How Much Are Hearing Aids for Children – and Does Insurance Cover Them?

With proper testing, fitting, and training – hearing aids can transform one’s life. By amplifying the sound that travels through the ear’s passageway, hearing aids allow more information to reach the auditory nerve and brain.

And if your child is hard of hearing, these electronic devices can enable him or her to:

• Communicate effectively with their hearing peers (listening and speaking).
• Learn at a regular pace and matriculate into mainstream schools.
• Become a more active and confident participant in daily life.

These benefits are very real.

And the sooner you have your child tested and fitted for hearing aids, the better. That’s because there’s a very small window for children to learn spoken language. And early intervention is critical for lifelong success.

Even babies can be fitted with hearing aids shortly after diagnosis. And with appropriate early intervention services, your child can benefit from normal language development as he or she learns to distinguish sounds and explore the wider world.

However, hearing aids can be very costly.

How Much Do Hearing Aids Cost for Children?

As with most technologies, hearing aid prices can vary a lot. Premium devices, for example, can cost more than $6,000 per pair. And even these will need replacing every 3 to 5 years for optimal results.

But at CCHAT, we help our families select the most appropriate hearing aids for their child’s auditory needs – regardless of price.

We don’t sell or represent any specific manufacturer, vendor, or model. Instead, we base these recommendations off of our comprehensive testing to ensure that your child receives the most benefit.

Does Health Insurance Cover Hearing Aids for Children?

Some policies do. Some do not.

Fortunately, there is a growing number of health insurance plans that fully or partially cover hearing aids – especially for younger wearers. However, this coverage isn’t always universal or automatic. And you’ll need to check with your provider for exact details.

You may find additional relief through Medi-cal and California Children’s Services (CCS) – which currently covers hearing aids for children.

And California is considering reintroducing the Bloom Bill later in 2018. If successfully passed, hearing aid coverage for minors will become mandatory statewide.    However, application of this coverage could vary. For example, assistive hearing devices might be covered – but not testing, fitting, or training.

How Do I Know If My Child Needs Hearing Aids?

The simplest and most accurate way to make that determination is through testing. And at CCHAT, we offer diagnostic evaluations for all children.

These comprehensive exams allow us to:

• Assess their hearing abilities.
• Pinpoint potential complications.
• Determine if hearing aids are necessary.
• Decide which assistive hearing devices to use.

In addition, we can also refer you to local pediatric hearing aid specialists for fitting and customization.

And most important, your child does not have to be currently enrolled in CCHAT to receive these evaluations and referrals. We accept all hearing test applicants from birth through school age.

To have your child’s hearing tested, schedule a diagnostic exam today.