Medicare Hearing Benefits

• by Christian Worstell
• September 8, 2023
• Reviewed by John Krahnert

Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) does not provide coverage for routine hearing exams or hearing aids, however.

Medicare beneficiaries who want routine hearing coverage can consider enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan (Medicare Part C) that offers hearing benefits.

Medicare Part A and Part B hearing coverage

Original Medicare does not provide coverage for the cost of hearing aids, hearing exams or fittings for hearing aids.

• Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) may provide coverage for some hearing treatment, but only when administered in a hospital following a traumatic injury, illness or 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 an emergency or during 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 $226 per year in 2023), 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.

Medicare Advantage and hearing care

All Medicare Advantage plans offer the same benefits as Medicare Part A and Part B, except for hospice care, which is still covered by Medicare Part A.

Some Medicare Advantage plans may also offer hearing benefits not found in Original Medicare, such as one or more of the following:

• Hearing exams and hearing tests
• Hearing aid fittings
• The cost of hearing aids themselves
• Hearing aid maintenance

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 they need.

Medicare Advantage plans can also provide prescription drug coverage, which may be able to help cover the costs of any drugs required for ear infections or other hearing treatments.

A Medicare Advantage plan with hearing benefits could be a good fit for Medicare beneficiaries looking for hearing coverage.    

Find a Medicare Advantage plan that covers hearing care

Find a Medicare Advantage plan in your area. Call to speak to a licensed insurance agent who can guide you through the plans sold where you live and detail the hearing benefits that those plans may offer.

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.

 

 

​

Read less