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One of the most inexplicable and vexing issues facing the hearing impaired is the fact that most health insurers will not pay for the cost of hearing aids.
Laura Sesana has an excellent piece on this issue in today's Washington Times: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/world-our-backyard/2013/feb/27/hearing-aids-and-health-insurance-are-you-covered/
As this article says, hearing aids cost at the least $1000 per aid, and sometimes up to $6000.The cost, and the lack of reimbursement, should be considered a major public health issue. People with hearing loss who cannot afford hearing aids often end up on the unemployment rolls. They may develop depression and other disorders associated with isolation, like dementia. This alone is cause for outrage.
But considering that hearing tests for infants are mandatory, the fact that insurance does not always cover hearing aids for children seems not only counterproductive but ridiculous. Some private insurers have hearing and vision plans, but coverage is limited.
The IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) ensures equal education for children with hearing impairment or other disabilities. But unless children are fitted with hearing aids (or cochlear implants) when they are prelingual, they may have severe developmental speech difficulties. Children also outgrow their hearing aids rapidly, often after just a few months. Some states maintain hearing aid loaner banks for children. But many parents are forced to buy new aids. Batteries and assistive devices are also expensive.
Flexible spending accounts, sometimes offered as part of an employer-sponsored insurance plan, until this year allowed employees to take up to $5000 tax free per family out of the insured employee’s gross salary to pay for medical expenses, which can include hearing aids. In January 2013, the amount was reduced to $2500. But this is your own money you’re spending—all you’re saving is the tax you would have paid on that portion of your income. Moreover, only 20 percent of U.S. employees contributed to a flexible spending account in 2010, and most contributed significantly less than the $2500 maximum. The savings ranged from $250 to $640 a year in taxes.
A hearing aid tax credit reintroduced in the House in April 2011 would allow an income tax deduction of $500 per hearing aid for seniors over fifty-five and for dependents as defined by the IRS, with one deduction allowed every five years. At the time H.R. 1479 was introduced, WashingtonWatch.com published some on-line comments in response to the bill. I was horrified reading them. There's nothing like anonymity to allow people to express their basest opinions.
The response to a woman who commented in favor of the bill, who had two children with hearing aids at a total cost well over $10,000, was: “You think that qualifes you for a tax break? WHY? If that’s true I should have a tax break for my hangnails too. VOTE NO!”
Another writer, named Priscilla, wrote: “I am a seventy-two-year-old and a cancer survivor. My hearing got dramatically worse after chemo. Hearing aids to improve this loss cost approximately 5000 dollars. The tax credit would help make this more affordable. Please vote yes on the tax credit.”
The response to Priscilla from another anonymous commentator: “just more welfare whine. VOTE NO!”
The provision for a $500 reimbursement remains in limbo, I believe, but a bill to make the cost of hearing aids a legitimate medical expense and therefore tax deductible passed. But that doesn't sway the insurance companies, who still regard hearing aids as "discretionary."
April 26 addendum: A reader wrote about hearing aids that the New Hampshire State Vocational Rehab had provided to her. State requirements differ but many states will pay for hearing aids if they are needed for work. Here's the info:
New York State Vocational Rehab. ACCES-VR. "Digital Hearing Aids: Purchase of analog hearing aids will be considered when justified and not paid by any other benefits. Digital hearing aids, while they may provide a superior result for the individual, can be purchased by ACCES-VR only when the technology is specifically required by the individual to achieve his or her vocational goal. Cost sharing with the individual is acceptable, as long as ACCES-VR costs do not exceed the cost of standard hearing aids"
The writer was a psychotherapist and digital hearing aids were considered necessary to enable her to do her work.
I'd be interested to hear from others who have obtained hearing aids through State Vocational Services. Also if your private insurer reimbursed you for hearing aids, please let me know. Medicare is also now reimbursing for some hearing aids.
