"How much do hearing aids cost?"

Although this is a very common question, in Australia this is difficult to answer.  The true cost of hearings aids for a client is influenced by their eligibility for a range of programs that provide financial assistance to people with hearing loss.

While entry level hearing aids are free to pensioners, a 'privately funded' client without top-level health insurance may spend up to $10,000 on a pair of premium hearing aids with all the latest advanced features.

Assistance with the cost of hearing aids

The true 'out of pocket' investment for a client is determined by the following:-

• Is the client a pensioner or an active or retired member of the armed services (i.e. Army, Navy or Air Force)?
• Does the client have private health insurance?
• Does the client have a taxable income and lodge a tax return?
• Has the client's hearing loss occurred as a result of occupational exposure to noise?
• Is the client's hearing loss preventing their safe and easy return to the workforce?

Personal factors

• Does the client have a binaural loss (two ears) or monaural hearing loss (one ear)?
• The severity and pattern of the hearing loss will influence the Audiologist's recommendation
• The client's budget

FREE hearing aids for pensioners and veterans

Ensuring that every Australian has access to better hearing is one of the federal government's key health priorities. The Office of Hearing Services Voucher Scheme provides free hearing tests and hearing aids to pensioners and veterans, which are available through accredited providers such as Arafura Audiology and Alice Audiology.

Who is eligible?

• You are eligible if you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, 21 years of age and over, meeting one of the following criteria:
• Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card
• Gold Health Repatriation Card
• White Health Repatriation Card (specifying hearing loss)
• Centrelink Sickness Allowance

You may also be eligible if you are:

• Dependant of a person in one of the above categories
• Active member of the Defence Force
• Client of CRS Australia

How do you apply?

If you believe that you may be eligible, call Arafura Audiology and Alice Audiology and we will provide you with, and assist you to complete, this application form for the Office of Hearing Services.

Private health funds

Many private health funds offer rebates on the cost of hearing aids for their extras and premium plans. At the time of printing, the rebates above applied to five of Australia's largest health insurers on their premium plans.
 

Tax rebates on hearing aids

The government has exempted hearing aids from GST and provide a tax rebate of 20% on annual medical expenses in excess of $1500. This could lead to a rebate of over $1,500 for advanced hearing solutions for clients who lodge a tax return.

Compensation for occupational hearing loss

Any employee who works in an environment capable of causing noise induced hearing loss is entitled to claim compensation if they have suffered a noise induced hearing loss as a result of that noisy work environment. The hearing loss must exceed 5% binaural loss before a permanent disability lump sum payment can be made otherwise your claim for noise incurred hearing loss will be accepted for medical expenses only. To find out more about compensation for workplace induced hearing loss, click here.

Book an Assessment

If you believe that you may be eligible for financial assistance for hearing aids and would like to discuss this with an expert, simply call us on (08) 8981-0013 (Darwin) or (08) 8952-3110 (Alice Springs) or use the form found here.

Editing of website provided by Arafura Audiology