Does Medicare cover hearing aids in 2026?

Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids. Medicare.gov is blunt about it: Medicare doesn't cover hearing aids or the exams for fitting them, so you pay all costs for both ^[1].

What Medicare Part B does cover is a diagnostic hearing test, the kind that tells you whether you have hearing loss and whether it needs medical treatment ^[2]. If you want help paying for the hearing aids themselves, the main routes are a Medicare Advantage plan with a hearing benefit, Medicaid, the VA, or paying yourself with tax-advantaged money. This guide covers each one and the questions to ask before you pick a plan.

What Original Medicare covers and what it doesn't

Here is the short version for Parts A and B.

Hearing service	Original Medicare?	What you pay in 2026
Diagnostic hearing exam ordered by a provider	Covered by Part B [2]	20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the $283 deductible [2][5]
Audiologist visit without an order, once every 12 months, for non-acute hearing problems	Covered by Part B [2][3]	Same 20% after the deductible [2]
Exams to prescribe, fit or change hearing aids	Not covered [1][4]	Full price
Hearing aids, prescription or OTC	Not covered [1][3]	Full price
Bone conduction hearing aids	Not covered [3][4]	Full price
Cochlear, auditory brainstem and osseointegrated implants	Covered as prosthetic devices when criteria are met [3]	Varies with the setting and procedure

In a hospital outpatient department, you also owe the hospital a copayment on top of the 20% ^[2].

Hearing tests under Part B: the rules

Usually you need an order. Part B covers diagnostic hearing and balance exams when your doctor or other provider orders them to find out whether you need medical treatment ^[2]. CMS says Medicare generally requires a physician's order for audiology services in all settings ^[3].

The once-a-year exception. Since January 1, 2023, you can see an audiologist without an order once every 12 months ^[3]. It applies only to non-acute hearing conditions, such as gradual hearing loss, or to diagnostic services tied to hearing loss treated with a surgically implanted device ^[2]. It does not cover balance testing ^[3]. If your hearing changed suddenly, see a doctor instead of waiting for an audiology slot.

What it costs. For 2026, the Part B deductible is $283 and the standard monthly premium is $202.90 ^[5]. Once the deductible is met, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for the test ^[2]. For typical prices and what each part of the test costs, see how much a hearing test costs.

Why Original Medicare won't pay for hearing aids

The exclusion is written into federal regulation. Medicare's list of excluded services includes "hearing aids or examinations for the purpose of prescribing, fitting, or changing hearing aids" ^[4]. The exclusion covers all air conduction hearing aids, plus bone conduction aids that work through the scalp or by direct contact with the eardrum or middle ear bones ^[4].

Implanted devices that replace the function of the middle ear, cochlea or auditory nerve are carved out of that exclusion ^[4]. CMS covers auditory osseointegrated, cochlear and auditory brainstem implants as prosthetic devices ^[3].

A Medigap policy won't fill the gap. Medicare.gov lists hearing aids among the things Medigap plans generally don't cover, along with long-term care, vision and dental care, glasses and private-duty nursing ^[9].

How Medicare Advantage hearing benefits work

Almost every individual Medicare Advantage plan includes something for hearing. KFF found that 98% of individual plans offered a hearing benefit in 2026, up slightly from "97% or more" in 2025 ^[6]. KFF counts a plan as having a hearing benefit if it covers hearing exams, hearing aids or both ^[6], so "has a hearing benefit" does not always mean "pays for hearing aids."

The fine print matters more than the headline. KFF's 2021 review of plan data found ^[7]:

Plan feature (2021 data)	What KFF found
Enrollees with access to any hearing benefit	97%
Annual dollar cap, among plans that set one	Average $960, range $66 to $4,000
Enrollees in plans with frequency limits (how often you can get new aids)	91%
Enrollees in plans that charge cost sharing for hearing aids	About 60%, from $5 up to $3,355

That same KFF report found that Medicare beneficiaries who used hearing services spent an average of $914 out of pocket on hearing care in 2018 ^[7]. Plan designs change every year, so treat these as a guide to what to look for, not current prices.

Three more things the American Academy of Audiology flagged in 2024 comments to CMS ^[8]:

• A separate company often runs the benefit. Hearing benefits are typically administered by a third-party administrator, and most of these companies are owned by, contracted with or affiliated with hearing aid makers, retailers or distributors.
• Some "benefits" are discounts. Some plans give access to discounted hearing aid prices rather than paying toward the cost. The amount you pay may be labeled a "copay" even though it's simply your out-of-pocket price.
• Choices can be narrow. Many plans limit you to specific brands or models, and you may have to call the administrator and be referred to a participating provider.

Questions to ask a Medicare Advantage plan

Ask these before you enroll, and get the answers in writing or from the plan's Evidence of Coverage:

• Does the plan pay toward hearing aids, or does it only offer a discount price?
• What is the dollar limit, and is it per ear, per pair or per year?
• How often can I get new hearing aids: every year, every two years or every three?
• Which company runs the hearing benefit, and do I have to use its network?
• Which brands and technology levels can I choose? What is my cost for each level?
• Are the hearing test, fitting and follow-up visits included? How many follow-ups?
• Is there a trial period, and what does a return cost me?
• Are batteries, chargers, repairs and loss or damage replacement covered?
• Does the hearing benefit count toward the plan's deductible?

How to use your hearing benefit, step by step

1. Get a diagnostic hearing test. Under Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan, start with a test from an audiologist or ENT. Use the once-a-year direct access option if your loss came on gradually ^[2][3].
2. Call your plan's hearing line. If you're in Medicare Advantage, ask which administrator handles hearing benefits and how referrals work ^[8].
3. Choose a provider in the network. You can search our hearing provider directory and then confirm with your plan that the clinic participates.
4. Get a written quote. It should list the device model, technology level, what the plan pays, what you pay, and which services are included.
5. Use the trial period. Wear the aids every day, keep notes, and go back for adjustments before the trial ends.
6. Track your next eligibility date. Frequency limits mean you may wait two or three years for a new pair ^[7].

If your current plan's hearing benefit is weak, you can change plans during Open Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, with coverage starting January 1 ^[10]. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can also switch to another one, or return to Original Medicare, between January 1 and March 31 ^[10].

Other ways to lower the cost

Medicaid. If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, your state Medicaid program may pay for hearing aids. Coverage for adults varies a lot. See Medicaid hearing aid coverage by state.

The VA. Eligible veterans can get hearing aids, repairs and batteries at no charge through VA health care. See hearing aids through the VA.

Over-the-counter hearing aids. Since October 17, 2022, OTC hearing aids have been sold without an exam, prescription or fitting appointment to adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss ^[11]. Medicare doesn't pay for them either, but the lower price may put them within reach. More detail is in our guide to OTC hearing aids.

HSA money and tax deductions. Once you enroll in Medicare, you can no longer put new money into a health savings account ^[12]. Money already in the account can still pay for qualified medical expenses, and the IRS counts a hearing aid, plus the batteries, repairs and maintenance needed to run it, as a medical expense ^[12][13]. If you itemize, medical expenses above 7.5% of your adjusted gross income are deductible ^[13].