Hearing health care providers should continue to bill electronically through the WSIB payment system (TELUS Health Provider Portal).
FAQs on billing and payments
When can I bill for hearing aids?
The bill can be submitted after the hearing aid dispensing and fitting is complete.
The trial period for hearing aids is 90 days, following the hearing aid fitting. Any change to the selection of the hearing aid(s) should occur within this timeframe.
What WSIB service codes and fees should be used to enter bills for payment submission?
You can find service codes in the online product search in the TELUS Health Provider Portal.
For hearing aids, the service date of the bill line item should be the date that the hearing aid was provided or dispensed to someone.
What product details do I need to supply to the WSIB?
Manufacturers need to supply each hearing health care practitioner with product details (manufacturer's invoice). Submit the related billing through the TELUS Health Provider Portal and submit the invoice using our online services.
What are the manufacturer's warranty terms and conditions?
Hearing health care providers are bound by the warranty terms and conditions offered by the manufacturer. These terms should be available on the manufacturer's invoice. The information below provides a general overview of standard warranty terms:
- Hearing aids (and inclusions)
- Three-year parts and labour
- Two-year loss or damage (one-time use per aid)
- One-year repairs/remakes
- Accessories and alerting systems - one year
- All hearing assistive technologies including FM systems - two years
The warranty period for a hearing device begins on the date of dispensing by the hearing health care provider (which is also the billing service date).
What items are expected to be included with the dispensing of a hearing aid and how does this affect billing?
The initial purchase of a hearing aid will include any component required for the basic functioning and user control including, but not limited to, remote controls, chargers (for rechargeable models), receivers, tubes, domes, telecoils, microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, digital chips, battery doors, and all molds. These components are covered under the warranty period and cannot be billed separately from the hearing aid.
Outside of the three-year manufacturer warranty, replacement hearing aid components should be billed according to specific manufacturer product codes (with indicated pricing).
In addition, cleaning brushes/wax tools, cleaning cloths/wipes and carrying cases that come with the hearing aid cannot be billed separately at the initial dispense/onset. These consumables may be billed according to service codes beyond the initial purchase of the hearing aid.
How does a hearing health care provider bill for services beyond the manufacturer's products?
In general, it is expected that most costs related to the servicing of hearing aids and hearing assistive technologies (HAT) are covered within the program of care (POC) and are not eligible for any additional service fee billed by a hearing health care provider.
After the completion of the POC, hearing-related services delivered to the patient may be billed subject to approvals (where required) and WSIB guidelines.