Professionally fitted hearing aids can be very expensive, and for many people, they are simply unaffordable. However, there are organizations, companies, government agencies, and service clubs that offer financial support and, in some cases, provide free hearing aids and accept donated hearing aids.

It’s important to note that several options are available to Americans, and each state offers different assistance programs.

With some organizations, like the Hearing Aid Project and others listed below, you can get a tax break for donating hearing aids. While we strongly encourage you to donate your hearing aids to a good cause, you should be aware that there are also consignment options. Additionally, you should note that most experienced hearing aid users like to retain an older "backup" set in case their devices are lost or need repair.

In most locales, there are clinics and hearing care offices that accept donated hearing aids and then pass them along to people in your community, schools, hospices, “hearing aid bank/lender” programs, as well as the charity programs listed below. Some even run their own charities; for example, Audiologist Christopher Scot Frink established the Frink Foundation in honor of his late father (who was also a hearing care professional). The Foundation sends many of the devices to mission programs in other countries, most recently Belize, Guatemala, and Ukraine.

Canadians who need financial assistance can consult this guide.

HearingTracker also provides related information in its Guide to Paying for Hearing Aids and Paying for Hearing Aids with Health Insurance.

Here’s a summary of the help available:

National organizations

  • Hearing Aid Project helps low-income seniors who have been diagnosed with hearing loss by a licensed professional, have no insurance coverage, and are residents of the United States.
  • Help America Hear Program provides hearing aids to men, women, and children who could otherwise not afford them.
  • Lions International accepts donations of used hearing aids and donates them to people in need. This is typically done through local Lions Club chapters but it also accepts donations through Walmart Vision Centers.
  • Miracle-Ear Foundation offers its “Our Gift of Sound” program to individuals and families that meet the income criteria, cannot afford hearing aids, and have exhausted all other options for getting them.
  • A.G.Bell Association for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing focuses on supporting children and their families. It offers education, support services, and financial assistance.

Manufacturers

Some manufacturers have programs to help those in need acquire hearing aids. Starkey, for example, offers assistance through its Starkey Cares program, part of the international Starkey Hearing Foundation. Others, such as Sonova (Phonak, Unitron), make donations via its Hear the Word Foundation.

Starkey image

Eligibility requirements vary, and the best way to learn more about access to these programs is to consult your audiologist or specialist.

Service clubs

As with Lions Club International, many service clubs offer financial assistance for both audiology services and the purchase of new or refurbished hearing aids. It’s important to note that these are usually provided by local chapters. The following are the clubs’ national websites from which you can search for your local chapter.

Federal government

Medicare has four programs: Part A, Part B, Part C (Medicare Advantage), and Part D (which covers prescription drugs). Parts A and B cover audiological services such as diagnostic tests as long as they have been prescribed by a physician, but it does not provide hearing aids. Part C, Medicare Advantage, is private insurance bundled with Medicare, and some of these plans do cover the cost of hearing aids.

Medicaid coverage varies by state and typically includes the evaluation, fitting, and purchase of hearing aids for eligible beneficiaries. Check with Medicaid.gov to find your specific state program.

For veterans, the VA offers a wide range of audiology services including hearing and cochlear implants.

State governments

Financial assistance is also available at the state level. However, these programs vary widely from state to state, and they may have different names depending on the state. To learn what your state offers, consult your hearing provider, your state’s health department, or this list from the National Association of State Agencies of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NASADHH). You may also benefit from this list compiled by the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).

Additionally, your state may also have non-profit organizations such as
Americans for Better Hearing Foundation, for example, which offers assistance to those in need in Illinois and Wisconsin. Again, a good way to start is to contact a local hearing care provider.

Don't forget about captioned telephones

An underutilized benefit, captioned telephones are provided free of charge for those who visit a hearing care provider and gain the appropriate documentation of their hearing loss. The phones are provided at no cost to people with hearing loss through a federally administered program associated with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These special phones display live captions you can read during a call or when listening to a voice message. Some of the companies now also offer mobile captioning apps.

Here is a list of captioned telephone providers who can give you more details:

More resources

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