Maintaining your hearing device and buying batteries can be costly. A Maintenance Agreement is an easy and cost-effective way to help you take care of your hearing device. If you would like your device maintained through the Australian Government Hearing Services Program (the program), you can choose to enter into an annual Maintenance Agreement with your service provider, and you can choose to renew your Maintenance agreement each year. With a Maintenance Agreement, the program will subsidise maintenance and repair costs for your device/s and you can be asked to pay a client contribution. Your service provider will supply you with batteries, maintenance services, and repairs for your hearing device for 12 months. If you renew your Maintenance Agreement, the client contribution may be indexed annually. Accessories are not covered by the Maintenance Agreement.

For Fully Subsidised Devices (devices fitted under the Hearing services program at no cost to you) the annual maintenance fee is a standard contribution that is set out by the program and indexed annually. The standard fee is the maximum you can be charged annually. For the year 2023-2024 this fee is $50.80.

For Partially Subsidised Devices (Where you have paid some contribution towards the devices after the subsidy) the annual maintenance fee can be more than the standard fee set for a fully subsidised device, however as a customer of Manning Audiology you will only pay the standard fee of $50.80 for the year 2023-2024. Manning Audiology agrees to cover the repair costs for partially subsidised hearing devices until 5 years of age, when you are eligible for refit under the Hearing Services Program. Repairs on devices over 5 years age will be paid by you.

Chargers & hearing aid accessories are categorized as a private purchase and therefore not covered under the Hearing Services Program’s Maintenance Agreement. Repairs outside the warranty period for these items will be paid by the client.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Gold or White (specific for hearing loss) cardholders who have a current voucher are exempt from paying the client contribution. You must still agree to enter into a Maintenance agreement for DVA to cover these costs. DVA will not cover any maintenance costs above the standard fee set by the program.

Further information about maintenance agreements is available from your provider or on the program
website at www.hearingservices.gov.au.