Does UnitedHealthcare Cover Hearing Aids?

Christian Worstell
In this article...
  • Find out if UnitedHealthcare plans cover hearing aids, and learn about the potential discounts, hearing care benefits and ongoing care you could receive.

Many UnitedHealthcare plans cover hearing aids, including Medicare Advantage and employer-sponsored policies. Medicare Advantage plans, which are often called Part C plans, offer the same coverage as Original Medicare (Part A and Part B), as well as additional benefits, which may include hearing care. The UnitedHealthcare Hearing division handles all hearing aid coverage.

What Do Hearing Plans From UnitedHealthcare Cover?

Specific hearing aid benefits can vary between UnitedHealthcare plans. In some cases, your policy may not cover them at all, and not all plans are available in all locations. Before you commit, it's a good idea to compare quotes and coverage levels.

Not sure if you need hearing aids? Take UnitedHealthcare's online hearing test. It can help you identify potential problems and decide if you're ready to seek hearing care.

If your plan covers hearing aids, you may receive a discount of 50-80% on the device itself. The actual discount depends on your policy and the hearing aid brand. Other potential benefits include:

  • Trial period to test the hearing aids
  • Warranty for repairs
  • One-time replacement for loss or damage
  • Follow-up visits
  • Hearing aid accessories

Does UnitedHealthcare Cover Hearing Aids From All Brands?

UnitedHealthcare plans enable you to choose from a variety of hearing aid brands, including Relate and Phonak.

  • Relate: Owned by UnitedHealthcare Hearing, Relate hearing aids offer custom programming, easy recharging and high audio quality. Each hearing aid can connect to two devices via Bluetooth.
  • Phonak: Phonak is known for its high performance in a wide range of environments; these hearing aids make it easy to hear speech clearly with less effort. 
  • Additional brands: If you want special features, such as phone streaming and ultra-sensitive microphones, UnitedHealthcare plans can help you get discounted prices on more than 2,000 hearing aids from brands, such as Belton, Starkey and Unitron.

How To Get Hearing Aid Coverage From UnitedHealthcare

If you have a UnitedHealthcare plan, service options vary based on the hearing aid brand you choose.

Relate and Phonak brands come with access to the Right2You virtual care system. All you need to do is submit your hearing test online, and the company will send pre-programmed hearing aids right to your home. Follow-up care is virtual — technicians can even adjust the programming remotely to help you get the best audio quality.

If you prefer a different brand, the first step is to find a hearing provider. The company partners with more than 7,000 providers across the country. To find a provider near you, simply enter your zip code into the UnitedHealthcare search tool or call (855) 523-9355.

Once you're ready to proceed, follow these steps:

  1. Contact a provider and set up an appointment. The doctor may need to set up additional hearing tests.
  2. Choose and order hearing aids. The provider or Right2You technician will guide you through the process.
  3. Schedule a follow-up appointment, if necessary. Providers may offer online and/or virtual appointments.

Continuing Hearing Care

It's normal for your hearing to change over time. To help you adjust, UnitedHealthcare plans may include coverage for follow-up visits. If your plan includes this benefit, you'll have access to a limited number of visits to an in-network hearing provider each year. Visits may take place virtually or at the provider's office, depending on coverage and the brand of hearing aid.

Christian Worstell
About the Author

Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with HelpAdivsor.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.

While at HelpAdvisor, Christian has written hundreds of articles that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.

Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.

A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. You can find Christian’s most recent articles in our blog.

If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@MyHelpAdvisor.com.

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