Original Medicare (Parts A & B): Hearing & Balance Exams
Hearing - or lack of - and inner ear problems impact balance, walking, perception, and thinking, and may require medical treatment.
How To Receive
Details on how to apply
Obtain a provider order for a hearing and balance exam.
Locate a qualified provider (audiologist or otolaryngologist) who accepts Medicare to perform the exam.
The ordering provider may be able to suggest someone.
Schedule the exam.
Attend the appointment and complete the exam.
Follow through on any recommendations or referrals.
Note that Medicare does not cover routine hearing exams, hearing aids, or exams for fitting hearing aids.
For more information on hearing and balance services call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or visit the Medicare Benefits Website. TTY users, call 1-877-486-2048.
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Many people believe that they hear just fine, and perhaps they do. Most do not know, however, that they have actually lost their ability to hear high frequencies, and some come to accept that muffled sound is normal.
Issues in the inner ear, which can be detected during routine screening, also cause balance problems. Sometimes what we think is a musculoskeletal cause of imbalance (pain or weakness) may be an inner ear disorder.
Finally, modifiable factors that contribute to hearing loss, such as certain medications and environmental factors, can be addressed.
Older adults are also susceptible to excessive wax build-up and even ear infections.
Diagnostic hearing and balance evaluations ordered by a provider to determine if medical treatment is needed are covered.
