Health First Colorado (Medicaid) covers hearing aids for kids and young adults through age 20, but unfortunately not for adults 21 and over — adults on Medicaid will need to look to Vocational Rehabilitation, discount programs, or over-the-counter options. If your child is on private insurance regulated by Colorado, state law requires it to cover medically necessary hearing aids for kids under 18, with a new aid at least every five years. The state also gives out free amplified and captioned phones through the Communications Technology Program.
By Lilly Seay · Updated July 2026
Health First Colorado's Audiology Billing Manual states plainly that hearing aids are a covered benefit only for members ages 20 and under: 'Hearing aids for adults are not a covered service.' This did not change in 2024-2026. Diagnostic hearing exams may be covered for adults when medically necessary, but the devices themselves are not. Cochlear implants are covered for members aged 12 months through 20 years, with replacement components covered at all ages.
Federal EPSDT law (42 U.S.C. § 1396d(r)(4)) requires every state — Colorado included — to cover hearing aids for Medicaid-enrolled children under 21 at no cost to the family. Members 20 and under get medically necessary hearing aids, exams, fittings, and supplies under EPSDT — one set per 3-5 years, or sooner when aids no longer fit, are lost or stolen, or medical need changes — with prior authorization rules in the state Audiology Billing and Policy Manual. Colorado also runs a separate CHIP program, Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), for kids in slightly higher-income families; CHP+ benefits differ from Health First Colorado, so confirm hearing aid coverage details with your CHP+ plan. Families apply through Colorado PEAK or county offices.
Since SB 08-057 (policies issued or renewed on/after Jan 1, 2009), state-regulated plans must cover medically necessary hearing aids for children under 18, including the initial assessment, fitting, adjustments, and auditory training — with a new hearing aid at least every 5 years, or sooner when the child's needs change and alterations to the existing aid won't work. The statute sets no dollar cap. Self-funded ERISA employer plans are exempt. No adult mandate has been enacted through 2026.
Statute: Colo. Rev. Stat. § 10-16-104(19)
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.
Six carriers sell 2026 individual plans through Connect for Health Colorado — Anthem (HMO Colorado), Cigna, Denver Health, Kaiser Permanente, Rocky Mountain HMO, and SelectHealth — and all of their state-regulated plans must cover children's hearing aids under Colorado's mandate. Kaiser, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, and Anthem lead the Medicare Advantage market, while Health First Colorado (Medicaid) is organized around regional organizations (RAEs) and does not cover hearing aids for adults 21+.
A leading carrier on Connect for Health Colorado and one of the top Medicare Advantage insurers in the state (8 plans with a 4.5-star average in 2026). As a state-regulated insurer, its Colorado individual and group plans must cover medically necessary hearing aids for children under 18 under the state mandate.
Sells marketplace plans as HMO Colorado and offered 14 Medicare Advantage plans in Colorado for 2026. Its state-regulated plans must follow Colorado's children's hearing aid mandate; Medicare plan hearing benefits vary, so check the Evidence of Coverage.
One of Colorado's largest Medicare Advantage carriers (10 plans, 4.5-star average in 2026), with hearing benefits typically delivered through the UnitedHealthcare Hearing network. Its subsidiary Rocky Mountain Health Plans serves Health First Colorado members as a regional organization on the Western Slope.
Offers 2026 individual plans through Connect for Health Colorado but is discontinuing its marketplace coverage after 2026, so members will need to pick a new carrier for 2027. Its state-regulated Colorado plans must cover children's hearing aids under the state mandate.
A UnitedHealthcare company serving western Colorado, selling Rocky Mountain HMO marketplace plans and serving Health First Colorado members through its regional organization and PRIME programs. Remember that Colorado Medicaid does not cover hearing aids for adults 21 and over regardless of region.
Denver's safety-net system sells individual marketplace plans and serves Medicaid members in the Denver metro area through Elevate (Denver Health) Medicaid Choice. Medicaid hearing aid coverage follows the state rule: kids and young adults through age 20 only.
Offered 10 Medicare Advantage plans in Colorado for 2026. Hearing aid allowances vary by plan, so check each plan's benefit details before enrolling.
Unfortunately, no. Health First Colorado's own billing rules state plainly that hearing aids are a covered benefit only for members ages 20 and under — "hearing aids for adults are not a covered service," and that hasn't changed through 2026. Diagnostic hearing exams may still be covered for adults when medically necessary, but the devices themselves are not, no matter which regional organization serves you. If you're an adult on Medicaid, look to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (if hearing loss affects your work), the state's free Communications Technology Program for amplified phones, and over-the-counter hearing aids as more affordable paths.
Only for children. Since 2009, Colorado law (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 10-16-104(19)) has required state-regulated health plans to cover medically necessary hearing aids for children under 18 — including the initial assessment, fitting, adjustments, and auditory training — with a new hearing aid at least every five years, or sooner if the child's needs change. There's no dollar cap in the statute. The catch: self-funded employer (ERISA) plans are exempt, and no adult mandate exists. If your family is on a plan from Anthem, Kaiser, Cigna, or another Colorado-regulated carrier, your child's hearing aids should be covered — ask your insurer to confirm.
Start with what you qualify for. Kids through age 20 on Health First Colorado get hearing aids covered, and children under 18 on state-regulated private plans are covered by Colorado's insurance mandate. For adults, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation may help pay for hearing aids when hearing loss affects your ability to work. The state's Communications Technology Program gives out free amplified and captioned phones through the Colorado Division of the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind. Families of children with special health care needs can also get help through the HCP program at the state health department.
At least every five years — and sooner when your child's needs change. Colorado's children's hearing aid law requires state-regulated plans to provide a new hearing aid at a minimum of every five years, or earlier if alterations to the existing aid can't meet the child's changing hearing needs. Coverage includes the initial assessment, fitting, adjustments, and auditory training, with no dollar cap written into the statute. This applies to kids under 18 on Colorado-regulated individual and employer plans; self-funded ERISA plans are exempt, so check with your HR department if you're unsure how your plan is funded.
Most include some hearing benefit, but the details vary a lot. In 2026, Kaiser Permanente and UnitedHealthcare are among Colorado's top-rated Medicare Advantage carriers, with Humana, Anthem, and others also offering plans — and most Colorado MA plans include something ranging from hearing screenings up to hearing aid allowances. UnitedHealthcare typically delivers its hearing benefit through the UnitedHealthcare Hearing network. Original Medicare doesn't cover hearing aids at all, so if hearing coverage matters to you, compare each plan's Evidence of Coverage during open enrollment and confirm which local providers you'd need to use.
While you sort out coverage, the Hearing Buddy app gives you live captions on your phone — free, instantly.