Chapter 3701-45 | Ohio Hearing Aid Assistance Program

Rule 3701-45-01 | Ohio hearing aid assistance program definitions.

• Effective: July 5, 2026
• Promulgated Under: 119.03

(A) "Audiologist" means an individual authorized under section 4753.07 of the Revised Code to practice audiology.

(B) "Audiology/Hearing Services" includes evaluations, hearing aid and/or hearing assistive technology selection, preparation, dispensing and orientation, fabricating ear molds; and hearing aid and/or assistive technology adjustments made within the trial period.

(C) "CMH" means the complex medical help program.

(D) "Department" means the Ohio department of health.

(E) "Director" means the director of health or designee.

(F) "Eligible child" means a child under age twenty-six with a hearing loss or hearing disorder who is a resident of Ohio.

(G) "Eligible family" means the family of the eligible child who meets the income criteria for assistance through the Ohio hearing aid assistance program.

(H) "Federal poverty guidelines" means a minimum amount of income that a family, based on the number of family members, needs for food, clothing, shelter, and other necessities, as determined annually by the federal government.

(I) "Hearing Aid Dealer and Fitter" means an individual authorized under section 4747.04 of the Revised Code to practice dealing in or fitting of hearing aids.

(J) "Income" means a family's adjusted gross income based upon their most recent federal income tax return.

(K) "Program administrator" means an individual or contractor responsible for managing the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Ohio hearing aid assistance program.

(L) "Program" means the Ohio hearing aid assistance program, an earmarked program funded by the Ohio legislature, to assist families with eligible children under twenty-six years of age with purchasing hearing aids and hearing assistive technology.

Last updated July 6, 2026 at 9:22 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: Am. Sub. H.B. 96, 136th GA
Amplifies: Am. Sub. H.B. 96, 136th GA
Five Year Review Date: 7/5/2031
Prior Effective Dates: 5/15/2014

Rule 3701-45-02 | Ohio hearing aid assistance program.

• Effective: July 16, 2026
• Promulgated Under: 119.03

(A) In administering funds appropriated for the program:

(1) The director may, in his discretion, designate a program administrator, by contract or other means, to accept applications for participation in the program, verify eligibility for the program, and disburse payments.

(2) The director will supervise distribution of funds.

(3) The director will establish eligibility criteria for participation in the program.

(4) The director will prescribe the manner and form for applications from eligible families and audiologists for use in the program.

(5) No later than April first the director will issue guidelines for financial eligibility and family sliding-scale fee amounts based upon income. The director will also determine the maximum amount for audiology/hearing services that may be charged by an audiologist or hearing aid dealer and fitter participating in the program. The financial eligibility and sliding-scale fee amounts can be found at https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/28bc7f33-8b03-4398-bc77-0ca3cb367c20/2023+Guidelines+-+FPR+and+Family+Sliding+Scale+Fee-UPDATE.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_M1HGGIK0N0JO00QO9DDDDM3000-28bc7f33-8b03-4398-bc77-0ca3cb367c.

(B) Applications for assistance under this program for eligible children birth to age 18 will be made through an audiologist. Applications for assistance under this program for eligible children ages eighteen to under twenty-six may be made through an audiologist. An audiologist submitting an application under this program will meet the following conditions:

(1) Is licensed with the Ohio speech and hearing professionals board; and

(2) Agrees to abide by all guidelines of participation in the program as set forth in rule 3701-45-04 of the Administrative Code.

(C) Families of eligible children ages eighteen to under twenty-six may apply for assistance under this program through a hearing aid dealer and fitter who:

(1) Is licensed with the Ohio speech and hearing professionals board;

(2) Is a CMH approved hearing aid dealer and fitter; and

(3) Agrees to abide by all guidelines of participation in the program as set forth in rule 3701-45-04 of the Administrative Code.

(D) The director or administrator will:

(1) Verify family eligibility for the program based upon the application submitted;

(2) Disburse funds for payment of hearing aids and provider services; and

(3) Maintain administrative records for implementation of the program.

(E) Funds will be disbursed in the manner set forth in this chapter until all funds have been expended.

Last updated July 16, 2026 at 8:07 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: Am. Sub. H.B. 96, 136th GA
Amplifies: Am. Sub. H.B. 96, 136th GA
Five Year Review Date: 7/5/2031
Prior Effective Dates: 5/15/2014

Rule 3701-45-03 | Eligibility requirements for financial assistance through the Ohio hearing aid assistance program.

• Effective: July 5, 2026
• Promulgated Under: 119.03

(A) The director, or program administrator, will apply the guidelines prescribed by this rule in determining whether a family and child are eligible for assistance in purchasing hearing aids and/or hearing assistive technology through the program.

(B) A family is eligible to participate in the program if the following components are met:

(1) The family and child are Ohio residents;

(2) There is a child diagnosed with hearing loss or hearing disorder;

(3) The family's income is at or below four hundred per cent of the federal poverty guidelines;

(4) Without assistance from the program, the family would be unable to obtain hearing aids for the child or youth with hearing loss or hearing disorder; and

(5) A family agrees to pay to the audiologist or the hearing aid dealer and fitter the sliding-scale fee amount, based on a sliding scale fee schedule, found at https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/28bc7f33-8b03-4398-bc77-0ca3cb367c20/2023+Guidelines+-+FPR+and+Family+Sliding+Scale+Fee-UPDATE.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_M1HGGIK0N0JO00QO9DDDDM3000-28bc7f33-8b03-4398-bc77-0ca3cb367c, as set forth by the director, due to the family income level.

(C) In order to determine financial eligibility for the program, a family will do the following:

(1) Complete the prescribed application to be submitted on its behalf by the audiologist or hearing aid dealer and fitter; and

(2) Provide the necessary documents, as set forth in the application to determine family income.

(D) All decisions on family eligibility are final and are not subject to appeal under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

Last updated July 6, 2026 at 8:13 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: Am. Sub. H.B. 96, 136th GA
Amplifies: Am. Sub. H.B. 96, 136th GA
Five Year Review Date: 7/5/2031
Prior Effective Dates: 5/15/2014

Rule 3701-45-04 | Requirements for audiologists and hearing aid dealers and fitters participating in the Ohio hearing aid assistance program.

• Effective: July 5, 2026
• Promulgated Under: 119.03

(A) An audiologist or hearing aid dealer and fitter requesting financial assistance on behalf of a family will submit an application package in the manner and format prescribed by the director.

(B) The application package will minimally include:

(1) An application from the eligible family meeting the guidelines set forth in rule 3701-45-03 of the Administrative Code.

(2) A provider form as prescribed by the director that includes the following:

(a) Audiology or hearing aid dealer and fitter practice information;

(b) Specific hearing aid or hearing assistive technology to be purchased;

(c) Audiogram and other diagnostic audiology test results for the child; and

(d) The signature of the audiologist or hearing aid dealer and fitter.

(e) A written statement signed by a licensed physician that states the eligible child's hearing loss or hearing disorder has been medically evaluated and the patient will be considered a candidate for a hearing aid and/or hearing assistive technology. The medical evaluation will have taken place within the preceding six months.

(C) Participating audiologists will:

(1) Follow the standards of audiology pursuant to Chapter 4753. of the Revised Code and agency 4753 of the Administrative Code;

(2) Follow the standards for appropriate clinical practice as outlined in "American Academy of Audiology Clinical Practice Guidelines, Pediatric Amplification," June 2013 issue. This document is available at https://www.audiology.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PediatricAmplificationGuidelines.pdf;

(3) Charge their usual and customary fees for audiology/hearing services to eligible families;

(4) Accept the program payment plus a sliding-scale fee, if any, based upon program guidelines found at https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/28bc7f33-8b03-4398-bc77-0ca3cb367c20/2023+Guidelines+-+FPR+and+Family+Sliding+Scale+Fee-UPDATE.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_M1HGGIK0N0JO00QO9DDDDM3000-28bc7f33-8b03-4398-bc77-0ca3cb367c, as payment in full for the audiology services; and

(5) Agree that any payments made for the cost of treatment, materials, and hearing aids under this program will be in excess of and secondary to payments of any third-party payor, and therefore any program payments for costs will be made after all third-party payment sources are exhausted.

(D) Participating hearing aid dealers and fitters will:

(1) Follow the standards of practice for hearing aid dealers and fitters pursuant to Chapter 4747. of the Revised Code and agency 4747 of the Administrative Code except all eligible families will present a written statement signed by a licensed physician that states that the individual's hearing loss or hearing disorder has been medically evaluated and the individual will be considered a candidate for a hearing aid or hearing assistive technology. The medical evaluation will have taken place within the preceding six months;

(2) Be an approved CMH provider;

(3) Charge their usual and customary fees for hearing services to eligible families;

(4) Accept the program payment plus a sliding-scale fee, if any, based upon program guidelines found at https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/28bc7f33-8b03-4398-bc77-0ca3cb367c20/2023+Guidelines+-+FPR+and+Family+Sliding+Scale+Fee-UPDATE.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_M1HGGIK0N0JO00QO9DDDDM3000-28bc7f33-8b03-4398-bc77-0ca3cb367c;

(5) Agree that any payments made for the cost of treatment, materials, and hearing aids and hearing assistive technology under this program will be in excess of and secondary to payments of any third-party payor, and therefore any program payments for costs will be made after all third-party payment sources are exhausted.

Last updated July 6, 2026 at 8:14 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: Am. Sub. H.B. 96, 136th GA
Amplifies: Am. Sub. H.B. 96, 136th GA
Five Year Review Date: 7/5/2031
Prior Effective Dates: 5/15/2014