What does my benefit include?
When reviewing your insurance plan to determine if it covers hearing aids, consider asking the following key questions to your insurance representative:
- Does my deductible have to be met before I can use the benefit?
- Does an allowable amount apply? What is the allowable amount in Ohio?
For instance, if your insurance plan says they pay 80% of the allowable amount and the allowable amount is $2000, the maximum amount the insurance would pay is $1800. If they pay 100% of the allowable amount, then they would pay up to $2000. They will not pay more than the allowable amount.
- Does my insurance make me use a third-party administrator?
In this instance, you see an audiologist for the hearing test, hearing aid selection, and fitting, but you are buying the hearing aids from the third-party administrator. The price quoted is based on what the third-party administrator has set. The audiologist does not set the price of the hearing aids. Usually, you are limited to 1 year of service with these plans and will pay for follow-up care after that year.
Some third-party administrators restrict the selection of hearing aids that providers can fit to specific manufacturers.
- Can I use my benefit anywhere?
That depends on the insurance plan. Most companies will tell you to see an in-network provider. Some places like Costco do not accept insurance. Some plans will only let audiologists be in-network and not hearing instrument providers.