Will the new health exchanges cover HAs?

[Dixie]

I am HOH, and I use a HA in one ear and I am completely deaf in the other. Anyway, I don't need a new HA, but I need to get my tube replaced. I am wondering if the ACA might cover the costs associated with my HAs such as maintenance, replacements every 5-6 years, etc. I haven't been able to get a hold of my audiologist to find out as she has been out on maternity leave.

 

[cdmeggers]

there are different options with the ACA, different types of insurance options and plans and that sort of thing. You'll just have to do some research and see if there's a plan that will cover hearing aids and maintenance.

 

[HOH-ME]

The health exchanges are just websites, they aren't plans. It depends on where you live and the insurance policies in your area. I know in NY many of the plans have some coverage for hearing aids, but not full coverage. In my area, they don't.

 

[DeafDucky]

In my experience almost no health insurance plans cover hearing aids. I have yet to come across one that will- I've had MANY over the years. There used to be an insurance company that did cater exclusively to hearing aids and later CI- Empire something or other. This was over ten years ago though.

 

[HOH-ME]

In my experience almost no health insurance plans cover hearing aids. I have yet to come across one that will- I've had MANY over the years. There used to be an insurance company that did cater exclusively to hearing aids and later CI- Empire something or other. This was over ten years ago though.

There are more and more plans that cover--at least partially-hearing aids. Again, it's not the insurance company that dictates the coverage, it's the company that buys the plan that picks the features and most companies won't pay the extra to have hearing aid coverage.

 

[DeafDucky]

That's true that the company/group is the one who selects what goes into the plan but I was sure that for a long time the insurance companies didn't even include hearing aids costs in ANY of their plan offerings. Hm. I don't remember if I even saw that option when I used to work at a major insurance company...*scratches head*

But yes- seems more insurance policies are now including some provisions- not as much as for CIs but.. some.

 

[ambrosia]

That's true that the company/group is the one who selects what goes into the plan but I was sure that for a long time the insurance companies didn't even include hearing aids costs in ANY of their plan offerings. Hm. I don't remember if I even saw that option when I used to work at a major insurance company...*scratches head*

But yes- seems more insurance policies are now including some provisions- not as much as for CIs but.. some.

I think it depends which state you live in.

 

[SBirn]

In my experience almost no health insurance plans cover hearing aids. I have yet to come across one that will- I've had MANY over the years. There used to be an insurance company that did cater exclusively to hearing aids and later CI- Empire something or other. This was over ten years ago though.

DD: Times may have changed but I worked for at least two different companies where my insurance covered up to $500 (and that was years ago) for a HA. I used it as I used it both companies. Nowadays that sounds like a little amount because analog aids were more popular than digital. Tis never hurts to ask one's insurance company. The worst that can happen is they can write, "No." (Time frames when I got $$ was in the early 90s for some years and the last time was in 1997. Could've happened when I had the best coverage in 2005/6 but I didn't need a HA, so I don't know.) I believe ya when you say, "... almost no h.i. plans cover hearing aids." There are so many cutbacks these days.

 

[HOH-ME]

That's true that the company/group is the one who selects what goes into the plan but I was sure that for a long time the insurance companies didn't even include hearing aids costs in ANY of their plan offerings. Hm. I don't remember if I even saw that option when I used to work at a major insurance company...*scratches head*

But yes- seems more insurance policies are now including some provisions- not as much as for CIs but.. some.

Hearing aids are considered a "quality of life" issue, not so much a medical necessity...not that I agree with that but that is how they get around covering HA's. The best plan I've seen has been $2500/year but that was for a manufacturing company where employees work in a noisy environment and hearing loss, no matter how well they protect their ears, is a side effect from the job. I typically see about $1000/ear every 3-5 years when I see a company plan that covers HA's. I'd say maybe 10% of the plans I see have coverage for HA's though--not a lot--but more than you saw even 5 years ago.

 

[Dixie]

I think the insurance companies should be required to cover at least half the cost of HAs, especially those who depend on them to succeed on the job and/or in the classroom. Thank goodness there are places such as the Starkey Foundation and VRS that help to cover some of the cost to low-income people who need the HAs.

I don't understand why insurance companies would be more read to cover a CI which is way more experimental and invasive than HAs. Granted, many people have had success with CIs but they do not work for everyone for various reasons. A HA is far less invasive and expensive and has a proven record for decades.

HAs and CIs are not cures for deafness and HOH, but they are tools that can be used to help us navigate the hearing world a bit better.

 

[ambrosia]

CIs are for people that HAs are ineffective for. HAs aren't covered because they are not medically necessary, being HoH won't kill you, therefore they are not medically necessary.

 

[Bottesini]

CIs are for people that HAs are ineffective for. HAs aren't covered because they are not medically necessary, being HoH won't kill you, therefore they are not medically necessary.

Being deaf won't kill you either.

The rationale behind covering CI is that they are durable medical equipment.

 

[ambrosia]

Being deaf won't kill you either.

The rationale behind covering CI is that they are durable medical equipment.

I know, that's why I said they're treated more as prosthetics

Edited, Oh crap I just reread my post, I'd wanted to mention it but see I did not. *facepalm*