
Hearing aids cost thousands, and if you are on a fixed income, that price tag can feel like a locked door. But there is a lesser-known network of charities, nonprofits, and government programs whose entire mission is opening that door. Thousands of people get hearing aids free or nearly free every year through these programs.…

Here is a strange quirk of American health insurance: Medicare, the program for seniors, does not cover hearing aids, but Medicaid, the program for people with limited income, often does. The catch is that Medicaid is run by individual states, so your coverage depends entirely on where you live. In some states, qualifying adults get…