Medical Equipment - Hearing Instruments

Effective: June 28, 2024

Hearing instruments and some services, such as repairs and battery replacements, may be provided either through the regional health authority or through private service providers.

Wherever available, recipients should access the regional health authority hearing clinic. In communities where this clinic is not available, recipients should be referred to the audiology department of the nearest hospital providing this service.

If health authority hearing instrument services are unavailable, the recipient may access a local hearing instrument service provider who is an audiologist or a hearing instrument practitioner registered with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC. Recipients do not require a referral from their medical practitioner to obtain hearing services from a private service provider. 

Effective:  June 28, 2024

Hearing instruments, bone anchored hearing aids, cochlear implants, repairs, and related items are available to the following:

• a recipient who is eligible for General Health Supplements (see Related Links -  Health Supplement Summary)
• a recpient who is a hard of hearing parent of a dependent child
• Healthy Kids – children (under age 19) in families eligible for Medical Services Plan (MSP) supplementary benefits
• a recipient involved in ministry-approved training or who, in the opinion of the Supervisor, requires an instrument to obtain employment and where failure to provide represents a direct barrier to employment
• a recipient who is both registered with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and is hard of hearing 
• a recipient with a hearing impairment who is the sole homemaking support for an adult who has a cognitive impairment

Hearing instruments, bone anchored hearing aids, cochlear implants, repairs, and related items are provided when all of the following criteria are met:

• an audiologist or a hearing instrument practitioner registered with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC has performed an assessment to confirm the need and prescribes the hearing instrument
• the purchase of the hearing instrument has been pre-approved (payment responsibility will not be accepted for hearing instruments purchased without prior approval)
• the hearing instruments are the least expensive and appropriate 
• there are no resources available to the family unit to pay the cost of or obtain the hearing instruments

Coverage Guidelines:

• Hearing instruments – up to $2,000 per aid
• New hearing instrument purchases must include:
  • 1 year supply of batteries (included in the purchase cost)
  • One- time replacement coverage (paid at $300 per aid)

Hearing instruments and associated repairs and supplies may not be provided in the same month that the person receives the alternative hearing assistance supplement [see Related Links – Alternative Hearing Assistance Supplement].

Effective:  April 1, 2010

By regulation, the ministry requires that all other available resources should first be considered when determining eligibility. For income assistance and disability assistance clients, other resources include (but are not limited to) accessing or funding through:

• Other government programs (e.g., PharmaCare, Health Authorities, ICBC, WorkSafeBC, Veterans Affairs Canada)
• Private insurance

If there are other resources available, the individual is not eligible for hearing instruments from the ministry. 

Co-funding may be considered when other resources cannot pay the entire cost. For example, if an insurance company will pay $500 for an item that costs $1,000, the ministry may consider funding the remaining $500 if all other eligibility criteria are met.

Note: When assessing hearing instruments eligibility for income or disability assistance clients, exempt assets are not considered. When assessing other resources for persons with a life-threatening health need or persons who are medical services only, see Related Links – Life-Threatening Health Need and Medical Services Only.

Effective:  April 1, 2017

The ministry may consider repairing or replacing hearing instruments due to the item being damaged, worn out, or not functioning.

Repairs may be considered if all of the following are met:

• It is more economical to repair, rather than replace, the hearing instruments
• The hearing instruments have not been damaged by misuse
• If the hearing instruments were not previously provided by the ministry, all other eligibility requirements must be met (e.g., prescription)

Replacement may be considered if all of the following are met:

• It is more economical to replace, rather than repair, the hearing instruments
• The hearing instruments have not been damaged by misuse
• 3 year replacement period

Hearing instruments and associated repairs and supplies may not be provided in the same month that the person receives the alternative hearing assistance supplement [see Related Links – Alternative Hearing Assistance Supplement].

Effective:  April 1, 2015

To request hearing instruments, the client's hearing instrument service provider should contact Pacific Blue Cross (PBC) to start the process of determining eligibility.

To assess a recipient's eligibility for hearing instruments, PBC follows these steps:

1. Confirms the recipient's eligibility.
2. Where eligibility is confirmed, PBC advises the hearing instrument provider what supporting documentation is required.
   The hearing instrument provider then has 120 days to respond to PBC, with the required records, for adjudication.
3. Once all supporting documents have been received, PBC makes a final decision.
4. PBC advises the service provider of the decision directly.
5. The service provider will advise the recipient of the decision.

Note: the Ministry does not accept hearing instrument request documents.  All hearing instrument inquiry and request documents should be sent directly from the hearing instrument provider to PBC. 

Effective: February 3, 2019

For hearing instrument requests that have been denied, the hearing instrument service provider will advise the client of the reasons for denial. Should the client not agree with the decision they have a right to request reconsideration. 

A request for reconsideration can be initiated by contacting the ministry. The worker will complete an Employment and Assistance Request for Reconsideration (HR0100) using the denial reasons provided by Pacific Blue Cross and forward to the client for submission to the Reconsideration Branch.

Effective:  April 1, 2017

Hearing Instrument Program Contractor, Pacific Blue Cross (PBC), is responsible for:

• Advising hearing instrument service providers of client eligibility for hearing instruments
• Assessing eligibility for the hearing instruments
• Advising hearing instrument service provider of decision
• Providing payment to hearing instrument service provider for authorized hearing instruments
• Providing further decision information to the reconsideration stream, when requested

Hearing Instrument Service Provider is responsible for:

• Employing an audiologist or licensed registrant of the Board of Hearing Instrument Practitioners to perform an assessment to confirm the need and prescribe the hearing instrument*
• Informing client of hearing instrument decision
• Upon authorization, providing client with a 60-day trial period.  If the client finds the hearing instrument unsatisfactory within the trial period, the client may return the instrument to the service provider

Note: The ministry is not responsible for any fees associated with documentation for hearing instruments.

Health Assistance (HA) is responsible for:

• Hearing Instrument contract management
• Coordinating with Pacific Blue Cross on enquiries regarding hearing instruments 

Employment and Assistance Worker and Community Integration Specialist are responsible for:

• Upon client request, setting up a service request for reconsideration when hearing instruments have been denied through PBC. Documentation from PBC is not required.