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O.H.S.

Are you a Pensioner or a Veteran?

…if you answered “yes” you may be eligable to receive help from the ‘Office of Hearing Services’.

Do you need help?

Do you have trouble understanding people when they talk to you? Do you have trouble hearing on the telephone? Does your family complain that you have the television too loud? If you answered yes to any of these questions you may have a hearing loss. If so, an Australian Government Program administered by the Office of Hearing Services may be able to help you to gain access to hearing services.

Are you eligible?

You are eligible to apply for a Hearing Services Voucher if you are an Australian Citizen or permanent resident 21 years or older and you are:

  • a Pensioner Concession Card Holder;
  • receiving Sickness Allowance from Centrelink;
  • the holder of a Gold Repatriation Health Card issued for all conditions;
  • the holder of a White Repatriation Health Card issued for conditions that include hearing loss;
  • a dependent of a person in one of the above categories;
  • a member of the Australian Defence Force; or
  • undergoing an Australian Government funded vocational rehabilitation service and you are referred by your service provider.

What services will you receive?

Eligible people can obtain a comprehensive range of hearing services designed to meet your needs, free of charge. These include:

  • Your hearing assessed by a qualified hearing services practitioner.
  • If the assessment indicates that a hearing aid or other device would assist you, your practitioner will help you select an appropriate model from a range of quality devices made by leading manufacturers.
  • The practitioner will also advise you on how to get the maximum benefit from your hearing aid.
  • If you have complex hearing problems, you will be offered additional special services to meet your needs.

In addition, eligible people can obtain maintenance of their hearing aids and devices and a regular supply of batteries on payment of a small annual maintenance fee.

How to apply for a Hearing Services Voucher

If you are eligible to apply for a hearing services Voucher, you may either:

  • obtain an application form from Ayling Hearing & Audiology Clinic who is contracted to the Office of Hearing Services.
  • or; telephone 1800 500 726 (phone) or 1800 500 496 (for users of TTY equipment only) and give your postal address, and an application form will be posted to you.

If you are applying to the program for the first time you must complete client details labelled Part A. A Medical Practitioner is required to complete and sign the referral details of Part B of the form. Part C of the form is required if the applicant has not filled in the Eligibility Details outlined in Part A of the form. Holders of Repatriation Cards applying for the first time should ask their Local Medical Officer to complete the referral.

As a hearing aid wearer, new aids will only be fitted if your current hearing aids are no longer meeting your clinical needs as assessed by your hearing services practitioner.

    Applications to be posted to:
    Mail Drop Point 113
    Office of Hearing Services
    Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
    GPO Box 9848
    CANBERRA ACT 2601

What happens after you post your application?

The Office of Hearing Services will check your eligibility for the program. When this check is complete, the Office will send you a letter with an attached voucher. The overall processing time normally takes 5 weeks.

‘Top-Up’ arrangements

Under the Australian Government Hearing Services Program you will be able to obtain, free of charge, a quality hearing aid that will provide a satisfactory rehabilitation outcome if you are found to have a clinical need for one. However, the Australian Government Hearing Services Program also allows for ‘Top-Up’ arrangements where you may choose to be fitted with a hearing aid with additional features beyond those necessary to achieve a satisfactory rehabilitation outcome. Under the ‘Top-Up’ arrangements you pay the difference in cost to your service provider.

You can expect a Government contribution towards the cost of your ‘Top-Up’ hearing aid. All hearing aids including ‘Top-Up’ aids are GST free. Hearing devices that are not hearing aids will incur a GST charge.
Entering into a ‘Top-Up’ arrangement is a matter of personal choice. You are not obliged to enter into such an arrangement.

Maintenance and batteries

If you are fitted with a hearing aid, it is recommended that you enter into a maintenance agreement with your service provider. For an annual fee your service provider will maintain your aid and supply batteries. If you choose not to pay the annual maintenance fee, you will need to buy batteries regularly and pay for servicing and repair of your hearing aid.
The annual maintenance charge for a ‘Top-Up’ device may be higher and should be negotiated between you and your hearing services practitioner.