Medicare at 50
Medicare was established in 1965 to provide health care benefits and services for older Americans, especially those who have a low income. Every year, Medicare serves approximately 46 million Americans, age 65 and older, whose average monthly Social Security check is $1,287.
Last year, on July 30, 2015, Medicare turned 50, which means Medicare is now at the age that most Americans are recommended to take a hearing exam. However – Medicare does not cover hearing health.
Why Doesn’t Medicare Cover Hearing Aids?
According to the Medicare Consumer Guide, “Medicare does not cover hearing aids because of the expense that comes with this avenue of coverage. Some hearing aid plans cost thousands of dollars, so covering them may have resulted in higher rates for all Medicare recipients.”
Older Americans and Hearing Loss
Considering that one in three people age 65 and older experience some degree of hearing loss, the question has been raised as to why Medicare does not cover hearing health.
If Medicare provides health care benefits to 46 million people over the age of 65, it is estimated that approximately 15 million of Medicare recipients experience hearing loss. This is a sizeable number.
Executive Director Anna Gilmore Hall of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) writes, “HLAA receives numerous calls from people seeking help and information about hearing loss. By far the call we receive most often is the one seeking help purchasing hearing aids. It’s particularly troubling that seniors with hearing loss have very few places to turn when they cannot afford a hearing aid.”
Cost of Untreated Hearing Loss
Hearing aids are not inexpensive – depending on the style, some hearing aids cost $1,500 per device (that’s $3,000 for both ears). If the average Social Security check for Medicare recipients is under $1,300, the cost appears to be prohibitive.
Unfortunately, leaving hearing loss untreated becomes more costly for people in the long term. Untreated hearing loss has been linked with a series of other medical conditions, such as dementia and cognitive impairment. Additionally, studies have found that untreated hearing loss has led to an increased risk of falls, accidents, and hospitalizations. Hearing loss has also been linked to socio-emotional issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress.
Treating hearing loss with hearing aids drastically reduces the risks of these related medical issues.
Actions to Take
Looking forward, hearing loss organizations, activists, and politicians have collaborated on changes to Medicare legislation to include hearing health. In the summer of 2015, US Representative Matt Cartwright introduced the Help Extend Auditory Relief (HEAR) Act to Congress. This move to extend Medicare coverage to hearing aids was supported by 10 members of Congress as well as the HLAA: “HEAR Act would provide Medicare coverage for hearing rehabilitation services, including comprehensive audiology assessment to determine if a hearing aid is appropriate. This bill would also extend Medicare coverage to hearing aids.”
If you or someone you love is experiencing hearing loss and are a Medicare recipient, support the HEAR Act by contacting your representatives in Congress.