Will the Ministry of Health help me pay for hearing aids?

The Ministry of Health has two types of funding for hearing aids: the Hearing Aid Funding Scheme and the Hearing Aid Subsidy Scheme. Depending on your circumstances and type of hearing loss, you may be able to get help from one of these schemes.

Hearing Aid Funding Scheme

The Ministry of Health’s Hearing Aid Funding Scheme covers the cost of hearing aids for eligible children and adults who are New Zealand citizens living in New Zealand or who are permanent residents. Adults are eligible if they:

• have had a significant hearing loss from childhood, or

• have hearing loss and a significant visual impairment (for example, Deafblind); or hearing loss and an intellectual disability or a physical disability that limits their ability to communicate safely and effectively, or

• have a Community Services Card and are:

  • in paid employment for 30 hours per week or more, or

  • a registered job seeker seeking paid employment, or

  • doing voluntary work (more than 20 hours per week), or

  • studying full time, or

  • caring full time for a dependent person.

This funding covers only the price of the hearing aid and does not cover any assessment or fitting fees that an audiology service may charge. Funding for a hearing aid for each ear is available for adults no more than once every six years. For children it is available no more than three times in six years.

You may be able to get help to buy hearing aids from the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) or Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand. If you can get help from either of these organisations, you cannot get support from the Ministry of Health’s Hearing Aid Funding Scheme as well.

Only audiologists who are full members of the New Zealand Audiological Society (MNZAS) or audiometrists who are an audiometrist member of the NZAS can access the Ministry of Health's Hearing Aid Funding Scheme for their clients. Check that your audiologist/audiometrist is an approved assessor. If they are not you will not be able to get funding support from the Ministry of Health.

Hearing aid subsidy

If you need a hearing aid, but do not have a community services card or are not in any of the above situations, you may be able to get help with the cost of the hearing aid through a subsidy. The Hearing Aid Subsidy is available once every 6 years.

An approved assessor will be able to tell you more about this subsidy or go to the Guide to Getting Hearing Aids: Hearing Aid Subsidy Scheme. (PDF 559KB)

If you are receiving the hearing aid subsidy, you may still need to pay towards the cost of hearing aids.

The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)

Lodging occupational noise induced hearing loss claims

From 1 June 2022, an audiologist who is a member of the New Zealand Audiological Society is able to lodge claims with ACC for occupational noise induced hearing loss (ONIHL). This will mean patients can receive faster access to treatment.

Veterans’ Affairs NZ

Hearing Aids and Appliances

Veterans Affairs may fund hearing aids and other appliances if you need them. You may be able to get this if you have Qualifying Service and either:

• have hearing loss or tinnitus because of this Qualifying Service, or

• you get Weekly Income Compensation because hearing loss or tinnitus is stopping you from working.

  Once your hearing condition is approved, Veterans’ Affairs fund you to see an audiologist to arrange suitable hearing aids. They'll advise you on a range of options to meet your hearing needs.