Medicare and Hearing Aids

The cost of hearing aids is a major concern for many people with hearing loss.  Our patients are often eager to know about insurance coverage for hearing tests and hearing aids, so here are the basics:

Medicare will generally cover a diagnostic hearing evaluation (conducted by our audiologists here at J Waligora Audiology) to determine if there is a medical cause for your hearing loss.  Speak to your primary care doctor if you have concerns regarding your hearing and he/she can write you a script to have the hearing evaluation completed.  Unfortunately, Medicare does not provide coverage for hearing aids or for routine hearing evaluations thereafter.

If you have secondary coverage or private health insurance, call the number on the back of your insurance card to locate a participating provider and determine if there are hearing aid benefits.  If there is insurance coverage for hearing aids, be sure to ask about the maximum amount covered, if the amount is per ear or total, and how often the benefit can be used.  For example, under the Empire Plan hearing aids are covered up to a maximum of $1500.00 per ear once every four years. The doctors here at J Waligora Audiology are participating providers for Medicare, most major insurance carriers including the Empire Plan, and other 3rd party payments.

If you do not have insurance coverage, we offer several interest free payment options through Care Credit and can counsel you on other financial assistance programs that you may be eligible for.  Here at J Waligora Audiology we will work with you to select hearing aids that are appropriate for your hearing loss, lifestyle and economic needs.  Call us to make an appointment today 315.463.1724.