Indiana Medicaid covers hearing aids for both adults and children with prior authorization — typically one aid every 5 years, with batteries, repairs and exams included. Indiana has no law requiring private insurance to cover hearing aids, so many families pay out of pocket; the good news is the state's HAAPI program buys hearing aids for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, from age 3 through high school graduation, with priority for kids under 14. Adults who need hearing aids for work can get help through Vocational Rehabilitation.
By Lilly Seay · Updated July 2026
Indiana Health Coverage Programs (IHCP) covers hearing aids for adults, but prior authorization is required for every hearing aid purchase (405 IAC 5-19-13). Coverage requires documented medical necessity; a hearing aid is denied for an ear with a pure-tone average of 30 dB or better, calculated across 500/1,000/2,000/3,000 Hz (an aid for the worse ear can still qualify). Covered types: conventional, bone-anchored, CROS/BiCROS, programmable (canal aids are not covered). Replacements require PA and are limited to once every 5 years (per provider module with policies as of Oct. 1, 2025). Repairs covered once every 12 months without PA (not while under warranty); batteries, sound hooks, tubing and cords covered without PA; audiological assessment covered once every 3 years; dispensing/fitting fee once per 5 years. Delivered through fee-for-service and managed care (Healthy Indiana Plan, Hoosier Care Connect, Hoosier Healthwise, PathWays for Aging).
Federal EPSDT law (42 U.S.C. § 1396d(r)(4)) requires every state — Indiana included — to cover hearing aids for Medicaid-enrolled children under 21 at no cost to the family. Children under 21 are covered under EPSDT through Hoosier Healthwise, Indiana's Medicaid/CHIP program for children. Same hearing aid benefits as adults, but more frequent replacements and repairs are allowed with prior authorization when justified for members under 21. For members 14 and younger, an otolaryngologist must perform the medical clearance exam. Families apply via the FSSA Benefits Portal or Hoosier Healthwise enrollment.
Indiana has no state law requiring private insurers to cover hearing aids for children or adults. Hear Indiana (the state AG Bell chapter) confirms that roughly 20 states require insurers to cover children's hearing aids 'but Indiana is not one of them,' and continues to advocate for a mandate. Some individual plans cover hearing aids voluntarily — check your policy. (Some third-party lists incorrectly show Indiana as a mandate state; official and advocacy sources confirm no mandate as of 2026.)
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.
Indiana has no hearing aid insurance mandate, so private-plan coverage is voluntary and varies carrier to carrier — but Indiana Medicaid covers hearing aids for adults and children with prior authorization, delivered through managed care plans including Anthem, CareSource, MHS, and UnitedHealthcare. Five carriers sell 2026 individual marketplace plans on healthcare.gov, though CareSource and Cigna are exiting after 2026.
Anthem sells 2026 individual marketplace plans in Indiana and is one of the state's Medicaid managed care plans. Since Indiana has no hearing aid mandate, Anthem's commercial plans cover hearing aids only if the specific policy includes it, while its Medicaid members get the IHCP hearing aid benefit with prior authorization.
Centene's Indiana arm serves Medicaid members as MHS and sells marketplace coverage under the Ambetter brand (via its Coordinated Care/Celtic entity). Medicaid members get IHCP's hearing aid benefit — aids with prior authorization, replacements every 5 years, and covered batteries and repairs.
Offers 2026 individual marketplace plans and is listed among Indiana Medicaid's health plans. UnitedHealthcare runs hearing benefits and hearing aid pricing through its UnitedHealthcare Hearing program — sign in there or call member services to see what your specific plan covers.
CareSource is one of Indiana's Medicaid health plans and sells 2026 marketplace coverage, but it is exiting the Indiana marketplace after 2026 — marketplace members will need to choose a new carrier for 2027. Medicaid members keep the standard IHCP hearing benefit.
Cigna offers 2026 individual plans in Indiana but is leaving the marketplace after this plan year. With no state mandate, hearing aid coverage on Cigna plans depends entirely on the policy — check your plan documents.
Yes — Indiana Medicaid (IHCP) covers hearing aids for adults, but every hearing aid purchase requires prior authorization. Coverage requires documented medical necessity: an aid is denied for an ear with a pure-tone average of 30 dB or better, though an aid for the worse ear can still qualify. Replacements are limited to once every 5 years, repairs are covered once every 12 months, and batteries, tubing, and cords are covered without prior authorization. The benefit is delivered through fee-for-service and managed care plans — including the Healthy Indiana Plan, Hoosier Care Connect, Hoosier Healthwise, and PathWays for Aging.
No. Indiana has no state law requiring private insurers to cover hearing aids for children or adults. Hear Indiana, the state's advocacy chapter, confirms that while 29 states require insurers to cover children's hearing aids, Indiana is not one of them — and some third-party lists that show Indiana as a mandate state are simply wrong. Some individual and employer plans do cover hearing aids voluntarily, so it's always worth checking your policy or calling the number on your insurance card and asking specifically about hearing aid benefits, allowances, and network providers.
For children, Indiana has something special: HAAPI, the Hearing Aid Assistance Program of Indiana, buys hearing aids for kids who are deaf or hard of hearing from age 3 through high school graduation, with priority for children under 14. Indiana Medicaid also covers hearing aids for both kids and adults with prior authorization. For adults, Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services can help pay for aids when hearing loss affects your ability to work. The INDATA Project at Easterseals Crossroads offers device loans and assistive technology help, and Children's Special Health Care Services supports eligible families.
HAAPI — the Hearing Aid Assistance Program of Indiana — is a state program that purchases hearing aids for Indiana children who are deaf or hard of hearing. It covers kids from age 3 all the way through high school graduation, and priority goes to children under 14. It exists precisely because Indiana has no insurance mandate, so many families would otherwise pay for children's hearing aids entirely out of pocket. If your child needs aids and your insurance won't cover them, HAAPI should be one of your first calls, alongside checking whether your child qualifies for Indiana Medicaid, which covers hearing aids for children.
While you sort out coverage, the Hearing Buddy app gives you live captions on your phone — free, instantly.