Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids? The Full Answer, Including What They Don’t Tell You

By Kim Fishman, Audiologist | Hears Hearing & Hearables  |  Hears to U Clinic, Hopkins, Minnesota

This is one of the most common questions we hear, and one of the most frustrating to answer honestly, because the honest answer requires explaining a system that has been deliberately made confusing.

The short answer: Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids. It never has. As of 2026, that has not changed, despite years of legislative effort and overwhelming evidence that untreated hearing loss costs the healthcare system far more than hearing aids would.

The longer answer involves Medicare Advantage plans, third-party administrators, and a web of financial relationships between insurance companies and hearing aid manufacturers that every patient deserves to understand before they make a purchasing decision. This post covers all of it, clearly, without an agenda other than making sure you know what you’re dealing with.

Original Medicare: The Simple, Frustrating Truth

Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover hearing aids or hearing aid fitting exams. This applies in 2026. You pay 100% of these costs out of pocket. This has not changed despite multiple pieces of legislation introduced over many years.

Medicare does cover certain hearing-related medical services; this distinction matters:

• Diagnostic hearing and balance exams ordered by your doctor to evaluate a medical condition, covered by Part B
• Cochlear implants are covered as prosthetic devices
• Bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA) are covered as prosthetic devices
• Hearing aids themselves are not covered. Routine hearing exams for fitting are not covered.

 

What about Medigap supplemental plans? Also no. Medigap covers costs left over after Medicare pays, so if Medicare doesn’t cover something, Medigap doesn’t cover it either. A patient with both Medicare and a Medigap supplement gets the same hearing aid coverage as a patient with Medicare alone: none.

The Legislative History: Why This Hasn’t Changed

The exclusion of hearing aids from Medicare coverage has been actively challenged in Congress for decades. Here’s the current status of the most significant efforts:

• Build Back Better Act (2021): included provisions to add hearing aid coverage to Medicare Part B, categorize hearing aids as prosthetic devices, and cover audiologist services. The bill passed the House but failed in the Senate. The hearing aid provisions were never enacted.
• Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2025 (H.R. 500): reintroduced in the 119th Congress, this bill would remove the statutory exclusion of hearing aid coverage from Medicare Part B. As of May 2026, it has not been enacted into law. It remains in committee.
• Audiology Access Act: bipartisan legislation to expand access to audiology services under Medicare, including more treatments and provider participation. Introduced June 2025. Pending congressional review.

 

The consistent legislative pattern: bipartisan support exists, bills are regularly reintroduced, and none have passed. The reasons are complex, cost to the federal budget is the most cited barrier, but advocates note that the long-term cost of untreated hearing loss to Medicare (through increased rates of cognitive decline, falls, depression, and social isolation) likely exceeds the cost of coverage. That argument has been made in peer-reviewed research for over a decade without producing legislative action.

Medicare Advantage (Part C): Better, But More Complicated

Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private insurance companies and are required to cover everything Original Medicare covers, but they can also offer additional benefits. Hearing aids are one of those additional benefits, and they’re now very common:

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 97% of Medicare Advantage plans in 2025 offered some form of hearing benefit. However, what that benefit actually covers varies enormously from plan to plan, and the details matter more than the headline number.

The range is wide:

• Some plans offer a modest annual allowance: $500 to $1,500 toward hearing aids every one to three years
• Some plans cover a specific tier of device with a copayment: often $399 to $999 per hearing aid
• Some plans cover 100% of certain devices, but only from a limited list
• Some plans partner with third-party administrators (TPAs), which limits your provider and device choices significantly

 

That last point is where the conversation gets more complicated, and where informed consumers have a significant advantage over uninformed ones.

Third-Party Administrators: The Middlemen Who Limit Your Choices

Many Medicare Advantage plans use third-party administrators (TPAs) to administer their hearing benefits. The most common ones you’ll encounter are TruHearing, NationsHearing, UnitedHealthcare Hearing, and Hearing Care Solutions. These are not insurance companies; they don’t take on risk. They negotiate with manufacturers and provider networks to offer discounted hearing aids, and they administer the administrative process of the benefit.

Here’s what they don’t always tell you:

• Limited device selection: when you use your Medicare Advantage hearing benefit through a TPA, you typically choose from a restricted list of devices, often two or three options at different price points. In some plans, the choice is between technology levels of a single private-label brand, not between different manufacturers.
• Limited provider network: You must use a provider in the TPA’s network. Your regular audiologist may not be in-network. Network providers have signed contracts with the TPA that affect what they can charge and sometimes what they can discuss with you.
• Restricted follow-up visits: the plan decides how many visits are covered,  typically one fitting appointment and one or two follow-up visits. Anything beyond that is private pay.
• Non-disparagement clauses: Some TPA contracts require providers to sign agreements prohibiting negative statements about the TPA even after leaving the network. This is documented in the TPA contract language we have personally reviewed. 

 

A Medicare Advantage ‘hearing benefit’ and genuine comprehensive hearing care are not the same thing. Understanding the difference before you choose a plan, or before you use the benefit, can save you significant money and frustration.

The Conflict of Interest Hidden Inside Your Hearing Benefit

This is the part of the Medicare hearing benefit story that most people never find out, and that we believe every patient deserves to know.

Several of the largest TPAs administering Medicare Advantage hearing benefits are owned by or financially affiliated with hearing aid manufacturers. This creates a structural conflict of interest: the company administering your insurance benefit has a financial stake in which hearing aid you buy.

• UnitedHealthcare Hearing: was created when UnitedHealth Group acquired Epic Hearing Healthcare from Sonova in 2018 and merged it with hi HealthInnovations. The private-label hearing aid emphasized through UnitedHealthcare Hearing’s benefit is the Relate, manufactured by Sonova, the same company that makes Phonak. UnitedHealthcare Hearing, Epic Hearing Healthcare, and AARP Hearing Solutions are now all consolidated under Ear Professionals Group. 
• TruHearing: is owned by WS Audiology, the same parent company as Signia and Widex. When your benefit routes you to TruHearing, the administrator of that benefit has a financial relationship with specific hearing aid manufacturers.
• NationsHearing is the hearing benefit partner for Aetna Medicare Advantage plans.

 

What this means in practice: when you use your Medicare Advantage hearing benefit, the path from your insurance plan through the TPA to the provider to the device may be shaped by financial relationships you were never told about. You may believe you’re choosing freely among options when the range of options has already been narrowed by manufacturer agreements made before you walked in the door.

None of this is illegal. All of it should be disclosed to patients. Most of the time, it isn’t.

Medicare Coverage Options at a Glance

Coverage Type	Hearing Aid Coverage?	What to Know
Original Medicare (Parts A & B)	No	Never covered. Not changing in 2026.
Medigap (Supplement)	No	Only covers Medicare-covered costs. Hearing aids not included.
Medicare Advantage — with TPA benefit	Partial — limited	Restricted device list, limited provider network, few follow-up visits. TPA may be owned by manufacturer.
Medicare Advantage — direct insurance benefit	Partial — more flexible	Dollar allowance toward any covered provider. More provider and device choice. Read fine print carefully.
Medicare Part D	No	Prescription drugs only.
VA Benefits	Yes — if eligible	Veterans may receive hearing aids at no cost through VA healthcare. Significant benefit if you qualify.
HSA / FSA funds	Yes	Both OTC and prescription hearing aids are qualified medical expenses. Pre-tax dollars apply.

What to Actually Do About the Coverage Gap

Knowing the system is broken doesn’t pay for hearing aids. Here’s practical guidance for navigating the gap:

If You Have Medicare Advantage

Review your Evidence of Coverage document specifically for hearing aid benefits. Look for: the annual allowance amount, whether it applies per ear or per pair, which providers are in-network, how many visits are covered, and whether the benefit routes through a TPA. If you don’t understand the details, call your plan and ask them to explain specifically.

If the benefit routes through a TPA, you can still use it, just go in knowing the device choices will be limited, and the follow-up care may be minimal. You can supplement with additional services from an independent audiologist at your own cost.

If You Have Original Medicare Only

The honest options are: OTC hearing aids (self-fitted, for mild to moderate loss, starting around $369), prescription hearing aids purchased through a transparent independent provider with unbundled pricing, HSA or FSA funds if available, and, for veterans, the VA hearing program.

Compare Your Medicare Advantage Plan’s Actual Hearing Benefit

During the Medicare Annual Election Period (October 15 – December 7 each year), compare plans in your area specifically for hearing aid allowances. Look for plans offering a direct dollar allowance toward any in-network provider rather than TPA-routed plans that limit your device and provider choices.

How Hears Hearing & Hearables Fits In

We are not a TPA. We are not owned by a hearing aid manufacturer. We are not affiliated with any insurance company. We charge transparent, itemized fees; the device cost and the service cost are listed separately on our Provider Fees page, so you know exactly what you’re paying for and why..

Our prices are competitive with, and often lower than, what you’d pay through a TPA benefit once you factor in the limited device selection, restricted follow-up care, and potential for being steered toward devices that serve the TPA’s financial interests rather than your hearing needs.

If you have a Medicare Advantage hearing benefit, we’re happy to help you evaluate whether using it makes sense for your specific situation, or whether purchasing independently with transparent pricing gives you better value and more appropriate care. That’s an honest conversation we’re glad to have. 

Questions About Your Hearing Coverage?

We’ve helped patients navigate Medicare, Medicare Advantage, TPAs, and private-pay options for years. If you’re trying to figure out the most cost-effective path to better hearing, whether that’s OTC, prescription, or independent purchase, reach out to our team.

Contact our team, take our free Hearing Handicap Screening Test, or browse our hearing aid selection. 

— Kim Fishman, Audiologist | Hears Hearing & Hearables  |  Hears to U, Hopkins, Minnesota

Frequently Asked Questions: Medicare and Hearing Aids

Does Medicare cover hearing aids in 2026?

No. Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover hearing aids or hearing aid fitting exams in 2026. This has not changed. You pay 100% of costs out of pocket under Original Medicare. Some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans offer partial hearing aid coverage as an additional benefit, but coverage varies significantly from plan to plan.

Does Medigap cover hearing aids?

No. Medigap supplemental plans only cover costs that Medicare already covers. Since Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids, Medigap does not cover them either. A Medigap plan provides no additional hearing aid benefit, regardless of which plan you have.

What does Medicare Advantage cover for hearing aids?

It varies significantly by plan. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 97% of Medicare Advantage plans in 2025 offered some hearing benefit but benefits range from a modest annual allowance ($500-$1,500) to coverage of specific devices with a copay. Many plans route their hearing benefit through a third-party administrator (TPA), which limits your choice of devices and providers. Always read the Evidence of Coverage document carefully and ask your plan to explain exactly how the benefit works.

What is a third-party administrator, and how does it affect my hearing benefit?

A third-party administrator (TPA) is a company that administers the hearing benefit on behalf of your Medicare Advantage plan. Common TPAs include TruHearing, NationsHearing, and UnitedHealthcare Hearing. When your benefit is administered through a TPA, you typically must choose from a limited list of devices and use in-network providers only. Some TPAs are owned by or financially affiliated with hearing aid manufacturers, meaning the company administering your benefit has a financial stake in which hearing aid you buy. 

Will Medicare ever cover hearing aids?

Legislative efforts to add hearing aid coverage to Original Medicare have been ongoing for decades. The Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2025 (H.R. 500) was introduced in the 119th Congress but has not been enacted as of May 2026. Growing awareness of the link between untreated hearing loss and cognitive decline, social isolation, and increased healthcare costs is building support for coverage, but no legislative change has been finalized.

What are my options if Medicare doesn’t cover hearing aids?

Several options: Medicare Advantage plans with hearing benefits (compare carefully for actual value); OTC hearing aids for mild to moderate loss starting around $369 (no prescription needed); HSA or FSA funds for pre-tax purchasing of both OTC and prescription hearing aids; and transparent independent purchase from providers like Hears Hearing & Hearables with clearly itemized pricing. Contact our team and we can help you evaluate which path makes the most sense for your situation.