DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES

     Hearing exams vary in cost from $50.00 to $175.00 and are normally covered by Medicare.  In our office, the initial comprehensive hearing evaluation is charged when the patient requests only a hearing exam.  When we do charge, the fee is $50.00.  With physician referral, it is free.  This has been our policy for the last 15 years and our patients appreciate it. For more information on why we do not charge for the initial examination with physician referral, go to FREE TESTING.

EARWAX REMOVAL

     Cerumen management (earwax removal) is not covered by Medicare or other insurances.  Again, fees vary.  In our office, simple cases (i.e., minimal or no earwax) are not charged.  However, more difficult (i.e., time consuming or potentially dangerous cases) are charged $25.00 per ear and, as mentioned is NOT covered by Medicare.  

HEARING AIDS

     Hearing aids are expensive are rarely covered by American insurances.  Neither Medicare or Medicare supplemental insurance pay for hearing aids.  Again, for more information, go to Medicare.gov. and the link will take you directly to hearing aid coverage.  For information on our charges for hearing aids, go to our HEARING AID PRICES page.

Do any insurances cover hearing aids?  A few insurances do.   If you worked in a capacity potentially damaging to your hearing health, especially if it was for a very large corporation and/or the government, your insurance might cover hearing aids.  But it is up to you to find out from your insurance carrier.

How about coverage by the state of Colorado?   Colorado has no general coverage for hearing aids except in two cases: 

• Children are covered if the family receives Medicaid assistance, and;

•  persons living in Nursing homes may be eligible for hearing aid assistance.  

What is available to Colorado nursing home residents?   There is a program through Medicaid (state insurance for the indigent) that pays for low-cost hearing aids for persons who are:  1) in a nursing home and 2) who are on Colorado Medicaid.  It is called the PETI program.  Testing must be completed by an ASHA certified audiologist and Dr. McHugh is ASHA certified.   

What about managed care or preferred provider plans for hearing aids?  Some plans are covering hearing aids for a "reduced price."  However, the reduced price is not always lower than our regularly low costs on hearing aids.  Be sure to check around before accepting what and where to buy your hearing aids.  As a general rule, we choose not to participate in most managed care programs since we provide the initial hearing test at no charge, and have hearing aid fees that are usually lower than others' discounted prices.   

What about the VA?   Before the Bush Administration, the Department of Defence (DOD) only allowed veterans with direct military related hearing loss to recieve hearing aid services.  The Bush administration changed this policy so anyone who ever served in the military be entitled to hearing aids at absolutely no cost.  In my opinion, this an example of an fiscal government waste.   While these hearing aids may be "free" to vets, the hearing aids are not free to tax-payers and hearing aid manufacturers have found the DOD a convenient way to dump their over-supply of hearing aids.  The waste is so wide spread that if veterans have any minor problem with their hearing aids or don't like them, the DOD simply issues them a new pair.      

AURAL REHABILITATION

     Aural rehabilitation refers to services that help patients learn to adapt to their hearing problem separate from hearing aid adaption.  This includes such things as speech reading, lip reading, learning to use hearing devices.  Some audiology and ENT clinics have tried to bill for such services since Medicare does not cover hearing aids.   There are strict limitations on how such services can be billed.  As such, we choose not to bill you or any insurance for aural rehabilitation services.