Arkansas Medicaid covers hearing aids only for children under 21 through the Child Health Services (EPSDT) program and ARKids First, not for adults. However, Arkansas is one of the few states with an all-ages hearing aid insurance law: state-regulated health plans must offer coverage of at least $1,400 per ear every three years, not subject to deductibles or copays — ask your insurer or employer whether that hearing aid benefit is included in your plan. Adults who need hearing aids for work can get help from Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, and the state's TAP program provides free amplified phones and other telecom equipment to households earning $50,000 or less.
By Lilly Seay · Updated July 2026
The Arkansas Medicaid Hearing Services provider manual limits hearing services coverage to beneficiaries under age 21 in the Child Health Services (EPSDT) program; adults 21+ have no hearing aid benefit. No 2024-2026 adult expansion found. Note that most Medicaid expansion adults are enrolled in private qualified health plans through ARHOME rather than traditional fee-for-service — hearing benefits in those plans follow the plan's terms. Confirm current status with the Arkansas Medicaid office (1-800-482-5431).
Federal EPSDT law (42 U.S.C. § 1396d(r)(4)) requires every state — Arkansas included — to cover hearing aids for Medicaid-enrolled children under 21 at no cost to the family. Hearing tests, hearing aids, and related services are covered for children under 21 in the Child Health Services (EPSDT) program when prescribed by a physician, with an audiological exam by a certified audiologist or physician required. The provider manual allows up to two hearing aids per beneficiary per six-month period; repairs after the one-year warranty period require a prior authorization control number from the Division of Medical Services Utilization Review Section, and replacements are covered after (not during) the one-year warranty period. Arkansas's CHIP program is ARKids First (ARKids First B for families with higher incomes); hearing services are among ARKids covered services and families apply through DHS (access.arkansas.gov).
A.C.A. § 23-79-1402 (Act 1179 of 2009) requires every individual, blanket, or group health benefit plan offered, issued, or renewed in Arkansas to OFFER coverage for hearing aids dispensed by a licensed professional: minimum $1,400 per ear per three-year period, available from the first day of coverage, and not subject to policy deductibles or copayment requirements. No age limit — applies to adults and children. Important nuance: this is a mandated offer, so the employer or policyholder must accept the offered benefit for it to apply; ERISA self-funded employer plans are exempt. In force since 2010; no changes found for 2025-2027.
Statute: Ark. Code Ann. § 23-79-1402 (Acts 2009, No. 1179)
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.
Arkansas coverage runs largely through home-grown carriers — Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield's family of companies and Ambetter anchor both the 2026 marketplace and the ARHOME Medicaid expansion — and the state's unusual all-ages hearing aid offer law (minimum $1,400 per ear every three years) gives state-regulated plans here more hearing coverage potential than most of the South.
The state's anchor insurer; USAble Mutual and its affiliates Health Advantage (HMO Partners) and Octave (USAble HMO) sell 2026 marketplace plans, and ARHOME purchases its marketplace plans for Medicaid expansion adults. As a state-regulated carrier it must offer the hearing aid benefit required by A.C.A. § 23-79-1402 — ask whether your plan or employer accepted it.
Centene's Celtic Insurance Company sells Ambetter marketplace plans and is the other carrier ARHOME uses for Medicaid expansion enrollees. Its Arkansas-issued plans are subject to the state's mandated hearing aid offer, so ask whether the $1,400-per-ear benefit is included in your plan.
QCA Health Plan and QualChoice Life and Health both offer 2026 individual marketplace plans in Arkansas. As state-regulated plans they fall under the Arkansas hearing aid offer law — confirm with the plan whether the hearing aid benefit was included.
A top-rated Medicare Advantage carrier in Arkansas. 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 offer an allowance instead.
A leading Medicare Advantage option in Arkansas, noted for its large provider network. Hearing benefits on eligible plans run through the UnitedHealthcare Hearing network, covering prescription and over-the-counter hearing aids; specifics vary by plan.
Among the Medicare Advantage carriers available to Arkansas seniors, noted for strong government quality ratings. Hearing aid benefits vary by plan, so check the Evidence of Coverage or call Aetna before choosing a plan for hearing coverage.
Not under traditional Medicaid — the Arkansas Medicaid Hearing Services manual limits coverage to beneficiaries under 21 through the Child Health Services (EPSDT) program and ARKids First, so adults 21 and older have no hearing aid benefit there. One wrinkle: most Medicaid expansion adults are enrolled in private marketplace plans (Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield or Ambetter) through ARHOME, and hearing benefits in those plans follow the plan's own terms. Check your ARHOME plan documents, or call the Arkansas Medicaid office at 1-800-482-5431 to confirm what applies to you.
Arkansas comes closer than most states. Under A.C.A. § 23-79-1402 (Act 1179 of 2009), every individual, blanket, or group health plan offered, issued, or renewed in Arkansas must offer hearing aid coverage of at least $1,400 per ear every three years — with no age limit, available from the first day of coverage, and not subject to deductibles or copays. The catch: it's a mandated offer, so your employer or policyholder must accept the benefit for it to apply, and self-funded ERISA employer plans are exempt. Ask HR or your insurer whether your plan includes it.
Start by asking whether your health plan includes the state's hearing aid benefit — Arkansas law requires insurers to offer at least $1,400 per ear every three years, with no deductible or copay, when the benefit is accepted. If you need hearing aids to work, Arkansas Rehabilitation Services may help pay for them. The Telecommunication Access Program (TAP) provides free amplified phones and other telecom equipment to households earning $50,000 or less, and ICAN, the state's assistive technology program, lets you borrow and try devices. Kids under 21 are covered through Medicaid's EPSDT program and ARKids First.
When the state-mandated benefit applies, your plan must cover at least $1,400 per ear per three-year period for hearing aids dispensed by a licensed professional — and that benefit can't be subject to your deductible or copays, and is available from the first day of coverage. The law has been in force since 2010 and applies to adults and children alike. Remember it's a floor, not a ceiling: plans can pay more. Because employers must accept the offered benefit for it to apply, confirm with HR or your insurer that your plan includes it before you buy.
Many do, even though Original Medicare doesn't cover hearing aids. Arkansas seniors can choose Medicare Advantage plans from carriers including Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, HealthSpring (formerly Cigna), and Blue Cross Blue Shield companies. Select Humana plans include the TruHearing benefit — set copays for standard or premium aids plus a routine annual hearing exam — and UnitedHealthcare runs its hearing benefits through the UnitedHealthcare Hearing network. Benefits differ plan to plan and county to county, so compare the hearing benefit details in each plan's Evidence of Coverage before enrolling.
While you sort out coverage, the Hearing Buddy app gives you live captions on your phone — free, instantly.