Healthy hearing is something that is very valuable to everyday life, but not always easy to maintain. Hearing loss is a common medical problem and it affects people of all ages. When it comes to hearing healthcare options, you could be left wondering what’s out there or how much those options cost.

Hearing aids aren’t the only choice to gain better hearing but hearing aids are often one of the most common methods used. There are other options like cochlear implants but as with hearing aids, they have their own sets of limitations. This guide can give you an overview of your better hearing choices, and some of the costs related to those options.

Healthy Hearing Starts With Testing

The best thing you can do if you start to suspect that you or a loved one is experiencing some degree of hearing loss is to have your hearing tested as early as possible. Early detection of hearing loss is highly beneficial for many reasons.

Catching onto a decline in hearing early on can prevent things like withdrawing from loved ones because you find it frustrating when you can’t hear them talking. Withdrawing and isolating because of hearing issues can lead to other problems like depression, as well as a decline in how well your relationships with others fare.

The costs of a hearing test are varied. It depends on where you live, what kind of medical coverage you have, and even your age. While Medicare Parts A and B don’t cover hearing exams specifically, Part B does make an exception for diagnostic hearing exams if they are ordered to check on other health-related issues like frequent dizziness.

If you have Medicaid the benefits related to hearing tests are dependent on which state you live in. Some states like Alabama do not offer coverage for hearing related issues while others like California have benefits with provisional spending limits per year.

You can look up your individual state’s Medicaid better hearing coverage options online to get the best idea of what your coverage will be. This will help you decide what actions to take when you’re struggling to maintain healthy hearing, and have Medicaid coverage.

For private health insurance holders, your coverage will be specific to your policy. If you’re looking at getting your hearing tested it’s best to call and talk with them before you go to make sure you’re covered or verify what your out of pocket costs are for hearing tests.

Hearing Aids

Hearing aids are a very common option when it comes to dealing with hearing loss and effective ways to gain better hearing. They work by amplifying sounds to help increase your comprehension of the voices and noises going on around you. Although they are not going to restore your hearing back to 100% they can make a huge difference in your daily life.

Hearing aids are most effective for a type of hearing loss related to damage in the inner ear to small sensory cells often called hair cells. The more technical term for this type of hearing loss is sensorineural hearing loss. This damage can be caused by a variety of things like age, injury, or even certain medications.

There are three main different types of hearing aids available and you’ll want to work with an audiologist to find the right hearing aid for your specific needs. Costs, insurance coverage, and the severity of your hearing loss can all affect which hearing aid will work best for you.

Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are comprised of a plastic casing that sits behind your ear, connected to a plastic mold that fits inside your outer ear. They are used by patients of all ages experiencing a wide range of hearing loss. BTE hearing aids can be used for anything from mild to severe hearing loss.

In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids fit entirely in your outer ear. The case is still made of hard plastic, and it’s often not a great option for young children because of this. As a child grows their ears will change size and shape and an ITE hearing aid will need to be replaced to maintain the best fit. Like BTE hearing aids, ITE hearing aids can be used for mild to severe hearing loss as well.

Canal hearing aids can be found in two different types. In-the-canal (ITC) or completely-in-canal (CIC) aids. Both of these options are small and fit within the ear canal. They are very compact and can be hard for some people to put in or remove. They also have some limitations on amplification due to their small size and are generally recommended for mild to moderate loss.

The cost of your hearing aid will again depend on your insurance coverage and your location. Without insurance your out of pocket costs can range from $1,000 to $4,000 per ear. If you’re on Medicaid remember to refer to the earlier resource mentioned and check what your state covers.

Again, with private coverage, you’ll want to verify what is covered and what isn’t before you make any purchase decisions.  Talking with your insurance provider before your visit an audiologist to get your hearing aids prescribed is the best way to avoid any unpleasant cost related surprises later in the process.

Hearing aid technology is a rapidly growing field of research. The hearing aids available today are greatly improved models from what was available even 10 to 15 years ago. Audiologist Kimberly Skinner has expressed great interest in what the future holds for hearing aid technology.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see amplification options in 25 years bear little resemblance to what we have today. I can see aural rehabilitation/aural habilitation (do they still call it that?) changing significantly as various brain-training programs are developed and researched. Who knows, someone may have figured out how to regenerate hair cells by then!” –Kimberly Skinner, Audiologist

Cochlear Implants

While hearing aids are meant for mild to even severe hearing loss, cochlear implants are used for children and adults who are deaf or very severely hard of hearing. They work in a very different way than hearing aids do. Hearing aids seek to amplify sound so damaged ears can better perceive it. This is not at all how a cochlear implant functions.

Cochlear implants instead completely pass by the damaged portion of the ear and provide direct stimulation to the auditory nerves. They also differ from hearing aids in how they are worn and used. The cochlear implant consists of two pieces, one worn externally behind the ear, and another surgically implanted under the skin.

Because of how they work, by stimulating the auditory nerves to send signals to your brain, learning to hear through a cochlear implant can be difficult for some people. This is especially true if a patient has to relearn how to hear things they once heard normally on their own.

Even with the existing learning/relearning process people can still find quite an improvement in their lives with cochlear implants. Some patients are even able to process sounds while speaking on the telephone which isn’t always easy for people experiencing hearing loss.

Cochlear implant costs are a little different than hearing aids in how they are covered by insurance or Medicaid/Medicare. Cochlear implants are considered a standard treatment for nerve related deafness. Because of this most insurance companies will cover them.

Medicare/Medicaid and other public health programs also consider cochlear implants to be standard treatment meaning they are covered under these types of plans as well. As always it’s a good idea to verify your own coverage before making any final decisions but in general, this type of hearing assistive device is covered far more widely than hearing aids.

Paying For Healthy Hearing Tools When You Don’t Have Coverage

Because of the costs involved in paying for hearing tests or hearing aids on your own many people don’t seek help to have better hearing. This isn’t a great option and it can result in a lot of frustration for yourself and family members or loved ones.

The costs for testing and assistive devices shouldn’t be minimized but there are some options out there for people who don’t have coverage. There are charitable organizations both at the state and national level that focus on helping people pay for hearing loss related things.

You can look at sites like Sertoma, where you’ll find lists of charity and payment help options broken down by state. Sertoma is an organization that focuses on a lot of hearing health related issues. They even offer scholarships for deaf or hard of hearing children and participate in programs to help spread hearing loss awareness in local communities.

Sertoma’s list of state programs is quite comprehensive so it’s definitely worth your time to look through all of the information they have to offer. Sometimes you may have to look at more than one program before you find the right fit for you and your specific needs. Don’t give up if the first one on the list isn’t right.

Help America Hear is another option for funding hearing aids. This is a program focused on helping low-income individuals get new, high quality hearing aids. HAH does state that they are meant to be your last resort as a payment option.

They will want you to verify that you’ve exhausted all other possible options for assistance first. If you’re thinking about applying for the HAH program, make sure you’ve used the Sertoma list mentioned above first.

If there’s anything listed on that website which might be a fit for you, you’ll want to make sure you’ve tried those options first. They may also ask if you’ve attempted to use resources like family members willing to help, or financing options like payment plans or a credit card.

They do want to help people with their hearing health needs, but as with all types of programs, their funding is limited so their requirements for assistance are stringent. If you have exhausted all other options and meet their income requirements don’t hesitate to apply for their help. It’s there for cases just like yours.

If you’re reading this information and still have questions about what might be covered by insurance, how much to expect to pay for your hearing aids, or what financial assistance you might be missing information on, the Hearing Industries Association has a very comprehensive guide of costs and programs available.

Things To Keep In Mind

Healthy hearing is a big part of your overall health. If you’re experiencing hearing loss symptoms it’s best to start getting help early. The longer you put things off the more damage there could be to deal with. Start talking with your healthcare provider about what you’re experiencing as soon as you can.

Another reason you’ll want to start as early as possible when dealing with hearing loss issues is because if you do need to apply for financial assistance programs, those applications will take time to process. There could be a significant delay between the time you submit an application and the time you are able to get your hearing aids. If you wait to get help, time is not going to be on your side.

Better hearing is not a lost cause, even if the costs involved seem prohibitive at first. Don’t let that stop you from reaching out for help when you realize what’s going on. It’s not a hopeless situation, even if you have no insurance coverage at all.

As you can see there are many options available and without starting the process by asking what’s out there, you’ll never know what help is right for your hearing loss and financial situation. Being proactive will benefit both your ability to pay for any assistive devices you need, as well as improving your quality of life. Take this information to heart and enjoy better hearing sooner than you may think is possible.