Hearing Aid Information

Financial assistance to purchase hearing aids may be available from a variety of sources for people of all ages.

Children

Military Members

  • TRICARE: Active-duty military service members and family who meet specific hearing-loss requirements may be eligible to receive hearing aids, including services and supplies, as a TRICARE benefit. Contact TRICARE Regional Offices at 844-204-9351 or for overseas beneficiaries at 888-777-8343 for more information.
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Veterans must first register at the health administration/enrollment section of a VA Medical Center to be eligible for hearing aids.
  • Retiree Assistive Listening Devices Program (RALD): Military retirees and their family members may be eligible to purchase assistive listening devices at a discounted price in partnership with Williams Sound Corp. Contact Williams Sound Corp at 800-843-3544 for more information.

Seniors

  • Area Agency on Aging (AAA): Assists people age 60 and older to locate and access community services. Some AAAs may have grants to purchase hearing aids. Contact AAA at 800-252-9240 for more information.

People of All Ages

  • Medicaid: May provide for hearing care and hearing aids through a variety of state programs. Income eligibility requirements may apply.
  • Private health insurance: Private health insurance may cover a part of the cost of hearing aids.
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VR): Texas Workforce Commission provides services for people with disabilities to help prepare for, obtain, retain, or advance in employment and to help prepare for post-secondary education. Hearing aids and assistive devices may be available to people eligible for VR services. Contact VR at 800-628-5115 for more information.
  • Civic organizations: Local non-profit organizations such as Sertoma, Lions Club, Kiwanis, AMBUCS, and other civic organizations may provide financial assistance for hearing aids or have a re-conditioned hearing aid (recycling) program.
  • Aid the Silent: Provides financial assistance for communication resources such as hearing aids, assistive communication devices, sign language lessons, and speech therapy and assists with deaf education for children from birth to 22. Income eligibility requirements may apply.
  • Centers for Independent Living (CIL): Nonresidential, private, nonprofit organizations that help people with disabilities achieve their independent living goals. Some receive funding from Texas health and Human Services to provide services and technology, including hearing aids, for those who are eligible.
  • Starkey Hearing Foundation: Donates new Starkey hearing aids to hearing healthcare providers who donate their services. Income eligibility requirements and a refundable application fee may apply. Contact Starkey at 866-354-3254 for more information.
  • Help America Hear: Provides hearing aids to people with limited financial resources and scholarships to help fund educational opportunities. Contact Help America Hear at 888-580-8886 for more information.
  • Miracle Ear Foundation: The Gift of Sound hearing aid program helps people with hearing loss gain access to hearing aids. Income eligibility requirements may apply. Contact Miracle Ear Foundation at 888-679-0837 for more information.
  • National Hearing Aid Project: Provides hearing aids to people of all ages with low income. Contact National Hearing Aid Project at 816-333-8300 for more information.
  • State universities: University speech and hearing clinics may offer discounted hearing aids and testing services. Others may have a recycled hearing aid program.
  • Travelers Protective Association (TPA): Provides funding towards the purchase of hearing aids, assistive listening equipment, or a cochlear implant. Income eligibility requirements may apply. Contact TPA at 877- 872-2638 for more information.

Hearing Industries Association published a Guide to Financial Assistance for Hearing Aids where additional organizations may be listed.

Hearing Loss Association of America's website also includes financial assistance information.

Assistive Listening Devices

Personal amplifiers can be another option when hearing aids are too expensive. They are small devices with microphones that amplify sound to the ears through headphones, earbuds, neck loops, or Bluetooth technology. The average price is between $100 to $300. These are appropriate for one-on-one conversations where the speaker is near the listener.

There are many assistive listening devices and other products for communication needs. The partial list below is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a recommendation. More products and the companies that sell them can be located through an Internet search.

  • Comfort Duett by Comfort Audio
  • Conversor Listenor Pro by Conversor
  • Merry Personal Sound Amplifier by Merry Electronics
  • PocketTalker by Williams Sound

Additional Assistance

For information about other local organizations with financial assistance for hearing aids or other resources or support related to hearing loss, contact the DHHS-contracted Deaf and Hard of Hearing Technology Specialist in your area. You may also call 512-438-4880 to ask for the nearest contractor.