How to Get Free Hearing Aids for Seniors Over 65

🔑 10 Key Takeaways: Quick Answers Before We Dive Deep

1. Original Medicare won’t pay for hearing aids — but Medicare Advantage plans often do, and virtually all Medicare Advantage plans now offer some form of hearing coverage for 2026.

2. Medicaid can cover the full cost — but it depends entirely on which state you live in, as coverage varies wildly from state to state.

3. Veterans get premium hearing aids at zero cost — the Va provides hearing aids at no cost to eligible veterans with service-connected hearing conditions or those enrolled in Va healthcare.

4. The Miracle-Ear Foundation gives away real hearing aids — not cheap knockoffs. Since 1990, they’ve helped more than 28,000 individuals through the Gift of Sound program, distributing over 54,000 free hearing aids.

5. The Starkey Hear Now program is a national lifeline — eligible patients can receive Starkey hearing aids for only the cost of an application fee.

6. Lions Clubs recycle and redistribute hearing aids for free — one of the most overlooked resources in the country.

7. Otc hearing aids are now Fda-regulated and start under $200 — the Fda established a new category for over-the-counter hearing aids in October 2022, intended for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.

8. State vocational rehabilitation programs can provide free devices — but only for seniors still in the workforce.

9. New Jersey’s Haaad program reimburses up to $1,000 — and you qualify if you’re age 65 or older with income at or below specific state thresholds.

10. Proposed federal legislation could change everything — the Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2025 aims to remove the statutory exclusion of hearing aids from Medicare coverage.

🩺 Section 1: Why Doesn’t Medicare Pay for Hearing Aids? (and What Actually Is Covered)

This is the single biggest frustration for seniors over 65. You’ve paid into the system your entire working life, and when you need help hearing your grandchildren, you discover that the federal government essentially shrugs its shoulders. Original Medicare — Parts A and B — offers extremely limited coverage for hearing care services and products. Part B will cover a diagnostic hearing exam if your doctor orders it to investigate an underlying medical problem, and it may pay for cochlear implants. But regular hearing aids? Not a dime.

The silver lining is Medicare Advantage. These are private insurance plans approved by Medicare that often bundle in extras that Original Medicare won’t touch. Virtually all Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage for hearing exams and hearing aids in 2026. Some plans cover up to $1,000 or more toward devices every few years.

💡 Expert Tip: Don’t just accept the first Medicare Advantage plan offered to you. During open enrollment, specifically ask each plan exactly how much they cover toward hearing aids, whether they require prior authorization, and how often you can replace devices.

🏥 Section 2: Medicaid Is a Hidden Goldmine — but Your State Decides the Rules

Here’s what most articles won’t tell you honestly: Medicaid coverage for hearing aids is a complete patchwork across the country. While some states cover part or the entire cost of a patient’s hearing aids as well as associated exams and maintenance, other states don’t offer seniors any coverage for hearing devices at all.

If you’re a low-income senior who qualifies for both Medicare and Medicaid (known as “dual eligible”), you may have access to hearing services that Medicare alone won’t provide. Dual-eligible beneficiaries can access state-specific hearing services not covered by Medicare alone, including full coverage for aids and exams in some states.

💡 Expert Tip: Contact the Hearing Loss Association of America to find a state-by-state breakdown of what your specific Medicaid program covers. Their directory is the most comprehensive public resource available.

🎖️ Section 3: Veterans Get the Best Deal in the Country — Here’s Exactly How to Claim It

If you served in the military, listen up, because the Department of Veterans Affairs provides what is arguably the best hearing aid benefit in the entire nation. The Va contracts with leading hearing aid manufacturers including ReSound, Phonak, Oticon, Widex, Signia, and Starkey to provide veterans with advanced digital hearing aids featuring the latest technology. These are not budget devices. They come with wireless connectivity, smartphone compatibility, rechargeable batteries, and artificial intelligence features.

Veterans with any percentage of service-connected hearing disability automatically qualify for free hearing aids and related audiological services. Even veterans without a service connection can get devices if they’re enrolled in Va healthcare and demonstrate medical need.

📞 Contact: Call the Va Health Benefits Hotline at 1-877-222-8387 or visit your nearest Va medical center and ask to be referred to the audiology department.

💡 Expert Tip: Even if your hearing loss isn’t directly related to your military service, don’t assume you’re disqualified. Many veterans enrolled in general Va healthcare still receive free hearing aids based on demonstrated medical need.

🌟 Section 4: The Miracle-Ear Foundation Gives Away Brand-Name Hearing Aids — but There’s a Catch

The Miracle-Ear Foundation runs one of the most generous hearing aid programs in the country through their Gift of Sound initiative. The hearing aids gifted to qualified applicants are the same hearing aids that can be purchased in store, meaning you’re getting the exact same technology that retail customers pay thousands for.

Here’s the catch nobody else explains clearly: there is a $200 non-refundable application fee for all adult applicants 19 and older, without exception. That fee can be a hardship for someone truly struggling, but many applicants get help from churches, Lions Clubs, or family members.

📞 Contact: Call the Miracle-Ear Foundation at 1-800-234-5422 to check your eligibility before you apply. They’ll walk you through the requirements so you don’t waste the application fee.

💡 Expert Tip: Before applying, contact your local Miracle-Ear store to confirm they participate in the Gift of Sound program and can accept your application. Not every location participates.

🤲 Section 5: Starkey’s Hear Now Program Is a Nationwide Nonprofit Most Seniors Never Hear About

The Hear Now Program, operated through Starkey Cares, is specifically designed for Americans with limited financial resources who need hearing aids but have nowhere else to turn. All applicants must meet the program’s financial criteria, complete the application process, and be approved for hearing aids.

What makes this program stand apart is that Starkey works with licensed hearing care practitioners in your local area who volunteer their time to fit and follow up with Hear Now recipients. You’re not just getting a device mailed to you in a box — you’re getting professional care.

📞 Contact: Reach Starkey Cares at 855-686-2202 or email [email protected] to learn more and begin the application process.

💡 Expert Tip: The Foundation receives no government funding and relies entirely on donations, so processing times can be longer when demand is high. Apply as early as possible.

🦁 Section 6: Your Local Lions Club Has a Secret Hearing Aid Recycling Program

This is one of the most underappreciated resources in America. Many local Lions Clubs accept used hearing aids, refurbish them, and distribute them to individuals in need, including seniors. Because Lions Clubs operate at the community level, wait times are often much shorter than national foundation programs, and there’s typically no application fee.

📞 Contact: Call Lions Clubs International at 630-571-5466 or email [email protected] to find a hearing aid recycling center near you.

📱 Section 7: Fda-Regulated Otc Hearing Aids Changed the Game in 2022 — and They’re Getting Better Every Year

If your hearing loss is mild to moderate, over-the-counter hearing aids could save you thousands of dollars. Otc hearing aids are a category of hearing aids that consumers can buy directly, without visiting a hearing health professional, intended for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. They’re sold at pharmacies, electronics stores, and online, with prices starting as low as $199 per pair.

Early research has suggested that otc hearing aids can be as effective as prescription hearing aids for the right candidates, though they’re not suitable for severe hearing loss.

The important caveat that most articles gloss over: barriers to accessing hearing loss treatment continue to exist even with otc hearing aids, including consumer difficulty assessing their own hearing loss and affordability concerns. Many seniors struggle with the self-fitting technology, which often requires a smartphone.

💡 Expert Tip: Before spending money on an otc device, get a proper hearing evaluation first. Many audiologists and even Miracle-Ear stores offer free hearing tests. This way, you’ll know whether your hearing loss actually falls in the mild-to-moderate range that otc devices are designed to treat.

📜 Section 8: New Federal Legislation Could Finally Force Medicare to Cover Hearing Aids

This is where things get genuinely exciting for the future. The Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2025, introduced in the House on January 16, 2025, aims to remove the statutory exclusion of hearing aids and related exams from Medicare coverage. If this passes, it would be the single biggest policy shift for senior hearing health in decades.

Another bipartisan bill, reintroduced by Senators Warren, Paul, and Grassley in June 2025, seeks to expand access to audiology services under Medicare.

💡 Expert Tip: Contact your Congressional representatives and let them know you support these bills. Constituent pressure is one of the most effective ways to move legislation forward. You can reach the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

🏛️ Section 9: State-Specific Programs Most People Have Never Heard Of

Beyond Medicaid, some states run their own dedicated hearing aid assistance programs. For example, New Jersey’s Hearing Aid Assistance for the Aged and Disabled program provides up to a $500 reimbursement for one hearing aid or up to $1,000 for two hearing aids. To qualify in New Jersey, you must be age 65 or older, and your income for 2025 must be no greater than $53,446 if single or $60,690 if married.

State vocational rehabilitation programs help individuals, including seniors who remain in the workforce, obtain hearing aids to maintain employment.

💡 Expert Tip: Your local Area Agency on Aging is one of the most powerful and underused resources in the country. They maintain lists of every hearing aid assistance program available in your specific county or city, and they can often connect you to programs that don’t appear in any online search.

💳 Section 10: Additional Money-Saving Strategies That Can Slash Costs Even Further

Even if you don’t qualify for a fully free program, several strategies can significantly reduce what you pay out of pocket.

Flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts allow you to use pretax funds for medical expenses, including hearing aids. If you still have an Hsa from your working years, this is one of the smartest ways to pay.

Some hearing aid providers offer discounts to Aarp members, and many providers also offer payment plans that break the cost into manageable monthly installments.

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