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DVA Factsheet
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Health Care
Hearing Services
Overview
This Factsheet outlines the arrangements for hearing services for eligible members of the veteran community through the Office of Hearing Services (OHS).
What are hearing services?
Hearing services consist of hearing assessments, management and hearing rehabilitation, including the fitting of hearing devices where needed.
Who is eligible?
If you have a Repatriation Health Card – For all conditions (Gold Card), the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) will pay for hearing services that meet your clinical needs.
If you have a Repatriation Health Card - For specific conditions (White Card), DVA will pay for hearing services necessary to meet a clinical need that is associated with an accepted disability or the effects of malignant cancer.
If you have a Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) or are a
Dependant of an eligible veteran, you can also access the Australian Government
Hearing Services Program at no cost.
However, DVA does not pay the annual maintenance fee for any hearing aids
that are provided under this arrangement.
How do I access hearing services?
Your Local Medical Officer (LMO) refers you to the OHS for
assessment. The OHS issues eligible
beneficiaries with a voucher to obtain hearing services as well as a Directory
of Service Providers.
The Directory of Service Providers contains more than 200 accredited providers who will accept the voucher and provide a hearing assessment free of charge. If necessary, you can be provided with a hearing aid from the free to client range that meets your clinical need as well as any support required to operate the hearing aid. DVA pays for the annual maintenance and batteries associated with these hearing aids for all Gold Card holders, and for those White Card holders who have an accepted disability associated with hearing loss.
Audiologist
DVA has a consultant audiologist to assist veterans with complex hearing issues. If veterans have any concerns regarding their hearing requirements they should call 1800 637 816.
Free of charge hearing aids are provided to meet your clinical need
There is an extensive range of high quality hearing aids
with many features to meet clinical need.
These hearing aids are what is known as the ‘free to client‘ range. This wide range of high quality digital aids
include both in the ear and behind the ear styles which will generally meet the
clinical needs of most veterans.
Clinical need
Clinical need for hearing is identified from a thorough comprehensive
assessment of a veteran’s hearing. It
takes into account:
·
hearing
test results (severity and configuration of loss);
·
the
nature and extent of communication difficulties and usual environments;
·
the
shape, size and health of ears;
·
physical
co-ordination;
·
other physical
conditions eg. blindness, mental and physical ability to manage different
device styles; and
·
capabilities
of proven hearing aid technology.
Clinical hearing needs shape a veteran’s individual rehabilitation plan. This plan incorporates a set of realistic negotiated goals for a person, as well as appropriate advice and counselling. Such plans also include the prescription, selection and fitting of suitable hearing devices if required. This rehabilitation package aims to provide a quality hearing outcome.
Special requirements
Where a veteran has a special clinical requirement, their
hearing services provider can liaise with the OHS to discuss an alternative
free device that meets this requirement.
Top up hearing aids
‘Top-up’ hearing aids have additional features that are not essential to meet clinical needs. If a veteran chooses from the top-up’ range they will be required to pay the difference between DVA’s contribution for a hearing aid that is considered suitable to meet their clinical need and the provider’s retail price for the ‘top-up’ aid.
In summary
There
is no cost to a veteran for a hearing aid that is assessed as meeting clinical
need.
· Where a veteran chooses choose a “top up” hearing aid with additional features that are above and beyond what is required to meet their clinical need they will be required to make a co-payment for this hearing aid.
· If a veteran is unhappy or uncomfortable with the outcome of a visit to a hearing aid provider, then they should contact 1800 637 816 regarding their hearing concerns.
Veterans and their services provider
It is important that veterans liaise closely with their hearing services providers at all times in order to ensure that the hearing aids provided meet their clinical need. If the veteran is dissatisfied, or is experiencing difficulties with their hearing aid/device, they should discuss their concerns with their hearing services provider.
Tinnitus
Veterans who have concerns pertaining to both tinnitus and hearing loss, should discuss these concerns with their OHS hearing services provider.
A tinnitus masker can only be prescribed by a doctor or audiologist to eligible veterans and is provided under DVA’s Rehabilitation Appliances Program. Where necessary, the doctor and the audiologist can refer a veteran for tinnitus management.
DVA does not currently pay private audiologists for
tinnitus retraining or management programs, such as Neuromonics or Tinnitus
Retraining Therapy.
Other Factsheets related to this
topic include:
Other Factsheets related to this topic include:
·
Repatriation
Health Card – For All Conditions (Gold):
HSV60
·
Repatriation
Health Card – For Specific Conditions (White):
HSV61
·
Commonwealth
and Other Allied Veterans: HSV62
More information
All DVA Factsheets are available from DVA offices, and on the DVA website at: www.dva.gov.au.
You can phone DVA for the cost of a local call on 133 254
or 1800 555 254 for country callers. Use a normal landline phone if you can. Mobile phone calls may cost you more.
You can send an email to DVA at: generalenquiries@dva.gov.au.
You can get more help from any DVA office.
You can also contact OHS about hearing aids on free call number 1800 500 726. Users of TTY equipment should call 1800 500 496.