Common Hearing Aid Cost Questions

Managed Care or Third-Party Payers

Many health insurers have partnered with third party companies (often referred to as third party referral networks or managed care plans) to control costs by outsourcing price negotiation with hearing aid manufacturers. Most patients are not familiar with the following: Tru Hearing, Hearing Care Solutions, Nations Hearing, Hear USA, and United Healthcare Hearing. When you present us with your insurance card we determine if your health insurer has partnered with one of these groups. Your benefits are then posted on the corresponding portal for your audiologist to view and share with you. Hearing aid orders are placed directly through the third party to utilize the benefits.

Managed care groups offer great pricing on hearing aid technology. However, service coverage is limited. To achieve the best outcome with your hearing devices, there are services we offer that require out-of-pocket expenses.

There are two types of plans – discount programs and funded plans.

• Discounted plans typically range from $199 – $2199 per hearing aid.
• Funded plans sometimes cover basic level hearing aid technology.

“Al a carte” menu (these services are NOT covered by insurance):

• Speech in Noise testing ($25): a direct measure of speech understanding in more complex environments (hearing ability in noise). Completed in addition to the comprehensive hearing examination. Highly recommended for individuals whose main complaint is speech understanding in noise.
• Real ear measurements ($55): a measurement used during a hearing aid fitting to ensure an accurate and customized sound. Real ear measurements account for an individual’s ear shape and how the hearing aid physically fits in the ear by measuring the sound pressure level at the eardrum. Considered best practice and gold standard for hearing aid fittings.