Contact Information and FAQs for Medicaid Coverage for Hearing Aids

Washington State Aging and Long-Term Support Administration sent this bulletin at 12/06/2018 10:42 AM PST

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Washington State Department of Social & Health Services

Aging and Long-Term Support Administration

 A Message from the Office of the Deaf
and Hard of Hearing

December 6, 2018

Contact Information and FAQs for Medicaid Coverage for Hearing Aids

Contact Jean:

Jean Gowen, PA-C, MPH
Clinical Program Manager - Hearing Hardware Program
jean.gowen@hca.wa.gov

Approved by the legislature last year, coverage of hearing aids for adults on Medicaid will begin January 1, 2019.  The coverage limited, as it only restores coverage that existed before 2011, but it will give eligible adults some hearing aid coverage, where they have none at present.  

  • People with 45 db or more hearing loss in their better ear will be eligible for one hearing aid.  This will include the hearing evaluation, ear mold and three follow-up visits to the provider. 
  • New hearing aids may be obtained every five years. 
  • Two hearing aids may be approved under certain circumstances and requires prior approval.
  • Cochlear Implant replacement and repair will also be covered and new CIs may be covered with prior approval. 
  • Batteries for hearing aids and CIs are not covered.

The WA Health Care Authority (HCA) is still developing the regulations for this coverage but will operate under interim "emergency" regulations until the final rules have gone through the internal review, public comment and adoption processes

Frequently Asked Questions:
https://www.hca.wa.gov/about-hca/apple-health-medicaid/adult-hearing-benefit