1 Freed M, et al. (Nov. 15, 2023). Medicare Advantage 2024 Spotlight: First Look. Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medicare-advantage-2024-spotlight-first-look.
Coverage
Does Medicare Cover Hearing?
- January 12, 2024
- Reviewed by John Krahnert
While Original Medicare (Medicare Parts A and B) doesn’t cover routine hearing care, Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans can offer benefits Original Medicare doesn’t cover. Medicare Advantage plans with hearing benefits may not be available where you live, so learn how to compare your local plan options.
Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) does not provide coverage for routine hearing exams or hearing aids.
Medicare beneficiaries who want routine hearing coverage can consider looking for a Medicare Advantage plan (Medicare Part C) that offers hearing benefits. Plans that cover routine hearing care may not be available where you live, so it’s important to compare plan benefits available in your local area.
98 percent of 2024 Medicare Advantage plans offer hearing benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t cover, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.1
Medicare Part A and Part B hearing coverage
Original Medicare does not provide coverage for the cost of hearing aids, routine hearing exams or fittings for hearing aids.
- Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) may provide coverage for some treatment related to your ear or ear canal, but only when administered in an inpatient hospital setting following a traumatic injury, illness or related procedure.
- Medicare Part B (medical insurance) provides coverage for diagnostic hearing and balance exams, but only when your doctor or health care provider orders them. They may recommend such an exam when assessing your possible need treatment for something like dizziness or vertigo.
Part B also covers cochlear implants, which are electronic medical devices that may be implanted in cases of severe or complete hearing loss.
In other words, Original Medicare does not provide coverage for routine or preventive hearing care, or for natural, age-related hearing loss. Only in the event of treatment or testing for other conditions might Original Medicare provide any coverage for hearing-related treatments or procedures.
How much does it cost to have a hearing test with Medicare?
If your doctor accepts Medicare assignment and orders a hearing and balance test, your Medicare Part B medical insurance benefits will help cover the cost of your exam.
After you meet your Part B deductible (which is $240 per year in 2024), you are responsible for 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for the exam.
Be sure to ask your health care provider why they are recommending your hearing test and whether Medicare will cover it. Medicare Part B does not cover exams that are meant for fitting your hearing aids.
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Medicare Advantage and hearing care
All Medicare Advantage plans are required to offer the same benefits as Medicare Part A and Part B. Medicare Advantage plans can offer hearing benefits not covered by Original Medicare, though Medicare Advantage plans with hearing benefits aren’t available in all areas and may not be available where you live.
A Medicare Advantage plan that includes hearing benefits can cover routing hearing services such as hearing exams and hearing tests and hearing aids.
Because Medicare Advantage plans differ in their coverage and service area, consumers can shop around and may be able to find a plan that offers the hearing coverage.
Medicare Advantage plans can also provide prescription drug coverage, which may be able to help cover the costs of prescriptions required for things like ear infections.
Find Medicare Advantage plans in your area. Call to speak to a licensed insurance agent who can help you compare Medicare Advantage plans available where you live, including the benefits they offer.
We represent carriers such as Humana, UnitedHealthcare®, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna Healthcare, Wellcare, or Kaiser Permanente.
About the author
Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.
Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.
Christian has written hundreds of articles for MedicareAvantage.com that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.
Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.
A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@tzhealthmedia.com.
