Hearing Service Program

The Australian Government Hearing Services Program provides eligible Pensioners and Veteran's a choice between hearing aids and  at no cost to client and Top Up devices which include hearing aids with additional features.   Top Up devices incur an out of pocket cost.

Top up hearing aids may include features like improved  noise reduction, smaller sizes, rechargeable devices, AI for better automation, Microphone Zoom which is the functionality to focus in on a single speaker, Motion sensors, Fall Detection, Advanced Tinnitus management options and more. ]

Lace AI Pro Rehabilitation Program

All top up devices come with LACE AI PRO Aural rehab which can increase hearing ability in noise and satisfaction and performance of hearing aids with 15 mins a day brain training across 1 to 3 months.  Clients with No cost to client devices can purchase this program at a discounted rate - ask us at your appointment.

When you see your Audiologist Dylan he will discuss your life style, hearing and audiology results and give you some options.  You will never be pressured into buying hearing aids that you don't want or making snap decisions at Bundaberg Hearing Aids and Tinnitus Treatment Clinic.   Also available  are a range of Assistive Listening Devices , such as the Bluetooth Audeara Headphones with TV streamer.  This particular set of headphones is very well suited to hearing loss as it can be programmed to your hearing levels.

The Hearing Services Program also includes  services such as yearly hearing testing and adjustment of hearing aids and yearly hearing tests to monitor hearing loss for clients without hearing aids.   We have a contract with the Hearing Services Program to provide the latest hearing aids and assistive listening devices from a wide range of manufactures.  Our primary partners are currently Starkey Hearing, Signia Hearing, and Widex Hearing but we can fit all brands and devices offered by the Hearing Services Program.  Batteries and Maintenance of Devices (which cover hearing aid repair costs, disposables, and appointments throughout the year if needed ), are also covered under this system with a patient co-contribution of around $50 a year.   Conditions apply under the Australian Government Services Department - this is a government funded service and is not funded by the service provider.

Bundaberg Hearing Aids and Tinnitus Treatment Clinic is one of the few businesses that absorbs the Hearing services charge (HSC) co-contribution yearly fee  for our aided clients, so maintenance for your devices becomes $0 a year, but a signature is still required yearly to keep it activated.

The Hearing Services Program runs an excellent website with all the information you require.  To apply for services or to relocate from you current provider to see us instead, chat to one our our friendly staff.  

https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/hearing-services-program/accessing

Some pointers

Your file will follow you if you change providers automatically.

If you lose the hearing aids and they are Free to Client devices, you have to go back to the exact same brand and style of device unless they have become obsolete and removed from the schedule of approved devices by the manufacturer.

Hearing Aids come in a variety of styles and technology levels.  Your Audiologist will make some recommendations based on your hearing results, lifestyle, and communication needs and budget if you are looking at partially subsidised devices.  There should always be a no cost (fully subsidised) device as an option.

Here is the list of fully subsidised devices as per the Federal Government's Hearing Services Program.

 https://hearingservices.gov.au/hsoViewWEB/file/fully-subsidised-schedule.pdf 

Here is the list of the partially subsidised devices as per the Federal Government's Hearing Services Program.  These devices may have additional features that the fully subsidised  devices by the Hearing Services Program do not have.  This devices incur an out of pocket expense by the client.

 https://hearingservices.gov.au/hsoViewWEB/file/partially-subsidised-schedule.pdf 

Free Trials - The Hearing Service Program does not fund hearing aids trials.  However we can do in clinic demonstrations of many models  or even organise a week trial of devices  if required.  We also offer a 30 day return period on any devices which incur out of pocket expenses.

Please see link to eligibility below.  For yearly hearing testing and maintenance of devices and hearing aids GP referral is not required as the is funded by the Federal Government through the Hearing Services Program unless additional audiological testing is needed outside the scope of their practice.  As we bulk bill the large majority of our services, this shouldn't be too much of an issue.  Depending on your results we may have to send a copy of your results to your GP.

 https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/hearing-services-program/accessing/eligibility

Translation services (TIS)

The Translating and Interpreting Service National is available for clients that do not speak English and is available for businesses to assist with communication with their non English speaking clients.  More information can be found at:

https://www.tisnational.gov.au/

Our friendly staff would be happy to assist you in the branch or answer any questions you may have.  Come see Bundaberg's Best Audiologist, and friendliest team, at Bundaberg Hearing Aids and Tinnitus Treatment Clinic.  Local and independent we stand with the community and patients putting you first, rather than share holders and sales targets.