Does health insurance cover hearing aid costs? 

Hearing aids can make a world of difference if you’re experiencing hearing impairment, but unfortunately, they aren’t cheap to buy or get fitted. The Australian government subsidises the cost of hearing aids for certain people, but if you don’t qualify, you may be able to claim some of the cost on private health insurance. So, how much is covered? And what’s the best health insurance for hearing aids? 

How much do hearing aids cost? 

Hearing aids can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 per device, and most people will need 2 devices.  

Unfortunately hearing aids are not covered by Medicare, but if you qualify for the Hearing Service Program, the government will cover part or all of the cost of your hearing aids. The program is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, some pensioners, veterans, members of the defence force and various other groups – check your eligibility here.  

Funding for hearing aids is also available for some participants of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). 

Does health insurance cover hearing aid costs? 

Hearing aids are covered on Extras Cover, but only on top level and some mid-level policies. It’s important to understand if your cover includes both consultations with an audiologist (which falls under Audiology cover) and the cost of the devices (under Hearing Aids cover).  

Given how expensive hearing aids are, there’s often a long waiting period before you can claim. For some policies, the waiting period for hearing aids is 12 months, while for others it can be as long as 36 months. Also, some health insurers will only subsidise hearing aids once, while others will allow you to claim again in 3 to 5 years’ time if and when your hearing aids need to be replaced.  

So how much is health insurance to cover hearing aids? Using the healthslips.com.au Calculator, we calculated the premiums for an Extras Cover policy for one adult in Victoria that covered hearing aids. The cheapest we found was $16.15 a month, which covered $500 towards hearing aids every 5 years, with a 36-month waiting period. The most expensive policy was $191.15 per month, covering $850 for hearing aids every 3 years, with a 12-month waiting period. Neither policy included audiology, which means you’d pay the full cost of audiologist appointments yourself.  

The cheapest Extras policy for one adult in Victoria that covered both audiology and hearing aids was $50.32 a month, with a 2-month waiting period for audiology and 12 months wait for hearing aid cover. It covered $25 per audiology visit, with a combined limit of $300 for 7 therapies including audiology. Hearing aids had a limit of $500 per person every 5 years.  

Can I claim cochlear implants on health insurance? 

Yes, cochlear implants are covered by health insurance, but on Hospital Cover not Extras Cover. Cochlear implants fall under the Implantation of Hearing Devices clinical category of Hospital Cover, which is usually only available on Silver tier policies or higher – although using the healthslips.com.au Calculator we found a small number of Bronze Plus policies in Australia that include Implantation of Hearing Devices, so always shop around. 

If you already have signs of hearing impairment, you’ll face a 12-month waiting period for cochlear implant cover as this would be considered a pre-existing condition.  

What are the different tiers of Hospital Cover?

What’s the best health insurance for hearing aids? 

The best health insurance for hearing aids is one that meets your budget and your healthcare needs including your hearing impairment. Given that your policy won’t cover the full cost of hearing devices, it might not be worthwhile getting Extras Cover just for hearing aids. But if you’re likely to claim on other Extras services, it might work out well financially, depending on your circumstances. To find the best policy, use the healthslips.com.au Calculator to search every policy from every insurer, quickly and for free. You’ll easily be able to see which policy gives you the best cover for the right price, and you don’t need to enter any personal details to get your results.  

Try the healthslips.com.au Calculator to search for a new policy or compare your current policy to other policies.  

healthslips.com.au does not provide general or personalised advice. Your particular circumstances are likely to impact the accuracy, completeness and relevance of the information or results. Take this into account before making a decision and talk to an expert for financial advice.

Trudie McConnochie

Writer and Researcher

Knowledge is power – that’s the guiding principle behind everything Trudie writes, and it’s a philosophy she brings to her work at healthslips.com.au. By breaking down complex information into easy-to-understand blogs and stories, she aims to empower Australians to make the best choices and an informed decision around private health insurance.

Trudie understands firsthand some of the complexity of private health insurance having moved to Australia from New Zealand and having to navigate a vastly different public healthcare system and health insurance structure.

Trudie holds a Bachelor of Communication Studies (journalism major) from the Auckland University of Technology.

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