Hearing aid tune-up stuff

sequoias

sequoias

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Hey there...

I went to the audiologist office to make an appointment not long ago and found out that medicare doesn't cover hearing aid stuff...NONE at all. Medical coupons only cover it and medicare doesn't cover it?! That doesn't make any sense to me since I pay for medicare. It means I have to pay the expenses with my own money with a payment plan. It's gonna be pretty expensive, $65 for new molds up to $200 for hearing aid repair, if neccessary...up to $125 for just a hearing test, and some other stuff. I will call up social security to find out more about my insurance to see more details about it.

Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated!
 
Sorry, I don't know what to say. When I had a HA (prior to my CI), my regular health insurance wouldn't touch it either. I have yet to hear of any kind of insurance deal with HAs. The ongoing consensus why insurance won't cover much on HAs is economic. Can't say anything about Medicare as I never had it.

It wasn't so bad when HAs were reasonable in costs up to about the 90's. After that, I really was annoyed as we who needed HAs were captive to the market. I wish they would continue selling plain vanilla HAs that did the trick for most HOH folks. It's not like they really need geewhiz this and geewhiz that.
 
Anyone else? I'm sure there's someone else out there who can share with me who has medicare. I make too much and I don't qualify for medical coupons.
 
I have yet to hear of any kind of insurance deal with HAs. The ongoing consensus why insurance won't cover much on HAs is economic.
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I actually think it's b/c insurance cos are worried that adults will get the dinky aids which cost a hell of a lot more then body worns or BTEs. Some states require that kids be covered, and there are small numbers of insurance cos that cover aids.
It wasn't so bad when HAs were reasonable in costs up to about the 90's. After that, I really was annoyed as we who needed HAs were captive to the market. I wish they would continue selling plain vanilla HAs that did the trick for most HOH folks. It's not like they really need geewhiz this and geewhiz that.
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AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Yep I'm aware of that, I thought maybe they would cover the ear molds or something that may cost alot less, but nope, I found out they cover nothing related to hearing aids, I thought it was soo unfair. sometimes I wonder why I have medical insurance for? sometimes hearing aids require medical attention, I mean to me it does...

If implants are covered by most insurances than hearing aids should too...
 
I have same problems here that Medicare doesn't over the hearing aids but lucky my DORS/VR did pay for my digital hearing aids 2 years ago.. and only my resposbile is ear molds and warranty covers for my hearing aids every year..
 
If implants are covered by most insurances than hearing aids should too...
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Yeah, but the reason they cover implants and not hearing aids is probaly b/c a) involves surgery b) relatively few people are eligable for the implant (most dhh folks can get lots of benifit from hearing aids)
 
deafdyke said:
Yeah, but the reason they cover implants and not hearing aids is probaly b/c a) involves surgery b) relatively few people are eligable for the implant (most dhh folks can get lots of benifit from hearing aids)
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I know it involves surgery but still I don't find it fair because there are some deaf people who hears quite well with the use of hearing aids, but they're not cover by insurances...
 
^Angel^ said:
I know it involves surgery but still I don't find it fair because there are some deaf people who hears quite well with the use of hearing aids, but they're not cover by insurances...
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I agreed with you, I hate that when that happens.
 
You say you have medicare right? Do you have both Part A and B then you could enroll into Secure Horizon's plan called "Secure Horizons Medicare Advantage Plan" http://www.securehorizons.com/

Check http://www.medicare.gov to look into "Medicare Advantage Plans" to find which one is available in your area; http://www.medicare.gov/Choices/Overview.asp

From this source
WHAT ARE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS?

Medicare Advantage Plans are part of Medicare
You generally get all your Medicare-covered health care through that plan.
Plans can include prescription drug coverage
Most plans have extra benefits and lower copayments than Original Medicare
You may have to use the plan’s doctors and hospitals to get services
Includes Managed Care Plans (Medicare HMOs), Medicare PPOs, Medicare Special Needs Plans, and Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans.
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Anyway Secure Horizons cover the service by Newport Audiology;
http://www.newaud.com/index.shtml you just need to find out if there is one in your area. They have locations in Arizona - California - Colorado - Nevada - Oklahoma - Oregon - Texas - Washington.



For insurance coverage on hearing aid, go to;
http://www.earserv.com/ and there are several resources that you could check out to find out: http://www.earserv.com/resources.htm

Good Luck!
 
Oh by the way, calling up Social Security, they have nothing to do with what you are looking for. . It is Medicare (CMS) at www.medicare.gov they are the one you want to contact. but at least I provided information above this post :)

Hope that helps!
 
*wipes brow* Whew.....Thought that Boult was gonna tear into me about why CI is covered while hearing aids aren't.
It's an expensive op but orgionally only a very small percentage of deaf people were eligable for implantation. That's why it was cost effective for insurance cos to cover it. Now, with a lot more people being eligable for it, I think that perhaps the insurance cos will start covering hearing aids reasoning that it's cheaper to cover hearing aids, rather then implants.
 
Boult said:
You say you have medicare right? Do you have both Part A and B then you could enroll into Secure Horizon's plan called "Secure Horizons Medicare Advantage Plan" http://www.securehorizons.com/

Check http://www.medicare.gov to look into "Medicare Advantage Plans" to find which one is available in your area; http://www.medicare.gov/Choices/Overview.asp


Anyway Secure Horizons cover the service by Newport Audiology;
http://www.newaud.com/index.shtml you just need to find out if there is one in your area. They have locations in Arizona - California - Colorado - Nevada - Oklahoma - Oregon - Texas - Washington.



For insurance coverage on hearing aid, go to;
http://www.earserv.com/ and there are several resources that you could check out to find out: http://www.earserv.com/resources.htm

Good Luck!
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will check into that. I'm not sure what health insurance I'm with because I pay under $90 a month for the preminum and it's deducted from my social security benefits. That's why I have to call Social security more about it. I assume it's medicare, but have to double check. :) I will check those sites about hearing aids that can be covered for tune up and stuff.
 
I think many health insurances are ridiclous when they cover CI and they don't cover hearing aids. CI is WAY more expensive. Talk about weirdness! They have the similar function...hearing better than you normally do.
 
deafdyke said:
*wipes brow* Whew.....Thought that Boult was gonna tear into me about why CI is covered while hearing aids aren't.
It's an expensive op but orgionally only a very small percentage of deaf people were eligable for implantation. That's why it was cost effective for insurance cos to cover it. Now, with a lot more people being eligable for it, I think that perhaps the insurance cos will start covering hearing aids reasoning that it's cheaper to cover hearing aids, rather then implants.
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nah.. I skipped your post...

but otherwise, I didn't mention this in my previous; one can get help acquiring hearing aid thru financing plans;
http://www.earserv.com/financing.htm

but this is not the only way because there are numerous ways to obtain hearing aids (and cochlear implant as well);
http://listen-up.org/haidfund.htm
 
sequoias said:
will check into that. I'm not sure what health insurance I'm with because I pay under $90 a month for the preminum and it's deducted from my social security benefits. That's why I have to call Social security more about it. I assume it's medicare, but have to double check. :) I will check those sites about hearing aids that can be covered for tune up and stuff.
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Do you have the standard medicare card (red white blue you know?) if it show both Part A and B then the monthly deduction are about that amount and if you do not have any insurance card.

If it show just Part A then no deduction applies.

for example, secure horizion would send a Secure Horizon card to consumer and instruct them to use this instead of the standard Medicare card when visit doctor or wherever health insurance card is required.

If you do not then you don't have one just Medicare though.. you know what I mean?

So if just Medicare then it does not give you more coverage like Secure Horizon member would get. under that , there is no extra deductions because it is already deducted by Gov. just that Medicare work in hand in hand with Secure Horizion.
 
Yup I have medicare card but I cannot find it. (lost it) I'm not sure about part A and B, I don't remember. I believe it's A and B since I get monthly deduction. Medicare is confusing to me. :P I will check into Secure Horizon, since you said they do cover hearing aid stuff. Do they accept any audiologist?

Boult said:
Do you have the standard medicare card (red white blue you know?) if it show both Part A and B then the monthly deduction are about that amount and if you do not have any insurance card.

If it show just Part A then no deduction applies.

for example, secure horizion would send a Secure Horizon card to consumer and instruct them to use this instead of the standard Medicare card when visit doctor or wherever health insurance card is required.

If you do not then you don't have one just Medicare though.. you know what I mean?

So if just Medicare then it does not give you more coverage like Secure Horizon member would get. under that , there is no extra deductions because it is already deducted by Gov. just that Medicare work in hand in hand with Secure Horizion.
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sequoias said:
Yup I have medicare card but I cannot find it. (lost it) I'm not sure about part A and B, I don't remember. I believe it's A and B since I get monthly deduction. Medicare is confusing to me. :P I will check into Secure Horizon, since you said they do cover hearing aid stuff. Do they accept any audiologist?
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in one of my previous post above, I mentioned this:

Anyway Secure Horizons cover the service by Newport Audiology;
http://www.newaud.com/index.shtml you just need to find out if there is one in your area. They have locations in Arizona - California - Colorado - Nevada - Oklahoma - Oregon - Texas - Washington.
Click to expand...
 
sequoias said:
Yup I have medicare card but I cannot find it. (lost it) I'm not sure about part A and B, I don't remember. I believe it's A and B since I get monthly deduction. Medicare is confusing to me. :P I will check into Secure Horizon, since you said they do cover hearing aid stuff. Do they accept any audiologist?
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If you go to http://my.medicare.gov/ and register there then you should be able to find out about your medicare status.
 
Boult said:
If you go to http://my.medicare.gov/ and register there then you should be able to find out about your medicare status.
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Lol, I don't even know my medicare number and I cannot do that. It asked me for medicare number and other stuff like that that I don't have in file.
 
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