Hearing Aid Funding Options
Information supplied by Capital and Coast District Health Board
Costs of hearing aids
The cost of purchasing a hearing aid or aids is dependent on wide range of reasons. These can include:
- The degree of hearing loss
- The type of hearing loss
- The different environments that the hearing aid will be used in
- The wearer’s personal preference
- The number of hearing aids needed
The costs associated with hearing aids have been affected by the advances in technology during the past decade. Broadly speaking, hearing aid costs can be broken up into the following categories:
- Basic digital or analogue: $1,500 - $2000 per pair of hearing aids
- Mid range digital: $2,400 - $5,000 per pair of hearing aids
- Advanced digital: $5,000 - $7,500+ per pair of hearing aids
Free children’s hearing aids (Ministry of Health)
Children under the age of 18 (or under the age of 21 if still in full time education) receive free hearing aids and fittings through a provision in the health system known as the special aid fund.
Adult funding options
Universal hearing aid subsidy
A basic subsidy of $198 per aid is available every five years to all adults who require hearing aids. If two hearing aids are required the subsidy raises to $396. It is available for new and replacement hearing aids as
long as it hasn’t
been claimed in the last five years.
If you are over the age of 65 the basic subsidy rises to $500 per aid. If two hearing aids are required then the subsidy rises to $1,000.
Accident compensation corporation (ACC)
Phone: 0800 101 996. ACC may be able to help if you fit their eligibility criteria. They are able to assist if the hearing loss is a result of any of the following:
- Exposure to a noisy work environment
- Exposure to a sudden, extremely loud noise
- Sudden accident
ACC doesn’t cover congenital hearing loss, age-related or illness-related hearing loss.
To apply for ACC funding, contact your general practitioner who can initiate a claim for you. If you do think you have a hearing loss associated with noise exposure you should act quickly
even if you don’t think you need a hearing aid when you make your claim. It may be very difficult
to prove the hearing loss was caused by noise exposure alone if you claim later.
War Pension
Phone 0800 553 003, Fax: 0508 402 402. Hearing aids and other hearing assistance devices such as amplified telephones are available to veterans who have a hearing disability as a result of their military service. To claim this funding you must complete a War
Pensions Disability Application Form which is available from the War Pensions Services. The war pension funding covers the following:
- Audiologist fees
- The cost of the aids (up to a certain limit)
- Cost of repairs
- A battery allowance
- Replacement aids
Enable NZ funding
Phone: 0800 ENABLE (362253). This funding is available to people who are in:
- Full time education
- Job training (12 hours or over)
- Full/ part-time work (30 hours or over)
- Voluntary work (20 hours or over)
- Primary Caregiver
Entitlement to this funding is determined by a registered audiologist. This funding doesn’t cover audiologist fees.
WINZ (Work and Income Support)
Phone: 0800 559 009. Applications can be made for an advance payment of superannuation or any other benefits for the payment of hearing aids. This can be done through your local WINZ office. To apply you will need a quote from an audiologist
and see the WINZ case manager you are assigned to.
Self funding: If you are unable to successfully access third party funding you will fund the hearing aids personally.
Hearing aid bank
The New Zealand Audiologist Society and the Wellington Hearing Association jointly administer a hearing bank for those people who are unable to affording hearing aids and are ineligible for other funding. Your audiologist will be able to help you access this funding
should you require it.
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