Children of retirees on certain TRICARE plans will be eligible to receive hearing aids as part of an expanded benefit program, TRICARE announced Nov. 20.
TRICARE already covers hearing aids for children of active duty servicemembers. The change, part of the FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), is retroactive to Dec. 22, 2023.
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Details on the new coverage, according to the Nov. 20 announcement and other TRICARE resources:
- Ages: The child must be under 21, or under 23 if a full-time college student. Children with disabilities that began before those ages also may be eligible.
- Plans: The child must be enrolled in TRICARE Prime (not TRICARE Young Adult Prime) or the US Family Health Plan. Overseas coverage is not available.
- Diagnosis: The child must have a 26-decibel or greater hearing loss in one or both ears.
- Dates: While coverage is retroactive to December 2023, beneficiaries whose eligible children received hearing aids since then won’t be automatically reimbursed. Click for details on filing a claim.
[NEWLY UPDATED: MOAA’s TRICARE Guide]
A provision in the Senate version of the FY 2025 NDAA would expand this coverage to TRICARE Select users if it is included in the final law.
Other Hearing Aid Resources
TRICARE does not cover hearing aids for retirees, but some TRICARE beneficiaries may be eligible for other programs. Learn more about the VA’s hearing aid offerings at this link, and contact your nearest military treatment facility to find out if it participates in the Retiree-At-Cost Hearing Aid Program (RACHAP).
Hearing aid coverage is different than coverage for cochlear implants. Learn more about TRICARE’s coverage of these implants at this link.
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