Medicare’s open enrollment period starts next week and runs October 15 - December 7. During this time, beneficiaries can change their Medicare health plans and supplementals to best meet their needs. The Federal government provides a helpful website where Medicare beneficiaries can preview 2024 plans, find providers, and contact Medicare and other resources.
As you consider the options, don’t forget about your hearing health. Original Medicare, which includes Part A (hospital visits, inpatient care) and Part B (outpatient and physician services, some preventive services), statutorily excludes hearing care (beyond diagnostic and cochlear implantation for those who meet certain criteria), dental, and vision coverage. However, Medicare Advantage (Part C) is a private health insurance offering available to the Medicare population that includes the benefits of Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and typically provides additional supplemental benefits. Those supplemental benefits may include hearing, with approximately 97% of Medicare Advantage plans offering some type of hearing coverage.
During this open enrollment period, take a moment to review your current health plan to understand what hearing health benefits may be available to you, including hearing exams and hearing aid coverage and at what level those benefits are offered.
There is no better time to think about hearing health as part of your overall health plan. Addressing hearing loss is an important part of an active lifestyle and can support overall physical and emotional wellbeing. Routine hearing tests can lead to early intervention and treatment to reduce the risk of accidental injuries and falls leading to hospitalization.1 Hearing also plays an important role in cognitive health and encourages connectivity, reducing loneliness and social isolation.2,3
Learn more about Medicare at Medicare.gov.
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