How can I get help to pay for hearing aids?

Asked by michaelcharlton  |  Sep 24, 2009

My wife needs a hearing aid and we have no money to pay for it - what can we do?

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Carol Bradley Bursack, Sep 25, 2009

Over the span of two decades author, columnist and speaker Carol Bradley Bursack cared for a neighbor and six elderly family members. Because of this experience, Bradley Bursack created a portable support group, the book “Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories.” Her sites, www.mindingourelders.com and www.mindingoureldersblogs

 

It's upsetting that people have to struggle for such a basic need. Are you on Medicare? Have you checked to see if they cover any of the costs? If not, I would ask a hearing aid specialist is they know of any programs that can help pay for one. I would think they keep up the issues.

There are some service clubs that collect used hearing aids and pay to fix them up, so there has to be a way to obtain them. Maybe someone else on the site knows how one goes about this and we can both learn.

Meanwhile, if your Medicare coverage won't cover any of it, I'd check with the local hearing aid clinics and see what they know.

Good luck. Please share what you learn.
Carol

 
 

soneal09

Give a Hug

Sep 25, 2009

CAll your United Way office and ask for a resource. Some hearing aid companies will help connect you to a resource also. Call your state office that provides captioning for the hearing impaired on television. Good luck! sherylo

 
 

Annlidiot

Give a Hug

Sep 25, 2009

There are also state sponsored programs for electronics & telephones for hearing impaired & deaf that are free or subsidized depending.

Check with service clubs like Lions, Optimists and Rotary - on a local level many of the members are professionals who have been known to waive fees or help local residents with high ticket items like hearing aids. The shame is that the mark-up on hearing aids is significant, and it is a commission driven sale.

 
 

N1K2R3

Give a Hug

Sep 28, 2009

Medicare should pay for her hearing aids ( she has two ears, correct?), and this is prescribed by an ENT specialist first.
If you want to move a little faster on this, then I might approach the local Kiwanis or Rotary Club. They are very good at raising money for this type of assistance.

 

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