Arizona's Medicaid program (AHCCCS) covers hearing exams and hearing aids for kids under 21, but not hearing aids for adults — though as of October 2025, cochlear implants and related speech therapy are covered for adults when medically necessary. There's no state law requiring private insurers to cover hearing aids (a 2025 children's coverage bill, HB 2125, did not pass). The bright spot for adults: the Hearing Healthcare Assistance Program, a partnership between the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing and university speech-and-hearing clinics, provides free hearing tests and hearing aids to adults who can't otherwise afford them, and AzTEDP gives out free amplified phones and alerting equipment regardless of income.
By Lilly Seay · Updated July 2026
AHCCCS does not pay for hearing aids for members 21 and older — its covered services list specifies hearing aids for children under age 21 only. Recent change: effective October 1, 2025, AHCCCS added coverage of cochlear implants, related rehabilitation, and outpatient speech therapy for adults 21+ when medically necessary — a notable 2025 expansion, but it does not extend to conventional hearing aids. Diagnostic audiology may be covered when medically necessary. Nearly all AHCCCS members receive services through managed-care plans (AHCCCS Complete Care).
Federal EPSDT law (42 U.S.C. § 1396d(r)(4)) requires every state — Arizona included — to cover hearing aids for Medicaid-enrolled children under 21 at no cost to the family. Hearing exams, audiology services, and hearing aids are covered for members under 21 through EPSDT (Title XIX) and for KidsCare members. Arizona's CHIP program is KidsCare (children under 19 in families above Medicaid income limits, with capped monthly premiums); families apply through Health-e-Arizona Plus / AHCCCS. Services are delivered through the family's AHCCCS Complete Care health plan.
No hearing aid insurance mandate is in force (NCHAM: 'No State Mandate'). HB 2125 (2025, 57th Legislature) would have required health care services organizations to provide full coverage of hearing aids and related services (fitting, dispensing, ear molds) for enrollees under 18 (or under 21 if still in high school) for coverage issued from December 31, 2025 — it advanced in the House but did not become law. Watch for reintroduction; as of mid-2026 no mandate has been enacted. ERISA self-funded plans would be exempt regardless.
Remember: state mandates only reach state-regulated ("fully insured") plans. Self-funded employer plans — covering about two-thirds of insured workers — are exempt under federal ERISA law. One question to HR settles which kind you have.
Arizona has one of the busier insurance markets in the region — seven marketplace carriers for 2026, 133 Medicare Advantage plans, and six AHCCCS Complete Care managed-care plans — but with no state hearing aid mandate and no adult Medicaid hearing aid benefit, hearing coverage still comes down to plan-by-plan extras.
Offers 2026 marketplace plans (HMO only, after discontinuing its PPOs) and Medicare Advantage plans, and serves AHCCCS members through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Health Choice in eight counties (Apache, Coconino, Mohave, Navajo, Yavapai, Maricopa, Gila, and most of Pinal). With no state mandate, hearing aid benefits vary by plan.
Sells 2026 individual plans, is a leading Medicare Advantage carrier, and runs the UnitedHealthcare Community Plan for AHCCCS members in Maricopa, Gila, most of Pinal, and Pima counties. Its Medicare hearing benefits run through the UnitedHealthcare Hearing network for prescription and OTC hearing aids.
Centene's Arizona affiliate sells marketplace plans and operates the Arizona Complete Health – Complete Care Plan for AHCCCS members across 15 counties. All AHCCCS plans provide the same covered services — hearing aids for kids under 21, but not for adults.
Serves AHCCCS members in Maricopa and Gila counties and most of Pinal County. Like all AHCCCS Complete Care plans, it covers hearing aids for members under 21 but not conventional hearing aids for adults.
A longstanding AHCCCS Complete Care plan serving Maricopa and Gila counties and most of Pinal County. Hearing benefits follow statewide AHCCCS rules: covered for kids under 21, with adult coverage limited to items like the new cochlear implant benefit.
A major Medicare Advantage carrier in Arizona. Select Humana plans run their hearing benefit through TruHearing, with set copays per aid and a routine annual hearing exam; copay amounts vary by plan and year, so check the Evidence of Coverage, while other plans may use an allowance.
Cigna HealthCare of Arizona sells 2026 marketplace plans, while its former Medicare Advantage business now operates under the HealthSpring name (Cigna sold its Medicare business in 2025) and is noted for the highest share of $0-premium plans among major Arizona carriers. Hearing benefits vary by plan, so check the Evidence of Coverage.
No — AHCCCS, Arizona's Medicaid program, does not pay for hearing aids for members 21 and older; its covered services list limits hearing aids to children under 21. There is one bright spot: effective October 1, 2025, AHCCCS added coverage of cochlear implants, related rehabilitation, and outpatient speech therapy for adults when medically necessary. Diagnostic audiology may also be covered. Whichever AHCCCS Complete Care plan you're on — Mercy Care, Molina, Banner, Arizona Complete Health, Health Choice, or UnitedHealthcare — the covered services are the same statewide.
No. Arizona has no law requiring private insurers to cover hearing aids for adults or children. A 2025 bill, HB 2125, would have required coverage for kids under 18 (or under 21 if still in high school) — it advanced in the House but did not become law, and as of mid-2026 no mandate has been enacted. Self-funded employer plans would be exempt regardless. So coverage depends on your specific plan: call the number on your insurance card and ask directly about hearing aids, exams, and fitting benefits.
Arizona has one of the better safety nets for this. The Hearing Healthcare Assistance Program — a partnership between the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing and university speech-and-hearing clinics — provides free hearing tests and hearing aids to adults who can't otherwise afford them. AzTEDP gives out free amplified phones and alerting equipment regardless of income. If you need hearing aids for work, Arizona's Vocational Rehabilitation program (through DES) may help pay, and AzTAP can help you borrow and try assistive technology first.
Yes — this is a recent and meaningful change. Effective October 1, 2025, AHCCCS covers cochlear implants, related rehabilitation, and outpatient speech therapy for adults 21 and older when medically necessary. Before that, adult hearing coverage was essentially limited to diagnostics. Keep in mind the expansion does not extend to conventional hearing aids, which are still only covered for members under 21. If you think a cochlear implant might be right for you, talk with your AHCCCS health plan and an audiologist about the medical-necessity evaluation and prior authorization.
Many do. About 51% of Arizona's Medicare beneficiaries are in Medicare Advantage, with 133 plans available in 2026 and $0-premium options accessible statewide. Carriers include Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, and HealthSpring (formerly Cigna). Select Humana plans include TruHearing hearing aid benefits with set copays and a routine annual exam, and UnitedHealthcare runs its hearing benefits through the UnitedHealthcare Hearing network. Benefits vary widely between plans and counties, so compare hearing benefits specifically on Medicare.gov or in each plan's Evidence of Coverage.
While you sort out coverage, the Hearing Buddy app gives you live captions on your phone — free, instantly.