State laws › Washington
Rev. Code Wash. § 48.43.135 · statute read October 21, 2026
Washington hearing aid insurance law
Washington's law (Rev. Code Wash. § 48.43.135) requires the health insurance it names to cover hearing aids. Who it reaches: all ages; under 18 after medical clearance. It sets no dollar cap and lets a plan limit replacement to once every 36 months.
- 1Who All ages; under 18 after medical clearance
- 2Benefit No dollar cap in the statute
- 3Replacement Every 36 months
What the statute says
| Citation | Rev. Code Wash. § 48.43.135 (Revised Code of Washington, app.leg.wa.gov) |
|---|---|
| Who | All ages; under 18 after medical clearance |
| Duty | The policies named must cover hearing aids |
| Dollar figure | None in the text read |
| Replacement | Once every 36 months |
| Applies | Group plans (not small group) from January 1, 2024; no dollar limit from January 1, 2026 |
In the statute's words: “may not establish any lifetime or annual limit on the dollar amount of coverage”
- Before the 2026 change the minimum was $3,000 per ear every 36 months.
- The coverage applies to nongrandfathered group plans other than small group plans.
- A child under 18 needs medical clearance within the preceding six months.
The figure against recorded prices
Washington's law (Rev. Code Wash. § 48.43.135) requires the health insurance it names to cover hearing aids. Who it reaches: all ages; under 18 after medical clearance. It sets no dollar cap and lets a plan limit replacement to once every 36 months. Effective date or scope in the text: Group plans (not small group) from January 1, 2024; no dollar limit from January 1, 2026. The statute text was read on October 21, 2026 from Revised Code of Washington, app.leg.wa.gov.
With no dollar cap in the statute, the benefit is whatever the plan pays for the aid it covers, so the price of the device decides how much is at stake. On this site, fitted or seller-programmed pairs start at $1,299.98 (Liberty Clear Lucid) with a median starting price of $2,798 and a highest printed price of $4,898; OTC pairs start at $98 with a median of $489. Over ten years, one aid per ear every 36 months allows 3 purchase cycles; at the median fitted price that is $8,394 of devices, before the plan's own cost sharing.
11 of the 25 states on this site set no dollar cap in the statute text read: Connecticut, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. Of those with a replacement limit, 6 others use the same 36-month period (Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Texas, Vermont and Wisconsin).
Washington is one of 9 states here whose law reaches people of any age. The others: Arkansas (no age limit, $1,400 per ear), Connecticut (no age limit, no dollar cap), Maine (no age limit, $3,000 per hearing aid, per ear), Minnesota (all individuals, no dollar cap), New Hampshire (no age limit stated, $1,500 per hearing aid), New Jersey (no age limit in this section, no dollar cap), Rhode Island (no age limit in the current text, $1,750 per hearing aid, per ear) and Vermont (any covered individual, no dollar cap).
Recorded pairs this law could apply to
| Model | Pair price | Per aid | Seller |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audien Atom One | $98 | $49 | Audien |
| Liberty Clear Lucid | $1,299.98 | $649.99 | Sam's Club |
| Philips HearLink 9050 | $1,599.99 | $800 | Costco |
| Phonak Naída Lumity | $2,798 | $1,399 | ZipHearing |
| Starkey Signature Series | $3,198 | $1,599 | ZipHearing |
Lowest listed pair price for each model. Whether a plan pays for a given device is set by the plan's documents.
Washington questions
Does Washington require health insurance to cover hearing aids?
Washington's law (Rev. Code Wash. § 48.43.135) requires the health insurance it names to cover hearing aids. Who it reaches: all ages; under 18 after medical clearance. It sets no dollar cap and lets a plan limit replacement to once every 36 months. Source: Rev. Code Wash. § 48.43.135, read October 21, 2026.
How often can hearing aids be replaced under the Washington law?
The text read allows a limit of once every 36 months (3 years) for the benefit it describes.
Does Medicare cover hearing aids in Washington?
State insurance laws do not change Original Medicare, which is federal. Medicare.gov says: “Medicare doesn't cover hearing aids or exams for fitting hearing aids.”
Medicare and other coverage
State insurance laws apply to the policies they name. Original Medicare is federal, and Medicare.gov states: “Medicare doesn't cover hearing aids or exams for fitting hearing aids.” Some Medicare Advantage plans add a hearing benefit; the plan sets the amount. Medicaid hearing aid coverage for adults was not collected for this page. See Does Medicare cover hearing aids? and the price by channel pages for what each seller's price includes.
Related
This page summarizes statute text read on October 21, 2026 and does arithmetic with seller-printed prices. It is not legal or medical advice: whether a policy covers a device depends on the policy, the plan type and federal rules, which the plan and Washington's insurance regulator can confirm.