Financial Resources for Hearing Aids

Hearing aids, although a necessary purchase, is often put off because of financial concerns. With few insurance companies covering all or even some of the cost, it can be a daunting proposition to come up with thousands of dollars for hearing aids.

I’ve compiled a list of resources I found online as well as information provided to me from the NIDCD or the National Institute of Deafness and other Communication Disorders. The NIDCD is one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH—the nation’s medical research agency—includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov

Unfortunately, there aren’t a ton of resources, but there are a few. Don’t forget to ask about financing plans and interest free payment plans that might also help. The good news is that most insurance companies, including Medicare usually pay for your complete hearing evaluation once per year.

ARIZONA:

Community Hearing Aid Program

http://communityhearingaidprogram.org/index.html

623-748-8814

Children’s Rehabilitative Services (only for children ages 0-21)

602-542-1860

Sertoma Club

http://www.sertoma.org/Page.aspx?pid=335

FEDERAL: Department of Veterans Affairs (202-745-8578). If you are a veteran, go to your local VA hospital since most hearing loss can be attributed to your time in the service even if it wasn’t documented when you were discharged. For the Phoenix Metro area:

Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center 602-222-6550 or 1-888-214-7264

NATIONAL: Hear Now (800-648-4327)

Internet: www.sotheworldmayhear.org OR

http://www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org/hear-now.php

Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Project

www.lionsear.org Type “Affordable Hearing Aid” in the search box OR:

http://www.lcif.org/EN/our-programs/humanitarian-efforts/hearing/index.php

You need to apply for the AHA program through a specific lions club, but the application and information is available at the above link.

Audient Alliance (1-877-283-4368)

Internet: www.audientalliance.org

STATE RESOURCES:

Community Information and Referral Network