Does Medicare cover a hearing test?
It depends
Medicare Part B covers a diagnostic hearing test when your doctor orders it to diagnose a medical problem, but not routine hearing exams for fitting hearing aids.
- Covered when Your doctor orders the test to diagnose a medical condition — Part B covers it at 20% coinsurance after the deductible.
- Covered when You have a Medicare Advantage plan that includes a routine hearing benefit — exams (and often a hearing aid allowance) may be covered.
- Not when It's a routine hearing exam or a test done to fit or sell hearing aids — Original Medicare doesn't cover it.
What flips the answer
- Covered when
Your doctor orders the test to diagnose a medical condition — Part B covers it at 20% coinsurance after the deductible.
- Covered when
You have a Medicare Advantage plan that includes a routine hearing benefit — exams (and often a hearing aid allowance) may be covered.
- Not covered when
It's a routine hearing exam or a test done to fit or sell hearing aids — Original Medicare doesn't cover it.
Key facts
- Verdict
- It depends
- Applies to
- a hearing test · Medicare
- Covered when
- Your doctor orders the test to diagnose a medical condition — Part B covers it at 20% coinsurance after the deductible.
- Not covered when
- It's a routine hearing exam or a test done to fit or sell hearing aids — Original Medicare doesn't cover it.
- Verified
- 2026-07-03 · 2 primary sources
Part B covers diagnostic hearing and balance exams when a physician or other provider orders them because you have a specific medical reason — for example, sudden hearing loss, dizziness, or a suspected ear condition. For a covered test, you pay 20% coinsurance after the Part B deductible.
As of recent rules, you can also see an audiologist without a doctor's order for certain non-acute hearing conditions and have that diagnostic test covered by Part B, once per year.
What Original Medicare doesn't cover is routine hearing exams and the hearing tests done specifically to fit or sell hearing aids — and it doesn't cover the hearing aids themselves. Many Medicare Advantage plans add routine hearing exams and a hearing aid allowance.
What people typically pay
For a covered diagnostic exam under Part B, you typically pay 20% coinsurance after your deductible, with Medicare covering the rest; in a hospital outpatient setting you may also owe a copayment. Under a Medicare Advantage plan with a hearing benefit, a routine exam may cost a copay that varies by plan.
A routine hearing exam or a hearing-aid fitting exam is not covered by Original Medicare, so you pay all costs out of pocket. Prices vary widely by provider and region, and an exam is sometimes bundled into a hearing aid purchase at a retailer.
The big variable is whether the test is diagnostic (ordered for a medical reason) or routine (to fit hearing aids) — that distinction, not the exam itself, decides whether Original Medicare pays.
How to actually get it covered
Note your symptoms — such as sudden hearing loss, dizziness, or a suspected ear condition — since a diagnostic reason is what makes the test covered.
Ask your physician to order the hearing or balance exam and document the medical reason; for certain non-acute hearing conditions you may instead see an audiologist directly once every 12 months.
Confirm the provider accepts Medicare assignment and will bill the visit as a diagnostic exam, not a routine or hearing-aid-fitting test.
Have the test done and expect to pay 20% coinsurance after your Part B deductible (plus a copayment in a hospital outpatient setting).
If you have Medicare Advantage, call the number on your card first to confirm network audiologists and any routine hearing benefit or hearing aid allowance.
If the claim is denied as routine, request an itemized bill, verify the diagnosis coding, and file an appeal using the instructions on your Medicare Summary Notice if a medical reason applies.
Common questions
How much will I pay for a hearing test Medicare does cover?
For a covered diagnostic hearing or balance exam, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after meeting your Part B deductible. Original Medicare pays the other 80%. In a hospital outpatient setting you may also owe a copayment. The actual dollar figure depends on the approved rate for the exam in your area.
Can I see an audiologist for a hearing test without a doctor's order?
Yes — under recent rules, Part B covers a diagnostic hearing test from an audiologist without a physician's order once every 12 months, but only for certain non-acute hearing conditions (such as hearing loss that develops over many years) or diagnostic services related to surgically implanted hearing devices. Otherwise, a doctor's order is generally required. This direct-access visit still applies the 20% coinsurance after the deductible.
Why did Medicare deny my hearing test?
A common reason is that the test was coded as routine or done specifically for fitting hearing aids, which Original Medicare doesn't cover. Denials can also happen when there's no documented medical reason or physician order for a diagnostic exam. Ask the provider how the visit was coded and whether it can be resubmitted with a diagnostic reason if one applies.
Does a Medicare Advantage plan cover routine hearing exams that Original Medicare skips?
Some Medicare Advantage plans add extra hearing benefits that Original Medicare doesn't cover, which can include routine exams and a hearing aid allowance. Coverage amounts, network audiologists, and any allowance vary widely from plan to plan. Check your plan's details or call the number on your card to confirm what's included.
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