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Medical Insurance and Hearing Aids – What You Need to Know

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Hearing loss, whether it is due to an accident, age or disease, can impact your life in many ways. It can make communication difficult and even steal little pleasures like listening to music or the birds outside your window. However, over the years, hearing aids have evolved significantly to improve your quality of life and tackle hearing loss efficiently. These tiny electronic devices amplify sounds. Hearing aids allow you to communicate with others easily and lead a normal life. But they can be quite expensive, especially if you choose super sophisticated designs and technologies. So, it is important to know if your medical insurancewill cover the cost. Read on to know about it.

What are Hearing Aids?

Hearing aids are small battery-operated devices that help in improving your hearing by amplifying sounds that you earlier could not hear. These small devices make some sounds louder and help you to hear better in both noisy and quiet surroundings.However, not all types of hearing loss can be improved with hearing aids, but only sensorineural hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is when the small sensory cells in your inner ear get damaged. The damage can be due to aging, disease-related or due to an injury from any noise or medicines.

When are Hearing Aids Required?

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if you experience the below symptoms, it is recommended that you see a hearing specialist:

• You constantly ask people to speak louder or repeat themselves

• You have difficulty understanding conversations, particularly in loud environments

• You experience a ringing in the ears

• You tend to increase the volume of TV or phone to a level that is louder than normal

• You have difficulty in hearing people over the phone

• You are experiencing increased sensitivity or pain in response to certain sounds

Based on the above signs and symptoms, an audiologist or otolaryngologist will perform a hearing test to know the cause, type, and degree of hearing loss and suggest whether a hearing aid is necessary for you.

Are Hearing Aids Covered by Insurance?

No, they are generally not covered by medical insurance. But some insurers offer it as an add-on cover for which you need to pay extra premium. You should research and find out which insurance company will provide coverage for an ear machine.

How Expensive Are Hearing Aids in India?

The cost depends on many factors such as your lifestyle, the type and severity of hearing loss, the special features you need in the hearing aid, etc.

1. High-end hearing aids:

This is ideal for you if you have an active social life and want to hear minute, sophisticated sounds. The price can be around INR 3 lakhsfor a single ear.

2. Mid-range hearing aids:

If you want to hear the usual soundsor TV sounds clearly, then this is the best option. The price is usually INR 70,000 onwards for a single ear.

3. Basic hearing aids:

These are ideal for those who spend a lot of time at home and want to hear common sounds clearly. The price can start from INR 25,000 for one ear.

However, before buying, you should consult your audiologist to know which type of hearing aid will work best for you.

Cover for Hearing Aid

Most medical insurance providers do not provide coverage for hearing aids, but they sometimes offer optional coverage for hearing tests and hearing aids. You need to check with your insurance provider to know if your plan covers the cost of hearing aids.

Wrapping it Up

Hearing aids are expensive, and because they are generally not covered by medical insurance, most people with hearing loss manage without them. But if you are dealing with hearing loss, do not neglect it. Consult a specialist, and if recommended, go for hearing aids as they can make a big difference to your everyday life. You can either buy a special health plan that provides coverage for it or get an add-on.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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