I picked a Medicare Advantage plan last year, and I'm not sure if my hearing aids are covered. How do I figure this out?
Answered by 23 licensed agents
1. Call the member services phone number on the back of your card, and inquire as to how the hearing aid benefits work with your specific Advantage plan.
2. or, call the Agent/Broker who helped you enroll in the Advantage plan. He or she should be able to give you the main points of the hearing aid benefits and then point you to phone numbers for third party contractors who provide the hearing aid benefits to this plan.
3. or, obtain the EOC (Evidence of Coverage) pdf document that outlines in detail how all the benefits work, for your plan.
I picked a Medicare Advantage plan last year, and I'm not sure if my hearing aids are covered. How do I figure this out? You can look plan summary benefits or evidence of coverage documents. You can ask your broker or customer service.
YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT A FEW WAY BY GOING ON TO YOUR MEMBER PORTAL OF THE PLAN AND LOOK FOR THE SUMMARY OF BENEFIT AND LOOK FOR HEARING AID COVERED . OR SIMPLE CALL YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER ON THE BACK OF YOUR ID CARD AND ASK IF THE HEARING AIDS ARE COVERED AND HOW MUCH DOES MY PLAN PAY OR COVER ON THE COST OF THEM. BETTER YET CALL YOUR AGENT/BROKER AND THEY WILL BE OF BREAT HELP AND FINDING YOUR ANSWER.
There are several ways you can check the benefits of your plan. I would recommend setting up your account online. You can see your benefits, check on claims, your max out of pocket (MOOP) and more. You can locate your plan on the Medicare.Gov and access your summary of benefits and evidence of coverage. If you are looking for a less technical way, just call the customer service number on the back of your card.
For my clients, I always invite them to call me directly with any questions and I will look up their policy and tell them what benefits they have available to them, including hearing benefits. Benefits vary from policy to policy and from one insurance carrier to another. You can also call the customer service of your insurance company directly, but as your local agent I would always try to go the extra mile to help with any questions.
To find out if your hearing aids are covered, you can review your plan's benefit booklet, contact the plan's customer service, or use the Medicare.gov/coverage tool to search for coverage.
Hi, great question! Your Medicare Advantage plan has an Evidence of Coverage, which details all of the benefits included in your plan. You will need to look in the evidence of coverage of your plan to understand your hearing aid benefits.
This is why you should have interviewed at least 2-3 Medicare broker/agents who know how much is covered and what your out of pocket cost will be. If not, call 1-800-Medicare.
The best way I have found to find if a service or product is covered is by calling the insurance carrier directly. A lot of the βis this covered?β Questions come after a service or product has been purchased which makes things a little more difficult. Ask the carrier ahead of time if a certain hearing aid, dental procedure, durable medical equipment, etc.. is covered and at what in network facility?
A good broker would be able to easily let you know how and what your Advantage plan covers. Or you can always call Member Services on the back of your insurance card and they will be able to let you know.
To determine if your Medicare Advantage plan covers hearing aids, you need to review your plan's Evidence of Coverage (EOC), contact the plan directly, or use the Medicare Plan Finder tool. Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids or exams for fitting them, but some Medicare Advantage plans offer extra benefits that may include hearing aid coverage.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of how to find out:
1. Review your Evidence of Coverage (EOC):
This document outlines all the benefits, costs, and services covered by your specific Medicare Advantage plan. Look for specific details about hearing aid coverage, including what types of aids are covered, any limitations, and any associated costs.
2. Contact your plan directly:
You can call the plan's customer service number or visit their website for specific details about their hearing aid coverage.
3. Use the Medicare Plan Finder:
Medicare.gov provides a plan finder tool where you can input your zip code and filter by plan type (Medicare Advantage) to find plans in your area that offer hearing benefits. Look for plans with a green check mark indicating hearing benefits and then click on "Plan Details" to review specific coverage information.
4. Consider your Part B coverage:
While Original Medicare doesn't cover hearing aids themselves, Part B may cover diagnostic hearing and balance exams if ordered by your doctor.
5. Understand coverage limitations:
Even if your plan offers hearing aid coverage, there may be limitations, such as the number of hearing aids you can receive annually, the types of aids covered, or specific in-network providers you need to use.
By utilizing these resources, you can get a clear understanding of your Medicare Advantage plan's hearing aid coverage and determine if it meets your needs.
You could check the plan information online or the booklet sent by the company or you could call the number on the back of your card and ask a representative. Another way is to have an annual of your plan with an agent able to show you benefits.
You can log into your account at the insurance carrier's web site, contact your agent that enrolled you in the plan, check your Summary of Benefits printout, or call the customer service # on your member card.
Look at your Summary of Benefits. It should list all your coverage details. If you can't put your hands on it, call the customer service number on your ID card to have them send another. Good to keep it handy for reference.