I do not qualify for the governmental programs, are there any other sources of financial assistance?

AUDIENT Alliance for Accessible Hearing Care
Audient is a non-profit program that provides affordable access to hearing care to people with limited financial resources.  Through this program, hearing care professionals and suppliers offer their services to the AUDIENT Program, so that services can be made available at a greatly reduced cost.  Applicants must meet income eligibility requirements. Once a person is determined to be eligible for the program, they are referred to the AUDIENT program partner, Ear Professionals International Corporation (EPIC), who then refers them to an AUDIENT program partner provider in their area. 

HELP ME HEAR FOUNDATION
To give the gift of hearing to impoverished deaf children across the globe by providing them with the most advanced hearing devices available. This is a 501c(3) non-profit organization.

HIKE Fund, Inc. ( The Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment Fund)
The HIKE Fund, Inc. is the continuing philanthropic project of Jobs Daughters International. The purpose of the Fund is to provide hearing devices for children with hearing losses between the ages of newborn and twenty years whose parents are unable to meet this special need financially. Children are eligible to receive a grant providing the need is verified by a prescription from and audiologist or physician. The Fund has also awarded many types of devices including, but not limited to, hearing aids, FM systems, closed caption converters, tactile units, alerting systems, and specialized sports equipment, to aid children with hearing loss in communication.

Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Project (Lions-AHAP)
Through the Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Project, the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) is providing high-quality, low-cost hearing aids to people who could not otherwise afford them.  This project is in addition to other Lions hearing programs.  Lions programs and clubs are required to qualify a person for the program, based on their income.  Income guidelines are available from LCIF. 

Lions Hearing Foundation
Lions Clubs International provides support for people who are D/HH/DB by offering the following services: Hearing awareness, hearing screenings, communication aids for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, recreational camps for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, support for the D/HH community. They operate a Hearing Aid Bank Program that collects used hearing aids that are then refurbished and made available to people who could not otherwise afford to purchase hearing aids.

Miracle Ear Children’s Foundation
This program provides no-cost hearing aids and hearing support services to children age 16 or younger whose families have a significantly limited income but are not eligible for any public support and are unable to afford the high costs of quality hearing instruments.  Applications are evaluated on a case by case basis.

SERTOMA International (SERvice TO Mankind)
SERTOMA International is a volunteer civic service organization with clubs in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Sertoma's mission supports hearing health. The Sertoma Club of Madison and the University of Wisconsin Speech & Hearing Clinic provide reconditioned hearing aids to low income individuals through their Sertoma Hearing Aid Recycling program.  Preference for assistance will be given to residents of Dane county and surrounding communities. 

Starkey Hearing Foundation/Hear Now
Hear Now is a national non-profit program of the Starkey Hearing Foundation committed to assisting deaf and hard-of-hearing persons with limited financial resources who permanently reside within the United States. HEAR NOW provides new and reconditioned hearing aids through hearing health providers nationwide. HEAR NOW is a program of last resort and is designed to assist those who have no other resource available to them. HEAR NOW considers family support or funds available in money market accounts, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, IRAs, certificates of deposit (CDs), checking/savings accounts, stocks, bonds, or T-bills when determining eligibility. There is a non-refundable processing fee for each hearing aid applied for through HEAR NOW. For income guidelines and/or to obtain more information or an application in either English or Spanish contact, HEAR NOW or visit their website.

What about local Civic or Service Organizations?

Local civic and service organizations such as: local Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, Optimist clubs, Goodwill Industries, National Easter Seals Society and March of Dimes to name a few provide assistance to individuals for hearing aids as well as assistive technology. Consult your local phone directory to locate these organizations within your community.

For more information

• Cochlear Implant information

• Hearing Health. Information about types of hearing loss.

• Additional resources on hearing loss.

• Listen-Up Web. If you would like more information regarding financial assistance as well as insurance coverage visit the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA)

• The Gift of Hearing Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to increasing access to and awareness of cochlear implant (CI) surgery. The Foundation also keeps abreast of and support areas of research as well as legislation that can impact both the cost and awareness factors.