Hearing Help for Floridians
Plain-language guides to hearing aids, cochlear implants, hearing loops, captioned phones, paying for hearing technology, and living well with hearing loss in Florida. Written by people who use this technology every day.
Where do I start with hearing help in Florida?
Start with a hearing test from a licensed audiologist, then decide what to do about the result. If you already have hearing aids and still struggle in meetings, churches, theaters or on the phone, the answer is usually not a new hearing aid; it is a telecoil, a hearing loop, a captioned phone or captioning on your smartphone, most of which cost little or nothing in Florida.
If cost is the barrier, go straight to our financial assistance page. It lists Florida Medicaid coverage, Medicare Advantage hearing benefits, VA care, Vocational Rehabilitation, free captioned phones from FTRI, and Florida nonprofits that provide free or reduced-cost hearing aids.
If you want to talk with someone who has been through it, an HLAA-FL chapter meeting is free, captioned, and open to anyone. You do not need to be a member.
Five steps, in order
Hearing technology
Hearing Aids & OTC Hearing Aids
Prescription versus over-the-counter, the 2017 OTC Hearing Aid Act, Florida's 30-day trial law, and what to do after you buy.
Learn moreCochlear Implants
What a cochlear implant is, who qualifies, how it compares with a hearing aid, and where Floridians get support.
Learn moreHearing Loops & Telecoils
How a hearing loop sends sound straight to your hearing aid, how to switch to the T setting, and where Florida is looped.
Learn moreCaptioned Telephones & FTRI
Free captioned and amplified phones for Florida residents with hearing loss, and how Florida Relay 711 works.
Learn moreAuracast & Bluetooth LE Audio
The new broadcast audio standard, which hearing aids support it, and why you still want a telecoil.
Learn more
Medical and financial help
Financial Assistance in Florida
Florida Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, VA, Vocational Rehabilitation, FTRI and nonprofit programs that pay for hearing aids.
Learn moreFind a Hearing Professional
Audiologist, hearing instrument specialist or ENT? How to check a Florida license and what to ask at the first visit.
Learn moreCommunicating in Medical Settings
Your ADA right to effective communication in hospitals and doctors' offices, and a plan you can hand to your care team.
Learn more
Living well with hearing loss
Lipreading Classes in Florida
What speechreading is, how classes work, and where to find them through chapters, colleges and online.
Learn moreTinnitus
Ringing in the ears: what causes it, what helps, and when to see a doctor.
Learn moreMental Health & Hearing Loss
Isolation, fatigue and depression are common with hearing loss. Peer support helps, and 988 is reachable by text, chat and videophone.
Learn moreHurricane & Emergency Preparedness
Florida's Special Needs Registry, accessible alerts, FTRI alerting devices, and battery and backup planning for hearing devices.
Learn moreResource Library
Verified links from HLAA national, Florida agencies and trusted partners, organized by topic.
Learn more
Common questions
Are there support groups for hearing loss in Florida?
Yes. HLAA-FL chapters and groups meet in person around Florida and online, with captioning so everyone can follow along. Meetings are free and open to people with hearing loss, family members and friends. HLAA national also runs virtual chapters and a parents group. Our chapters page lists current meeting schedules.
What is the most recent treatment for hearing loss?
Hearing aids remain the first-line treatment for most sensorineural hearing loss, and cochlear implants for severe to profound loss. Recent changes are about access more than cure: over-the-counter hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate loss, Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast streaming, and better captioning apps. Talk with an audiologist about what fits your hearing test results.
What is considered moderate hearing loss?
Audiologists group hearing loss by the softest sound you can hear in decibels. Moderate hearing loss generally means the softest sounds you hear are in the 41 to 55 decibel range, so normal conversation is hard to follow without hearing aids, especially with background noise. Your audiogram will show which category applies to each ear. Moderate loss is where Florida Medicaid coverage for hearing aids begins.
What does HLAA do?
The Hearing Loss Association of America is the national consumer organization for people with hearing loss, and HLAA-FL is its Florida state association. We run chapters and support groups, share plain-language information on hearing technology and financial help, and advocate for captioning and hearing loops in public places. We do not sell hearing aids or endorse products.
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