If you’re an older adult or someone with a disability in New Jersey, and you’ve had to pay out of pocket for a hearing aid, there’s a state program that can help you get some of that money back. It’s called HAAAD, or Hearing Aid Assistance to the Aged and Disabled. This program can reimburse you up to $500 per hearing aid, or up to $1,000 a year if you need two.
Here’s how it works.
What Is HAAAD?
HAAAD is a New Jersey Department of Human Services program run through the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. It reimburses eligible residents for part of the cost of purchasing a hearing aid — up to $500 for one hearing aid, or $1,000 total if you’re getting reimbursed for two in the same calendar year.
This program covers the hearing aid itself, not ongoing costs like batteries or repairs. And it’s a yearly benefit: if you need to replace a hearing aid or buy a new one in a future calendar year, you’ll need to submit a brand-new application.
Who Is Eligible?
To qualify for HAAAD, you generally need to meet these requirements:
- You’re a New Jersey resident
- You have hearing loss and need a hearing aid
- You’re either over the age of 65 OR you’re between 18-64 and receiving Social Security Disability benefits
- Your income for 2026 doesn’t exceed $54,943 if you’re single, or $62,390 if you’re married
- You cannot have hearing aid benefits from Medicaid, another health insurance provider, or retirement benefits.
There’s an important eligibility link here: HAAAD requires that you’re already enrolled in either the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) program or the Lifeline Utility Assistance program. These programs verify your age or disability status, your residency, and your income for the state, so HAAAD doesn’t have to collect that proof all over again.
If you’re not already enrolled in PAAD or Lifeline, you’ll need to complete an NJSave application first before you can apply for HAAAD. You can find application instructions on the state’s NJSave page, or call 1-800-792-9745 for help getting started.
What Documents Will I Need?
When you fill out the HAAAD application, you’ll need to include:
- A paid-in-full receipt for your hearing aid purchase. Importantly, this receipt must be dated on or after the date you were approved for PAAD — a receipt from before your PAAD approval won’t qualify for reimbursement. The cost of the hearing aid also needs to be equal to or greater than the amount you’re asking to be reimbursed.
- A written statement from your treating physician confirming that a hearing aid is medically necessary for you. You can either have your doctor fill out and sign the section on the application itself, or attach a copy of your hearing aid prescription instead.
- Your signature on the application, certifying that the information is accurate and that you don’t already own an appropriate hearing aid.
If someone is helping you fill out the application — a family member, friend, social worker, or advocate — there’s a section for them to fill out too, including their contact information and relationship to you.
How Do I Apply?
Here’s the process, start to finish:
- Make sure you’re enrolled in PAAD or Lifeline first. If you’re not, complete the NJSave application before moving forward with HAAAD.
- Purchase your hearing aid and keep your paid-in-full receipt, making sure the purchase date falls on or after your PAAD approval date.
- Get your physician’s statement of medical necessity, either on the application form itself or as an attached prescription.
- Fill out and sign the HAAAD application. You can request an application by calling 1-800-792-9745.
- Submit your completed application and documents by mail or fax:
Once your application is approved, you should receive your reimbursement payment in approximately six to eight weeks.
Relief Recap
HAAAD offers real financial relief for New Jersey seniors and people with disabilities who’ve had to pay for a hearing aid out of pocket, putting up to $500 per hearing aid back in your pocket. The key things to get right are timing your purchase after your PAAD approval, gathering your paid receipt and physician’s statement before you apply, and making sure you’re already enrolled in PAAD or Lifeline (or getting enrolled through NJSave first). If you or someone you love has been putting off a hearing aid purchase because of the cost, this program is worth looking into before you buy.
