Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids? What Each Part Pays in 2026

Does Medicare cover hearing aids? Original Medicare does not, and it does not pay for the exams to fit them. Part B does pay for diagnostic exams. Medicare also covers cochlear implants as prosthetic devices, and bone-anchored implants fall outside the hearing aid exclusion.

If you want help paying for aids through Medicare, look at Medicare Advantage plans; 98% of individual plans offer some hearing benefit in 2026. This guide shows what each part of Medicare pays in 2026, what aids cost, and where else to get help.

Key Takeaways

• Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover aids or fitting exams. You pay the full cost.
• Part B covers diagnostic hearing and balance exams. You pay 20% after the $283 Part B deductible in 2026.
• Cochlear implants are covered as prosthetic devices, and bone-anchored implants fall outside the hearing aid exclusion.
• 98% of individual Medicare Advantage plans offer some hearing benefit in 2026, per KFF. It can be exams only, so check the plan.
• Medigap does not cover them. VA gives aids at no cost to enrolled, eligible veterans.

Does Medicare cover hearing aids in 2026?

No, Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids. Medicare.gov says “Medicare doesn’t cover hearing aids or exams for fitting hearing aids,” and that you “pay all costs for non-covered services, including hearing aids and exams,” per its hearing aid coverage page.

The rule comes from federal regulation 42 CFR 411.15(d), which excludes “hearing aids or examinations for the purpose of prescribing, fitting, or changing hearing aids.”

The exclusion covers both air conduction aids, which push amplified sound into the ear canal, and bone conduction aids that vibrate against the skull, per the text of the regulation.

That includes over-the-counter models. Nothing in the 2026 rules changed this, and the bills that would change it have not moved out of committee (more on them below).

What each part of Medicare pays for hearing care

Each part of Medicare treats this care differently. Part B pays for diagnostic exams and implanted devices, Medicare Advantage plans often add benefits for aids, and Medigap pays nothing toward hearing aids. The table sums it up.

Medicare hearing coverage by part, 2026

Coverage	Hearing aids	Hearing exams	What you pay
Part A (hospital)	No	No	Part A inpatient costs, if implant surgery is inpatient
Part B (medical)	No	Diagnostic exams only	20% after the $283 deductible
Part B, implants	Cochlear and bone-anchored devices as prosthetics	Yes, related tests	20% after the deductible
Medicare Advantage (Part C)	Often, as an extra benefit	Often, may need prior authorization	Set by each plan
Part D (drugs)	No	No	Not applicable
Medigap	No	Helps pay your Part B share for covered diagnostic exams	Depends on the plan

Sources: Medicare.gov, hearing and balance exams; Medicare.gov, prosthetic devices; Medicare.gov, what Medigap covers; CMS 2026 Part B fact sheet.

Hearing exams Medicare does cover

Part B covers diagnostic hearing and balance exams when your doctor or another provider orders them to see whether you need medical treatment. After the Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, plus a copayment if the exam is in a hospital outpatient setting.

You can also see an audiologist once every 12 months without an order, according to Medicare.gov. That direct visit is only for non-acute problems, such as loss that develops over years, or for diagnostic services related to a surgically implanted device.

The line Medicare draws is between diagnosis and fitting. An exam to find out why you are losing your hearing is covered. An exam to choose, fit or adjust an aid is not, even if the same audiologist does both.

In 2026 the Part B deductible is $283 and the standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month, per the CMS fact sheet. Our Medicare Part B premium guide explains the premium and what raises it.

How to get your exam covered by Part B

1. Decide which visit you need. If your doctor wants to find the cause of a problem, ask for an order so Part B treats the visit as diagnostic. If your loss has come on slowly over years, you can book an audiologist once every 12 months without an order.
2. Say why you are going. Tell the office the visit is to diagnose a problem. A visit booked only to choose or fit aids falls under the exclusion, and you pay all of it.
3. Expect the usual Part B costs. After the $283 deductible you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, and a copayment too if the exam is in a hospital outpatient department.
4. Keep the results. Your audiogram tells you the type and degree of loss, which you need to shop for OTC or prescription aids and to use a plan’s benefit.

Cochlear implants and bone-anchored hearing devices

Medicare covers cochlear implants as prosthetic devices. Part A pays if the surgery is inpatient and Part B if it is outpatient; under Part B you pay 20% after the deductible, per Medicare.gov.

The regulation carves out two device types from the hearing aid exclusion: cochlear and auditory brainstem implants, and osseointegrated implants in the skull bone.

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) says Medicare “will cover the BAHA if other coverage policies are met,” meaning a bone-anchored hearing aid.

Cochlear implants have their own criteria under National Coverage Determination 50.3.

Since September 26, 2022, people with moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss in both ears can qualify when they score 60% or less on sentence recognition tests while using their best aids, per the CMS coverage decision.

Other conditions apply too, such as no active middle ear infection and the ability to take part in rehabilitation.

Medicare Advantage hearing aid coverage

Nearly every individual Medicare Advantage plan offers a hearing benefit. In 2026, 98% of individual plans offer hearing benefits, per KFF’s 2026 plan analysis, and 95% of people enrolled in individual plans are in one that offers it, per KFF’s June 2026 report.

Dental is another common extra in these plans. Our guide to does Medicare cover dental explains what Original Medicare pays and how plan dental benefits are capped.

Read those numbers carefully. KFF counts a plan as having this benefit if it covers “hearing exams and/or aids,” so some plans cover only the exam. KFF also found that most enrollees need prior authorization for some extra benefits, including hearing exams.

Plans also set their own limits, such as a yearly dollar allowance, a copay for each aid, or a limit on how often you can get new ones. Those details are in each plan’s Evidence of Coverage, not in the ads.

Before you join a plan for this benefit, ask the plan, or check its Evidence of Coverage, for these answers:

• Does it pay for the aids themselves, or only for an exam?
• Is there a yearly dollar limit, or a set copay for each aid?
• How often can you get new aids?
• Must you use a specific provider or network?
• Does the exam or the device need prior authorization?
• Does the benefit cover over-the-counter aids?

Right now is the time to compare. Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. If aids matter to you, check each plan’s benefit list before you switch; our Medicare Open Enrollment guide walks through the steps.

How to check a Medicare Advantage plan’s hearing benefit

Use the plan’s Evidence of Coverage (EOC). Your plan sends one each year, usually in the fall, with details about what it covers and how much you pay, per Medicare.gov. If you don’t get it, contact the plan.

The plan also sends a Plan Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) each fall. It lists the changes in coverage and costs that take effect in January, per Medicare.gov. Read it even if you plan to stay, because extra benefits can change from one year to the next.

KFF notes that while these extra benefits are widely offered, their scope varies by plan. Plans may also change them each year, for example by raising or lowering the annual maximum the plan pays or by adjusting cost sharing, per KFF.

1. Get both documents. Find the EOC for next year and the ANOC. Our guide to the Annual Notice of Change explains how to read it.
2. Answer the questions above from the EOC. Note whether the plan pays for the aids or only the exam, any dollar maximum or copay, and how often you can get new ones. Those are the figures to line up across plans.
3. Ask about prior authorization. KFF found that most enrollees in plans offering hearing exams must get prior authorization for them. Ask the plan what it needs before you book.
4. Check the network. KFF says these extra benefits usually come with more restrictive provider networks. Ask whether you must use a specific audiologist or hearing aid seller.
5. Compare against what aids cost. Weigh the plan’s benefit against the price of the aids you need, using the cost ranges in the next section.

If you join a plan and the benefit falls short, you get a second chance. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 to March 31 for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan, per Medicare.gov.

During that window you can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan, or drop your plan and go back to Original Medicare. You can also join a separate Medicare drug plan if you return.

How much hearing aids cost without coverage

Prescription models cost about $1,500 to more than $7,000 a pair, and Consumer Reports members paid a median of $2,592 a pair after insurance. Over-the-counter aids start around $100 a pair for preset models and around $500 for self-fitting ones, per Consumer Reports.

The National Institutes of Health puts it more broadly: they “range from hundreds to several thousand dollars,” per NIDCD.

Does Medicare cover hearing aids sold over the counter?

No, but they cost less. Since October 17, 2022, adults can buy FDA-regulated aids without a prescription or exam. They are meant for people 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, per the FDA.

You can buy them in stores and online. The FDA says they are not for severe or profound hearing loss, and people under 18 need a prescription.

Original Medicare does not pay for OTC aids either, since the regulation excludes all air and bone conduction aids. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, ask whether its benefit covers OTC aids.

The FDA describes two kinds of OTC aids. Traditional models have basic features like volume control and preset programs. Self-fitting models let you tune the sound through hearing tests, software or a smartphone app.

Read the box before you pay. FDA rules require the outside package to state the maker’s return policy, or that there is none. The rules do not require a warranty, so check the return and warranty terms to give yourself time to test the aids, per the FDA.

The FDA also warns that package claims such as “FDA Registered” or “FDA Certified” may be misleading.

See a doctor before buying if any of the FDA’s warning signs apply: a sudden change in your hearing in the past 6 months, worse hearing in one ear, ringing in only one ear, fluid or pain in the ear, or dizziness. A visit to find the cause is diagnostic care, which Part B covers as described above.

If an audiologist has already tested you, the FDA says you can ask for your hearing evaluation records and buy your aids somewhere else.

Questions to ask before you buy hearing aids

Ask about the trial period, the warranty and repair costs before you pay. The NIDCD says most manufacturers allow a 30- to 60-day trial period during which aids can be returned for a refund, but ask which fees are nonrefundable.

The NIDCD suggests asking your audiologist these questions, per its hearing aid guide:

• What is the total cost of the aids?
• Is there a trial period, and which fees are nonrefundable if you return them?
• How long is the warranty, can it be extended, and does it cover future maintenance and repairs?
• Can the audiologist make adjustments and handle servicing and minor repairs?
• Will you get loaner aids while yours are being repaired?
• Do the benefits of newer technology outweigh the higher cost?

If you have hearing loss in both ears, the NIDCD says two aids are generally recommended, because two give the brain a more natural signal. Keep that in mind when you compare a plan benefit that is set per aid with prices quoted per pair.

The NIDCD also cautions against choosing on price alone. A more expensive aid does not necessarily suit your needs better.

Some nonprofit groups help pay for aids, and others provide used or refurbished ones, the NIDCD notes. Its Information Clearinghouse, at (800) 241-1044, can answer questions about groups that offer financial help.

How common hearing loss is after 65

Disabling hearing loss affects 22% of adults 65 to 74 and 55% of those 75 and older, according to the NIDCD. Yet among adults 70 and older who could benefit from aids, fewer than 1 in 3 (30%) has ever used them.

That gap is why the coverage question matters. A pair of prescription aids at the Consumer Reports median ($2,592) costs more than a year of standard Part B premiums ($2,434.80 in 2026).

Other ways to pay for hearing aids

If Original Medicare is your only coverage, two other programs can pay for aids: VA health care for veterans and your state’s Medicaid program. Medigap cannot.

• Veterans. VA provides aids, repairs and batteries at no cost to veterans who are enrolled and eligible for VA care, per VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service. You register for VA health care first, online with VA Form 10-10EZ, by mail or in person at a VA medical center. Then a VA audiologist makes a clinical decision on whether you need aids or other assistive devices. Repairs and future batteries are also free as long as you keep your VA eligibility. See our page on tinnitus and hearing loss for veterans.
• Medicaid. Medicaid pays for hearing aids for children and young adults under 21 through its EPSDT benefit, per Medicaid.gov. Coverage for older adults depends on the state. If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, ask your state Medicaid office what it covers and whether you need prior approval. More detail is below.
• Medigap does not help here. Medicare.gov lists aids among the things Medigap plans generally do not cover, so a supplement will not fill this gap.

If you are weighing Medigap against an Advantage plan for other reasons, our Medicare Advantage vs Medigap guide compares the full costs.

Does Medicaid cover hearing aids?

For people under 21, yes. Medicaid’s EPSDT benefit must include, at a minimum, “screening, diagnosis and treatment for defects in vision and hearing such as hearing aids and eyeglasses,” per Medicaid.gov. For adults, each state decides.

That follows from how federal Medicaid rules work. States must provide every mandatory benefit and may add optional ones through their state plan, per Medicaid.gov. Hearing aids for adults are not on the mandatory list, and “speech, hearing and language disorder services” sits on the optional list.

California is one state that covers them. Medi-Cal lists hearing aids among its benefits, which members can use when medically necessary, per the California Department of Health Care Services. Other states set their own rules, so check yours.

If you have both Medicare and full Medicaid, you are “dually eligible.” Medicare pays first for Medicare-covered services and Medicaid pays last. Medicaid “may pay for other drugs and services that Medicare doesn’t cover,” per Medicare.gov, and hearing aids are one of those gaps.

Dual eligibles who want Medicare Advantage can look at Special Needs Plans built for people with both programs, Medicare.gov notes. KFF found that most Special Needs Plan enrollees are in plans that offer hearing exams and/or aids in 2026, per its June 2026 report.

If you meet your state’s resource limit but your income is too high, some states let you “spend down.” You pay medical costs, including Medicare premiums and deductibles, until your income drops to a level that qualifies, Medicare.gov explains.

To find out what your state pays for, call your state Medicaid office. Ask whether adult hearing aids are covered, whether you need prior approval, and how often the program replaces them. Our Medicaid program guide and Medicaid income limits guide cover who qualifies.

Will Medicare cover hearing aids in the future?

Not yet. Two proposals in Congress would change Medicare’s rules here, and neither has passed. The Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act (H.R. 500) would remove the hearing aid exclusion. It was referred to committee on January 16, 2025, with 32 cosponsors, per Congress.gov.

A second bill, S. 983, would have CMS treat implanted active middle ear hearing devices as prosthetics rather than as aids, so Medicare would cover them. It was referred to the Senate Finance Committee on March 12, 2025, per Congress.gov.

A House bill with the same name, H.R. 1921, was referred to the Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees on March 6, 2025, per the same Congress.gov record.

Until a bill becomes law, the 2026 rules above stand: no aid coverage under Original Medicare.

What to do next

If you have Original Medicare and need aids, get a diagnostic exam covered by Part B first, so you know the type and degree of your hearing loss. Then compare the cost of an over-the-counter aid, a Medicare Advantage plan’s benefit, and, if you are a veteran, VA care.

Open Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, 2026, is the main window to switch plans for 2027. If that benefit would save you money, compare the matching section of each plan’s Evidence of Coverage before you choose.

Related reading

• Medicare: eligibility, costs and how to enroll
• Medicare Advantage vs Original Medicare
• Medicare deductibles for 2026