Does CHAMPVA cover hearing aids? (Spouses and dependents)
Educational information only, not medical, legal, or insurance advice. Confirm with CHAMPVA and your provider. Last verified against VA.gov: October 10, 2026 (VA CHAMPVA care page updated Aug 12, 2026). Changelog
Short answer: No for regular hearing aids, yes for implanted ones. The CHAMPVA Guidebook lists “hearing aids that are not surgically implanted/anchored” as not covered, and says cochlear implants and bone-anchored hearing aids are covered. The federal rule (38 CFR 17.272) also excludes “hearing aids or other auditory sensory enhancing devices.”
What’s covered, and what isn’t
| CHAMPVA | |
|---|---|
| Behind-the-ear, in-the-ear, and other regular hearing aids | Not covered |
| Cochlear implants | Covered |
| Bone-anchored hearing aids | Covered |
| Hearing exams | Only with well-child care or when tied to treating a covered illness or injury |
| Hearing screenings for young children | Covered as part of well-child care (up to age 6) |
Hearing exams
The Guidebook excludes hearing exams “unless in connection with well-childcare or a covered illness/injury.” So an exam your doctor orders to diagnose or treat a medical problem can be covered, but a routine hearing check for adults isn’t.
Children: well-child care up to age 6 includes vision and hearing screenings, with no deductible and no cost share when CHAMPVA is primary.
What you’ll pay for a covered implant
Covered devices and prosthetics fall under the Guidebook’s durable medical equipment rules. When CHAMPVA is your primary coverage, you pay the yearly deductible ($50 per person, $100 per family) and a 25% cost share; CHAMPVA pays 75% of the allowable amount. When CHAMPVA is secondary, you usually pay nothing. Your family’s cost share is capped at $3,000 per calendar year.
Your options for regular hearing aids
CHAMPVA won’t pay for them, so check your other coverage. If you have other health insurance or a Medicare Advantage plan, ask whether it includes hearing aids. See Medicare and other insurance and Turning 65 with CHAMPVA.
Questions: call CHAMPVA at 800-733-8387 (TTY 711), Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m. ET.