If a patient is over 16 years of age and a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident living in New Zealand they are entitled to a subsidy from the Government of $511.11 per hearing aid, or $1022.22 towards a pair of hearing aids, once every six years.

For more information on this scheme, visit the Ministry of Health website.

Depending on the patient’s circumstances and type of hearing loss, this funding scheme can fully cover the cost of hearing aids. Funding is currently available for:

• Children or young people up to the age of 21 years in full time study or preschool.
• Adults 16 years or over who have moderately-severe or greater long-term hearing loss since childhood, sudden and moderately-severe or greater hearing loss during adulthood, and/or multiple disabilities which affect their ability to communicate.
• Adults aged 16 years or over who have a Community Services Card and are either in full time work or full time study, performing voluntary work for at least 20 hours per week or the main carer of a dependent person.

Funding covers the device costs only, audiological testing and device fitting fees need to be met by the patient.

For more information on this scheme, visit the Ministry of Health website.

If hearing loss is as a result of an injury or is work-related, patients may be eligible for ACC funding. If the claim is accepted, ACC will contribute approximately $3,000-$5,000 towards the cost of appointments, hearing aids and consumables. They also supply hearing aid batteries. The level of funding available through ACC depends on how much of the patient’s hearing loss is due to injury or is work-related.

Dilworth Hearing makes the process easier by lodging a claim on your patients’ behalf and guiding them every step of the way. Learn about our simple 3-step journey to ACC funding.

For people who have acquired active service-related hearing loss while in the New Zealand Armed Services.

The Veteran can contact their case manager who will arrange approval for a hearing assessment. Veterans’ Affairs will cover the cost of basic hearing aids, and over-scale funding may be approved in some cases depending on the Veteran’s circumstances.

For more information, visit the Veterans’ Affairs website.

If a patient is unable to finance the shortfall of the hearing aid costs, WINZ may provide a grant or an interest- free loan which is gradually paid off out of their benefit payments or wages.

For patients who are in financial hardship who are ineligible for assistance from Government agencies, the New Zealand Audiological Society Hearing Aid Bank has a collection of donated hearing aids and cash grants to purchase hearing aids for which people can apply to access.

Charitable trusts and iwi can be approached by the individual for funding.

Dilworth Hearing can also help patients who have lost or significantly damaged their hearing aid(s) assisting them with home and contents or travel insurance claims.