Hearing Aids

Hearing aids cost thousands of dollars.  The NAD will continue to seek ways fund coverage or reimbursement for hearing aids to make hearing aids an affordable choice for deaf and hard of hearing individuals who want to obtain them.

Several of the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) insurance plans provide coverage of hearing aids.  The federal government FEHB is often seen as a model program for other insurers.

Several states have enacted legislation mandating insurance coverage for hearing aids; most often for children, but in some cases for adults.  Efforts are underway in other states to enact similar legislation to require hearing aid coverage by health benefits plans.

Other measures underway to make hearing aids more affordable include a bill to provide a tax credit to offset the cost of hearing aids for many taxpayers.

The Starkey Hearing Foundation Hear Now program provides assistance to permanent U.S. residents who are deaf or hard of hearing and have limited financial resources.