My BCBS plan at new employer covers a pair of hearing aids up to $6000 maximum. Has anyone bought hearing aids with similar coverage? Any idea what tier hearing aids I’ll be able to get? Will this get me a pair of More 1s?
You’ll need to go over the coverage with the proverbial fine toothed comb. $6000 would typically be enough to buy just about any hearing aid, but I’m guessing you may be limited to who you can purchase from and the prices may be higher.
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That could be a generous benefit that most people in the US don’t get from their health insurance, but since it’s a PPO plan (Preferred Provider Organization), you almost certainly will be restricted to using a provider in the BCBS network, likely a chain. If so, some of these chains can be a little dicey to deal with in terms of best care. Some of them are staffed by people who know more about selling aids than fitting them optimally; hearing aids are not plug ‘n’ play, like eyeglasses. You need to work with a good fitter for best results.
Your coverage will probably allow only one hearing exam, pair of aids, and one fitting over a specified number of years. There may be a substantial copay amount for the aids and fitting. Check the fine print of your benefits.
If your hearing loss is not especially challenging to treat, and you have to pay a substantial copay, and you’re only offered certain aids that may not be the newest and best (bleeding edge technology is always more expensive, and not necessarily worth the upcharge–think the newest smartphones, or the most tricked-out laptop computers), your benefit could still be a good way to go. But you might want to compare it to what you could get paying for aids on your own without insurance from a local, private audiologist, or Costco (a chain that offers very good quality care at a reasonable price, but doesn’t work with insurance), just to make sure the insured coverage you can get through BCBS is the best you can do for your needs.
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I have BCBS with hearing aid coverage.
The caveat is that you’ll be required to use only their in network provider. In my case, it was Hearing Care Solutions. The nearest HCS office was an hour from my house. It took a week for them to return my phone calls.
HCS intended to charge me via copay for just about everything with limits on how many visits per year I was allowed.
I stayed with my audiologist and dropped the BCBS added hearing aid coverage
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I have an Anthem (BC/BS) Medicare PPO plan. Mine covers $2000 per year.
I have to use someone in network. And the hearing aids have to be purchased through Hearing Care Solutions.
I made an appointment with an in network audiologist and he gave me a multi page printout of my available options/costs through Anthem. He also informed me that he could offer discounts of his own that are sometimes better than insurance discounts.
As for MY PLAN:
I have no copay.
Under my plan, HCS has an “adjusted MSRP” listed with multiple hearing aid choices for several major manufacturers. The $2000 discount is then applied. Followed by an additional discount. This is all for hearing aid #1. For the second hearing aid, there is a significant discount applied.
HCS also offers a private label version of several Signia hearing aids.
For instance, I’ve ordered the private label version of the Signia 7AX T Charge & Go. The total final price on the original brand name is $3500 for both. But my cost for the private label is $2500. I could have gotten the 5AX T for $1900.
Note - There are hearing aid options listed for as little as ZERO-$500 (after the discounts). I’m assuming these aren’t the latest and greatest. I’m brand new to hearing aids so I am pretty clueless.
Anyhow, hope this helps. Sounds like your plan is very generous!
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My healthcare provider has a contract with Truhearing (which sucks because they don’t pay for proper care by selected Truhearing audiologist. They can’t follow best practices that is similar to Dr. cliff) and l can get a premium Signia aid for 699 bucks co-pay. I had to buy the Phonak P70-UP aids which l think are better than Signia aids. I don’t plan to buy Signia aids. I am waiting for Xceeds replacements by Oticon.
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Read your insurance policy. Everyone here is guessing. But if it covers 6000 then that pays pretty much for both aids. Which is great.; But check for how it limits you
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Update:
The coverage is limited to one provider, Truhearing. I have an appointment in two days at a location five miles away. I was told that the $6,000 of coverage will cover any aid they sell. If anyone is interested, I will post how it goes with Truhearing.
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Keep a close eye on billing. Reviews show that if there is anything negative about true hearing it comes to billing practices
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I’d say that a significant number of replies aren’t guesses. We’ve had experience with BCBS and hearing coverage.
The fact is that BCBS requires use of in network facilities.
The majority of Audiologists aren’t jumping through the hoops to be in network or aren’t interested in the paperwork & expense required
Hearing Care Solutions & True Hearing seem to be the only in network providers.
Based upon my experience, Hearing Care Solutions in my area isn’t interested in providing the best care nor do they offer the newest hearing aids. You’re forced to take what they offer.
They seem to be more interested in getting $ from BCBS and co-pay.
True hearing has bad reputation on this forum.
Boy. And I was concerned my comment would get me in trouble. As far as variety with aids goes, they supposedly carry major brands but not all models. So be careful when you go there. Don’t agree to anything right then and there. Take your time
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My experience with Tru Hearing was a nightmare - never again and I tell people to avoid using them. Before you buy, shop around but don’t mention Tru Hearing. Ask about warranty, how many free follow up visits are included with the purchase, are batteries, ear wax guards etc etc included and for how long
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I ended up goin to a place called Help U Hear that is affiliated with Your Hearing Solutions which is the BCBS participating provider. It was 11 miles from home, and I got an appointment the same week. BCBS covered the full cost of the Signia Pure C&G T 7AX hearing aids. Luckily, I had an option to avoid TruHearing, and also generous insurance coverage. The only fee I had to pay was a $45 fee for the hearing test.
Edit: I also had to get a fresh clearance for hearing aids from my ENT because BCBS requires a diagnosis of SNHL/clearance to get hearing aids to be made within the previous six months prior to dispensing the hearing aids.
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I deal w/ TruHearing to but my hearing aids. My insurance BCBS paid a $2500 benefit. They cover 1 hearing test, my Audi performs REM, 4 visits and then follow are visits are limited to a $40 charge for visits. I had an issue with a different Audi and it was that I only had 1 more covered visit. I called TruHearing regarding changing Audis. TruHearing covered an additional hearing test w/ REM and 2 more covered visits.
In regards to the poster that said watch billing - after you purchase your hearing aids, which you wrote the check or pay however , that is to the Audiologist. TruHearing initially set up appointment with an Audi in your area or whom you request IF they are TruHearing providers. Then they essentially are out of the picture. I contacted TruHearing when I had an issue with an Audiologist and TruHearing was mediator and got me set up, at not additional cost with a new TruHearing provider. No sure what occurred to have the comment to watch billing from TruHearing. I pay my audiologist.
Blue Cross Blue Shield coverage varies, depending on the state and particular health plan. I have BCBS and can get reimbursed for $1000 per ear every three years. No limitations on where I get my hearing aids.
I’d say the advice MDB originally gave and several others followed up on is the best: read your own coverage carefully. It really doesn’t matter what anyone else is getting with their BCBS plan w.r.t. you (unless they’re on the same plan you’re on!). BCBS plans can vary tremendously from state to state and organization to organization because, remember, what you’re getting depends on the risk profile of your group and the premiums your organization negotiated with BCBS or whatever medical insurance company your organization contracted with for employee/retiree benefits.
I’m on a BCBS plan in Texas, I don’t remember that I have to use TruHearing on my plan, but my BCBS plan has a contract with TruHearing as a “feature” of my plan. I can get a top-of-the line pair of Phonak Lumity RL-Life for $4,250 or a top-of-the-line pair of ReSound Omnias for the same price. I have $1,000/ear coverage every 3 years so I would pay $2,250 for either pair of HA’s. TruHearing told me that my hearing exam, my fitting, and the first year of service is covered by my plan. After that I will pay a fee for service. But I have a 3-year warranty and a no questions-asked one-time loss or damage replacement for each ear if I destroy or lose an HA myself. With my ReSound Quattros, I had several in-warranty HA failures and my audi didn’t charge me a dime for getting any HA replaced under warranty.
I haven’t carefully checked how many providers TruHearing offers in my locale. But the first time around, I found an audi I liked and this time around, when I told TruHearing I wanted to stick with that audi, although their initial recommendation was Connect Hearing (owned by Sonova, IIRC), TruHearing had no problem with me sticking with the audi I like. YMMV.
So, I’m presenting the above details just to show that they differ a bit from what other folks have cited. What really matters is what your plan allows. Hopefully, it has a lot of other good features besides the $6K coverage!
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