How to Save Money on Hearing Aids
Last updated November 2024
For models sold and set up by hearing specialists, expect to pay $1,000 to $4,000 or more per hearing aid. Most OTC models cost $150 to $500 each.
Check whether your health insurance policy covers hearing services and devices. Medicare doesn’t, but some private insurance plans provide limited coverage, most veterans have cost-saving plan options, and a few Medicare Advantage plans partially cover hearing aids. If you have a high-deductible insurance plan, you can set aside up to about $4,000 to $5,000 to pay for hearing aids with pretax earnings. And those with Flexible Spending Accounts can similarly use pretax earnings to pay for hearing healthcare and devices.
If you’re buying a prescription aid, comparing prices offered by multiple sellers will uncover big savings. The table below reports the range of prices our undercover shoppers were quoted by local hearing centers for illustrative pairs of hearing aids, including any fees for exams, programming, fitting, and follow-up appointments. Prices varied dramatically from company to company.
If you work with a pro, our Ratings Tables will help you find a local seller with good prices. It includes a price comparison score for each company, which indicates how the company’s prices for the 12 models we shopped (plus costs for exams, fitting, and follow-ups) compared to the average prices for the same aids quoted by all the companies. A price comparison score of $110 means a company, on average, quoted prices 10 percent higher than the average of all the companies on the same models. Price comparison scores ranged from a low of $79 to a high of $129.
Note: Unfortunately, because Costco doesn’t carry the same hearing-aid models as other hearing centers, we were unable to include it in our price comparisons. Although selection at Costco is limited, when our undercover shoppers compared the prices of models available at Costco with similar models available at other stores, they found that Costco’s prices were among the lowest.
Because some companies make it hard for their customers to compare their prices by refusing to provide test results, or by charging high testing fees to customers who wish to buy their aids elsewhere, get tested by a company that’ll give you a full written copy of your results. Find out what it charges for the test if you decide to buy elsewhere.
If a company offers free hearing tests, ask what you get and what you don’t get. A free screening may not be equivalent to the full evaluation you need. Also, some “free” dispensers charge “consultation” or “fitting” fees, thereby negating any real savings. And be aware that a dispenser that charges nothing for a test may pressure you into buying something and might withhold a copy of test results.
After your hearing test, get that seller’s price for the aid it recommends and the aid’s full specifications. Also get a full description of return privileges and any follow-up services included.