The first step for financial assistance for hearing aids is to check with your health insurance provider to see if there is hearing aid coverage. After that, check out the resources below to see if you would be eligible for any of these programs.

• Children with hearing loss may be able to receive assistive technology at no cost if their Individualized Education Program specifies that they need the assistive technology (such as hearing aids or FM systems) in order to receive a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). For more information, see “How the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Applies to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students”
   
• In some states, people with low income may qualify for hearing aids through Medicaid. People with higher income may temporarily qualify for assistance with medical expenses, including hearing aids, through the “medically needy program” administered by the county social service agency. Look in the Government section of the telephone book under County Social Services, and request an appointment to determine your eligibility for Medicaid.
   
• Prospective and current college students and other people of working age may qualify for financial assistance for hearing aids, assistive technology, and other rehabilitative services from state vocational rehabilitation agencies. If you are working but concerned you may lose your job because of your hearing loss, you may be eligible for services on that basis.
   
• Veterans of military service may qualify for assistance with hearing aids and other rehabilitative services; contact the medical facility for the appropriate branch of the military.
  • Reduced cost assistive listening systems for retired and active-duty military service members and their families
    In an effort to improve the quality of life for those who serve our country, Williams Sound has proudly teamed with the Military Audiology Association to offer the RALD program to both retired and active-duty military service members and their families. The RALD program was created to provide these individuals access to assistive listening devices (ALDs) at a reduced cost, along with free personalized telephone support. For more information on RALD, please visit www.williamssound.com/RALD or www.militaryaudiology.org
• State telephone equipment programs can be found via www.tedpa.org. These programs vary quite widely in what they provide and what their eligibility requirements are, but some provide free or low-cost telephone equipment to eligible residents.
   
• Local agencies serving hard of hearing and/or deaf people may also know about local hearing aid banks and other resources, such as clinics that provide services on a sliding scale basis according to income, state assistive technology loan programs, and state financial assistance programs for children with disabilities.
  • Some states may also have hearing aid loan programs. For example, the Kansas Infant/Toddler Hearing Aid Loan Bank is a short-term hearing aid loan program for children up to three years old who have been newly identified with a hearing loss. View their brochure for more information.
• In many situations, organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, and employers are required by federal or state law to provide auxiliary aids and services for communication access (but not hearing aids). Some of these situations are: employers with 15 or more employees, hotels, hospitals, senior centers and residential facilities. If you are inquiring about communication assistance in one of these situations, call the Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center at (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY) for more information or visit their website at www.adata.org.
   
• State assistive technology programs may provide temporary loans of equipment, loans for purchasing equipment, information and referral servicesundefinedand demonstration centers. To find out more about your own state’s programs, click on “Resources” at www.resna.org and then click on “AT Act Programs.”

*Please visit HLAA's website for more information about the above-mentioned Financial Assistance at: http://www.hearingloss.org/content/financial-assistance-programs-foundations.