Check your eligibility
Use our eligibility quiz to see whether you’re eligible for subsidised hearing services and devices under the voucher scheme or community service obligations.
Use the voucher scheme eligibility checker to enter relevant details to:
- ensure you meet evidence requirements to qualify for a voucher
- check if your existing voucher is still current
- see details of your last provider if your voucher is still current
- see details of local hearing providers if your voucher has expired.
Voucher scheme eligibility
You are eligible for the voucher scheme if you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident or live on Norfolk Island, are aged 21 years or older, and are:
- a pensioner concession card holder or their spouse
- a Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Gold Card holder or their spouse
- a DVA White Card holder (hearing-specific conditions) or their spouse
- a member of the Australian Defence Force, including the:
- Permanent Navy
- Regular Army
- Permanent Air Force
- Reserves in continuous full-time service
- referred by a Disability Employment Service.
A Commonwealth Seniors Health Card does not provide eligibility for the program.
An incarcerated person must have a valid voucher issued prior to incarceration to be eligible for the program. Vouchers are valid for 5 years from the date of issue. Vouchers are not issued to people in incarceration. Access to services will need to be negotiated between the correctional facility and the service provider.
Learn about the process of getting hearing support under the voucher scheme.
Community Service Obligations (CSO) eligibility
Hearing Australia provides services under the program’s CSO.
You are eligible for CSO if you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident or live on Norfolk Island, and you are either:
- aged under 26 years
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and either:
- aged 50 years or over
- take part in the Community Development Program (formerly known as the Remote Jobs and Communities Program and the Community Development Employment Projects Program)
- took part in the Community Development Employment Projects Program from 30 June 2013 and received hearing services from Hearing Australia before you stopped participating
- eligible for the voucher scheme and either:
- live in a remote area (Modified Monash Model locations 6 and 7)
- require specialist hearing services.
Incarcerated people are still eligible for CSO services. Access to services will need to be negotiated between the correctional facility and Hearing Australia.
Specialist hearing services
Under CSO, some examples that define ‘requiring specialist hearing services’ include if you:
- have a 3-frequency average hearing loss of 80 dB or more in both ears
- have hearing loss and severe communication impairment that:
- prevents you from communicating effectively
- is caused or aggravated by significant physical, intellectual, mental, emotional or social disability.
People eligible for CSO due to hearing loss and severe communication impairment include those who have:
- a cochlear implant
- an implantable bone conduction device and are unable to wear an air conduction device
- a score of 50% or less auditory alone on an open set sentence speech test when optimally aided
- a cognitive impairment, such as dementia, where it is difficult to complete a hearing assessment or you cannot manage your hearing loss or goals
- a visual impairment that significantly limits the ability to access visual cues
- an intellectual impairment that makes it difficult to complete hearing assessment or hearing aid fitting
- mental health issues affecting the client’s ability to manage their hearing loss.
Learn about the process of getting specialist hearing support under the CSO.
Eligibility for both
If you are eligible for both the voucher scheme and CSO, you can choose to receive services under either component.
If you are eligible for specialist services, but choose to stay with your current provider , you won’t receive extra CSO services.
Talk to your hearing provider or contact us for more information.
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants
If you are a NDIS participant and meet the eligibility requirements for the Hearing Services Program, you:
- can access hearing support through the Hearing Services Program (not the NDIS)
- might be able to access additional supports not provided by the program through the NDIS, such as complementary technology, payment of your maintenance agreement and other services.
Veterans
If you are a veteran eligible for Hearing Services Program services and devices, you can access additional hearing support from the DVA, including:
- assistive listening devices
- tinnitus treatment.
Your provider will seek approval from the DVA on your behalf.
Norfolk Island residents
If you live on Norfolk Island and meet the eligibility requirements, you can access the Hearing Services Program through Hearing Australia.
Other hearing support options
If you’re not eligible for either the voucher scheme or the CSO, there are other ways to access hearing services.
Read more about what to do if you disagree with a decision finding you ineligible.
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