Have you ever asked yourself, “what does Medicare cover when it comes to hearing?”
It’s not an uncommon question.
We’ve found that there’s a lot of confusion about this. The reason being that Medicare Advantage advertisements talk about how their plan covers additional services like vision, hearing and dental.
To clear up any confusion, Medicare will ONLY cover anything that is Medically necessary.
What’s covered:
- Hearing and balance exam ordered by your doctor
- Anything that is medically necessary
Things that are NOT covered:
- Hearing aids
- Hearing aid fittings
But don’t worry. There are other options to get coverage for non-medically necessary hearing services
One option is through Medicare Advantage plans. There are some Medicare Advantage plans that will cover certain hearing expenses like a hearing aid. This coverage will depend on what Advantage plan you pick and how much you must pay for those services.
With that said, it’s important that you NOT pick a Medicare Advantage plan based solely on the extra perks that are being advertised. It may not be in your best interest. What I’ve found s that people who make their decision based on these perks later regret their Medicare decision, even if they use those services.
Another option is through a stand alone hearing plan. These plans are usually very affordable and can cover hearing expenses including hearing aids.
My advice to you is to make sure that you understand what your options are and don’t be influenced by marketing material.
Just to reiterate, Medicare will not cover any hearing services that are not medically necessary. The good news is that there are different ways that you can cover those expenses.
Therefore, if hearing is covered by your current health insurance plan, it may be in your best interest to take care of hearing care before you join Medicare.
This is one of the many unique aspects of Medicare that surprises people, so I hope this helps you.
