Hearing Aid Funding in New Zealand
You may receive funding for your hearing aids from one of the following organisations.
- The Ministry of Health
- The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)
- Veterans’ Affairs
- Work and Income Support (WINZ)
- New Zealand Audiological Society Hearing Aid Bank
Our staff understand the funding options available to you and the processes involved in applying. Book an appointment in Auckland or Christchurch, and we will help you find any available funding options and assist you with lodging any applications.
The Ministry of Health
There are two types of assistance. Depending on your circumstances and hearing loss type, you may be able to get help from one of these schemes.
The Ministry of Health’s Hearing Aid Funding Scheme covers the price of hearing aids for eligible children and adults who are New Zealand citizens living in New Zealand or permanent residents. Adults are eligible if they:
- have had deafness from childhood;
- have a hearing disorder and a visual impairment;
- have a hearing disorder and an intellectual disability or a physical
- a disability that limits their ability to speak safely and effectively; or
- have a Community Services Card and are:
- in paid employment for 30 hours per week or more;
- a registered job seeker seeking paid employment;
- doing voluntary work (more than 20 hours per week);
- studying full time; or
- caring full-time for a dependent person.
Typically, this funding covers only the hearing aid cost and doesn’t cover any additional assessment or fitting fees that an audiology service may charge.
Partial funding for hearing aids is available for all adults once every six years. For children, it is available no more than three times in six years.
The Ministry of Health’s Hearing Aid Subsidy Scheme provides $511.11 (including GST) per hearing aid to adults (over the age of 16) who:
- Have a permanent hearing disorder and want a hearing aid.
- Are New Zealand citizens living in New Zealand or permanent residents who aren’t eligible for the Hearing Aid Funding Scheme.
You may be eligible to get funding for hearing aids from the Accident Compensation Corporation or Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand. You can’t get the Ministry of Health’s Hearing Aid Subsidy Scheme if you qualify for funding from either of those organisations.
The Accident Compensation Corporation
The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) provides comprehensive, no-fault personal injury cover, including certain types of hearing loss, for New Zealand residents and visitors to New Zealand.
ACC may be able to provide funding assistance for hearing aids if you or your child has hearing loss as a result of:
- an accident involving an explosion
- hearing loss caused by inappropriate treatment
- accidents resulting in head, brain or ear injury
- being exposed to a noisy workplace for a long time.
ACC doesn’t cover hearing loss caused by illness, congenital (present from birth) or hereditary conditions.
The ACC claim process can be a little daunting at first. Rest assured, we will assist you every step of the way with your claim. An ACC claim for hearing loss will typically follow these steps.
- Book a free hearing check with Ear Health Hearing.
- Take your hearing test results to a GP who will lodge your claim with ACC.
- After ACC receive your claim, they will send you a questionnaire to complete, which we are happy to assist you with.
- A confirmation letter from ACC will instruct you to see an ACC-accredited audiologist for a thorough assessment.
- ACC will arrange an appointment with an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist for your final assessment.
- ACC will send you a letter stating how much funding you have available.
- Ear Health can assist you in finding a hearing solution suitable to your circumstances, lifestyle and budget.
Veterans’ Affairs
Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand assists veterans of the New Zealand Armed Forces who have suffered an injury or disablement due to their service. If a veteran has an accepted war pension claim for hearing loss, Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand can provide funding for the following services:
- hearing aids;
- audiologist and fitting fees;
- hearing aid repairs;
- hearing aid battery allowance; and
- assistive devices such as amplified phones and FM systems.
Ear Health Hearing can contact Veterans’ Affairs on your behalf if you are eligible for funding.
If your New Zealand Armed Forces service occurred in 1974 or later, ACC would more likely handle your claim.
