Medicare beneficiaries in 27 more states will soon have enhanced access to hearing examinations and more affordable hearing aids thanks to Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), the health insurance company announced. Humana is expanding its existing relationship with TruHearing, a hearing health care company, to include hearing care and hearing aid benefits within more of its Medicare Advantage plan offerings.
Humana is including this hearing benefit on certain 2018 Medicare Advantage plans offered in the following new states: Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Humana and TruHearing teamed up in 2017 to introduce the benefit in select Medicare Advantage plans offered in Arizona, Arkansas, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington state. In 2018, the benefit will be offered in a total of 34 states.
According to the announcement, Original Medicare covers diagnostic hearing exams only if a patient’s health care provider orders the test to see if medical treatment is needed. Otherwise, Original Medicare does not cover hearing exams, hearing aids, or hearing aid fittings, despite the fact that one in four Americans 70 years and over has a hearing impairment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The benefit allows for one annual routine hearing exam, at no additional cost to the member, and digital hearing aids for fixed copayments. Members will be able to obtain two hearing aids per year (one per ear), with the choice of an advanced TruHearing hearing aid with a copay ranging from $399-$699, or a premium TruHearing hearing aid with a copay of $699-$999. These copayments are per hearing aid and vary depending on the member’s location and plan selected.
TruHearing hearing aids include three provider visits for fittings and evaluations within the first year of the hearing aid purchase, a 45-day trial period, a three-year extended warranty, and 48 batteries per aid—all at no extra cost to the member. The hearing aids offer wireless connectivity to your mobile phone or tablet through Bluetooth technology and come in a variety of colors and styles.
People with Medicare may select these plans during the 2018 Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan Annual Enrollment Period, or AEP, which runs October 15 through December 7, 2017. Those selecting a plan with this option will be able to start using the benefit January 1, 2018.
“Hearing is an important part of our everyday lives and any impairment can lead to emotional and social consequences for older adults,” said Anup K. Sharma, MD, MBA, medical director, clinical integration for Humana. “This can include social isolation, depression, and anxiety, according to a study by the National Council on the Aging. The TruHearing hearing care and hearing aid benefit helps take the guesswork out of the cost of a hearing aid and will go a long way to helping our members hear better, improving their overall health and well-being so they can start with healthy.”
Medicare beneficiaries living in these states who are interested in the hearing aid benefit should visit Humana.com/Medicare to research these plans and learn more about this and other plan benefits.
Source: Humana, TruHearing
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One low price for all hearing aids?!! Not all hearing aids are equal, just like all cars are not equal. The difference between and a Chevrolet and a Cadillac is the quality…also the price. Can you just pay one price and just pick what you want.? You get what you pay for in anything in life, including the Chevrolet and the Cadillac of hearing aids.
I saw my hearing aid specialist today and was informed that I am enrolled in Tru Hearing. I did not sign up for it plus I previously had one fro Sam’s Club and I was not pleased with it. I want to get a better one from a better provider. Pleas take me off the Tru Hearing plan because I do not want it..
I have confirmed with Humana that the amount you pay towards your hearing aids counts towards your $2,500 out of of pocket in 2017 ($1,900 in 2018) even though it seems I am the first person to realize this and although Truhearing had this confirmed to them via 3 way phone calls with Humana they are demanding I pay up front and be reimbursed by Humana (since I have already reached my $2,500 out of pocket). Luckily I have 45 to return them if I am not reimbursed promptly (Humana rep stated it will only take a few days to get check from them). SO IF YOU NEED HEARING AIDS ANYWAY AND YOU’RE GOING TO PAY ALL THIS MONEY FOR THEM, REALIZE IT COUNTS TOWARDS YOUR YEARLY MAXIMUM OUT OF POCKET, AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET THEM EARLY IN THE YEAR. AND PLEASE CALL HUMANA AND CONFIRM THIS FOR YOURSELF, AND GET THE REPS EMPLOYEE ID AND A CASE NUMBER FROM THEM FOR YOUR CALL. I would also think this would apply to any other Advantage Plan that offers hearing aid coverage but if you don’t ask you probably aren’t going to be honest enough to just tell you.
I have had a Humana drug program for several years, and today there was a 1 pm appointment for a local representative to call on my husband and I to talk about a Medicare Advantage Plan. The representative was a NO SHOW! I tried to call 877-256-1640 1+1123421 twice and got cut off both times. Shirley Hughes, 783 Winesap Circle, Howard OH 43028. PS. This appointment was made over a month ago.
This idea about “PREMIUM HEARING AIDS”, is a farce and we professionals know that. All hearing aids come with the full range of software adjustments, and blocking its features is to deny the hearing impaired the full benefit that someone else enjoys because he/she has the money to pay for it. This is unethical and unfair business practice by the manufacturers. The price point methods need to be abolished , and a one low price installed for all hearing aid purchasers.