Does Medicare cover hearing aids and hearing exams?

One question many Medicare beneficiaries ask is, “Will Medicare pay for my hearing aid?”

When it comes to Original Medicare (Parts A & B), the short answer is “No.” Medicare Part A and Part B don’t cover routine hearing exams, hearing aids or hearing aid fittings.

While Part B won’t cover hearing aids, it will cover diagnostic hearing and balance exams if your doctor or other health care provider orders these tests to see if you need medical treatment for a recent injury or illness, such as vertigo or other balance problems.

If you do have an exam covered by Medicare, you’ll still have to pay the Part B deductible and 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for the doctor's services. If you have testing done in a hospital outpatient setting, you will also be responsible to pay a hospital copayment.

If your doctor recommends you get other hearing-related services Medicare doesn’t cover, you may have to pay some or all the costs. Before you do anything, be sure to ask why your doctor is recommending certain services and whether Medicare will pay for them.

Now, back to hearing aids. Original Medicare won’t cover these often-important hearing health devices, but there are Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplement insurance plans that do. Additionally, many Medicare Advantage plans will also pay for routine hearing-related exams and services.

What specific hearing health services and items are covered will vary by plan, so be sure to look carefully at the plans available in your area and to ask how coverage and costs work.