Can I purchase a hearing aid through the government and save money?

You can. The Retiree At Cost Hearing Aid Program (RACHAP) provides retired members the opportunity to buy hearing aids at government cost. Hearing aids are purchased directly from the manufacturer at a substantial savings over the cost for the same hearing aids sold in the civilian commercial market.
Certain medical treatment facilities (MTF) offer this service. You can call a participating MTF and get a complete diagnostic evaluation. If you must go on a waiting list at one location, try and contact a different MFT in you vicinity to see if an immediate appointment can be made. Once it’s determined that you can benefit from the use of amplification, the audiologist will recommend a specific hearing aid and a prescription, along with the total cost. At most MTFs, you will be asked to provide payment at the time the hearing aids are ordered. Get a list of participating MTFs.

With RACHAP, you will have the same variety of devices as you would in the commercial marketplace. RACHAP is only available to the retiree, not family members.

Letter from an AUSN Member Concerning the Program

Tom, the program saved me a lot of money. There are several technology levels of hearing aids, the more technology, the more expensive the hearing aid. I was able to get the best technology at a fraction of the cost of getting the aids at a commercial dealer.

You mentioned this in an article and I just wanted to let you know that the program works and it is well worth the time and travel to get the hearing aids.

It involves the following:

• Audiogram within six months (The Military facility can do this, I used a local Dallas company)
• An appointment to get fitted for the hearing aid where I paid for them.
• An appointment to get the aids when they are ready. This may be from two to four weeks after the initial appointment. This is necessary as there are legalities between the VA, the Military and the hearing aid manufacturers of the hearing aids - the aid have to be fitted by the military - they can not be given to the retiree or mailed to the retiree - they have to be fitted..

Now that I have had the above appointments, I can go to my local audiologist for any further adjustments, or I can return to the military facility for them.

Kay now runs the volume control on our TV and car radio!

We used Wilford Hall Clinic at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Kay and I had to get into the Wilford Hall computer system and sign a paper describing Other Health Insurance. We attended a two hour class introducing us to the workings of the ear, hearing loss, and hearing aid technology. (This was a local requirement) Then I was fitted, ordered and paid for the aids.

While at our two visits to Wilford Hall, we both went to the immunization clinic and received the Zostavax vaccine (Shingles) and then Kay got her flu shot. The trips were definitely worth the travel to San Antonio!

Thanks again for your great and informative articles and all that you do for the Navy and Navy Reserve.

Dave