10 Ways to Save Money on Hearing Aids

3. Ask about payment plans

Using a payment plan can make paying for expensive hearing aids a bit easier. Ask your health care provider or retailer if they offer zero- or low-interest installment plans.

4. Consider over-the-counter hearing aids

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved over-the-counter hearing aids for sale to consumers in late 2022. They’re less expensive than prescription hearing aids, but they’re not the same. Over-the-counter hearing aids are meant for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. You control the settings and customize them to your hearing. OTC hearing aids offer different levels of technology depending on what you prefer. You don’t need a hearing test or prescription to buy them. Just be sure you purchase a set from a reputable retailer and that the hearing aids meet the FDA’s requirements.

Creed says ASHA is in favor of OTC hearing aids because they provide more options to more consumers, but ASHA still advocates for getting a full evaluation from an audiologist before you buy them, for several reasons.

First, you need to know exactly what your hearing levels are and whether you’re truly a candidate for OTC hearing aids, she says.

Also, your audiologist can determine if a treatable condition, like impacted earwax, is causing your hearing loss. “[If] removing that wax seems to get rid of the mild hearing loss that you’ve been experiencing, then that’s actually saving you money,” Creed says, “because you haven’t purchased an over-the-counter hearing aid to try to remediate a problem that could be paid for by your insurance.”

Most importantly, though, a hearing test will help you avoid wasting money on OTC hearing aids that aren’t suited for you.

5. Check your insurance plan

​Don’t assume your private insurance doesn’t cover hearing aids. Many large private insurers cover hearing exams when they’re required by a physician. But some insurers and employers include partial or full hearing aid coverage as part of their benefits.

“I always encourage every single patient that has a private pay insurance plan to first pick up the phone and call and ask. Most audiologists will do this as a courtesy for their patients,” Creed says.

Your audiologist also will have the proper diagnosis and procedural billing codes to provide the insurer, which includes 12 new codes that go into effect Jan 1, 2026, that better describe the care they provide around hearing devices.

6. Add Medicare Advantage coverage

Basic Medicare doesn’t pay for hearing aids (though with hearing loss increasingly linked to depression, isolation, falls and dementia, some Congress members are pushing for that to change). But about 40 percent of Medicare enrollees have a Medicare Advantage plan, which can range from $10 to $150 per month and up, and “the vast majority” of those plans do cover hearing aids, Carr says.

7. See if you qualify for Medicaid

Medicaid terms are decided state by state, but many offer Medicaid coverage for hearing aids. Check with your state agency that handles Medicaid guidelines.

8. Check your local university clinic

If you live near a university with a graduate audiology program, see if it has a speech, language and hearing clinic with graduate students working under the supervision of audiologists. Sometimes these clinics provide hearing care services at discounted prices or on a sliding scale, Creed says. “I always think a university clinic is a good place to look to if finances are a concern,” she says.

9. Look into nonprofits and other sources of aid

Many local and national organizations have programs that provide hearing aid financial help or even free hearing aids. Other nonprofits accept gently used hearing aids and recycle them for those who need them.

Most organizations have eligibility requirements, so if you don’t qualify any listed below, talk to your audiologist for more suggestions.

• The International Lions Club Foundation
• Hearing Aid Project
• Starkey Hearing Foundation
• Miracle-Ear Foundation
• Help America Hear

10. Contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

One in 3 service members return from deployment with measurable hearing loss. If you’re a veteran, you might be able to get free hearing aids. To start the application process, you can:

• Register in person at a VA Medical Center.
• Enroll online by filling out VA Form 10-10EZ electronically.
• Print and fill out Form 10-10EZ and mail it to your local VA.

You’ll need to provide a copy of your Veterans DD214, a photo ID and proof of any health insurance you have.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on Dec. 15, 2021. It has been updated to reflect new information.