BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee intends to help the large number of seniors who suffer from hearing loss by offering high-quality, affordable hearing benefits in its 2017 Medicare Advantage plans known as BlueAdvantage℠.
In a partnership with TruHearing, a national hearing aid provider, BlueAdvantage members will be eligible for an annual hearing exam, plus two hearing aids per calendar year beginning Jan. 1, 2017.
"We are very excited to offer these hearing services for our members," said Todd Ray, vice president and general manager of senior products for BlueCross. "One out of every three seniors suffers from some sort of hearing loss, and hearing products can be very costly. We are happy to ease this burden for our members."
Hearing aids can cost as much as $3,000, but with this new benefit offering, members will pay only a small percentage of that cost.
With a BlueAdvantage plan, members can now receive three follow-up visits with a provider for fitting and adjustments, a 45-day trial with their hearing aid, a 3-year manufacturer warranty for repairs and one-time loss and damage replacement, plus 48 batteries per hearing aid.
"We aim to help our members live a healthy active life," Ray said. "The new line of hearing benefits complements our other products to enable members to achieve this goal."
BlueCross earned a 4- out of 5-STAR quality rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The assessment validates the effectiveness of the company's programs, which are designed to boost member health outcomes and satisfaction.