Are
you an Australian veteran looking for affordable hearing assessment or
treatment? You will be very glad to know that the Office of Hearing Services
Scheme offers free or subsidized veteran hearing aids as well as other hearing
support services for eligible pensioners and veterans in need of them.
Entitlements under Scheme
Under
the Department of Health - Office of Hearing Services Scheme, eligible
pensioners and veterans are provided with many benefits including a free,
comprehensive hearing assessment every three years. If you are found to have
hearing loss, you are entitled to free veteran hearing aids and other forms of
hearing support. For a small annual maintenance fee, you can avail free batteries
and hearing aids repair services. All these services are offered through
accredited hearing clinics.
Check for Eligibility
Generally
speaking, Australian citizens and permanent residents above twenty six years of
age who are either defense forces veterans or pensioners are eligible for this
scheme. You can review the complete list of eligibility criteria on the
Department of Health – Office of Hearing Services website. A simple way to get
started is to contact a government accredited hearing clinic. The staff there
will be able to verify your eligibility and help you register for the scheme.
Types of Hearing Aids
Professionals
at the hearing clinic will help in finding the right hearing aids for your
needs. Veteran hearing aids cover a vast range,
from the latest digital to the very discreet. In many cases, the hearing aids
will be provided free of cost – the government will bear the entire cost.
However, in case you want hearing aids with additional features, you may have
to pay for a part of the cost while the government subsidizes the rest. This is
called ‘Top-Up Aid’ and the decision to avail it is entirely yours. Most people
take into consideration factors such as their requirements, lifestyle and
financial resources before making the decision to upgrade.
Change Every Five Years
Under
the Office of Hearing Services Scheme, you are entitled to new hearing aids
every five years if you are already fitted with hearing aids. Most hearing
clinics recommend availing this offer since technology is constantly evolving
and the latest hearing devices can deliver an enormous number of benefits not
available with previous models.
If
you would like more information on veteran hearing aids and other free hearing
services, get in touch with your nearest accredited hearing clinic!