Contributions from Swiss disability insurance (IV) and old-age insurance (AHV) towards hearing aids will increase on 1 January 2027. The Federal Social Insurance Office announced the new rates on 12 November. The basic hearing-aid allowance for adults will rise by ten per cent. Under IV, the way battery costs are included will also change. [1]
The amounts applying from January
For adults, IV will provide a lump sum of CHF 1,074 for a hearing aid in one ear and CHF 2,115 for both ears. These amounts will now include CHF 150 and CHF 300 respectively for batteries. Under AHV, the allowances will rise to CHF 693 for one ear and CHF 1,361 for both ears; there is no battery allowance under that scheme. [1]
The new IV totals therefore cannot be compared directly with the previous basic allowances of CHF 840 and CHF 1,650. Alongside the increase, the larger apparent jump includes a cost component previously treated separately. When comparing offers, it is necessary to check which services a price or allowance covers. The existing rules list annual battery allowances separately. [1][2]
A lump sum does not cover unlimited costs
The underlying principle helps explain the change: the insurer contributes a fixed amount. The existing IV information leaflet explicitly states that users must pay any additional cost of a more expensive device themselves. It recommends asking several suppliers to demonstrate devices, comparing prices and requesting an option covered by the allowance. The public contribution and the actual retail price are therefore two different figures. [2]
For people receiving an AHV pension, it remains important to distinguish between the insurance scheme paying the contribution and the office handling the application. According to the AHV leaflet, the IV office in the applicant’s canton of residence also handles applications and assessments for AHV hearing-aid contributions. An assessment by an approved ear, nose and throat specialist forms part of the procedure for a first hearing aid. People who received IV hearing-aid contributions before retirement age may retain entitlement to IV benefits under the protection of existing rights. [3]
Other rules are also changing
The revision also covers more complex hearing-aid needs. The Federal Social Insurance Office has announced an exceptional allowance to replace the existing hardship provision, an additional payment for certain systems used for severe hearing loss on one side, and age-related maximum amounts for children. Separate eligibility conditions apply. The standard adult allowance therefore does not describe every possible entitlement. [1]
Timing matters for anyone planning a purchase: the announced changes take effect only on 1 January 2027. The older information leaflets linked here explain the existing procedure; their previous amounts must not be read as the new rates. Before ordering, applicants should clarify with the responsible IV office which rules apply to their particular case during the transition. [1][2][3]