Ear and Hearing

Otolaryngologist – Commonly known as an Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) doctor, an Otolaryngologist specializes in disorders which include nasal and sinus disease, nasal deformity, chronic ear infections, allergy, snoring and sleep apnea, disorders of balance and hearing, as well as swallowing and vocal dysfunction.

 

Audiologist – A health-care professional specializing in identifying, diagnosing, treating and monitoring disorders of the auditory and vestibular system portions of the ear. Audiologists are trained to diagnose, and treat hearing, tinnitus, or balance problems.

 

Paying for Ear and Hearing Care

Medicare Part B covers diagnostic hearing and balance exams only if your doctor or other health care provider orders these tests to see if you need medical treatment. Medicare doesn't cover hearing exams, hearing aids, or exams for fitting hearing aids.

 

Hearing Aid Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (HAAAD) – If you are NJ PAAD eligible (Over 64 and income not exceeding $52,142 ($4,345) if single; $59,209 ($4,934) if married), you can receive up to $500 reimbursement of a hearing aid purchase, or $1,000 for two hearing aids. Hearing aids must have been prescribed by a doctor, and you must have paid at least $500 towards the payments.

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New Jersey Hearing Aid Project (NJHAP) – Free refurbished hearing aids for eligible low-income seniors are available through a new, innovative initiative launched by the New Jersey Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DDHH) and Montclair State University.

 

Eligibility is limited to those individuals who are at least 65 years of age, are New Jersey residents, and have an income not exceeding $52,142 ($4,345) if single; $59,209 ($4,934) if married.  

 

The project involves collecting used hearing aids, reconditioning the devices and dispensing to eligible New Jersey residents. When the hearing devices are no longer needed by project participants, they are returned to the project and made available for another consumer.

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Practical Hints

Closed-Captioning – most new televisions have closed-captioning [CC] capability built into the set. This enables the viewer to see dialogue as it is being spoken – check your remote control for a CC button. There are specialized headphones that can ‘pair’ with your TV to deliver audio directly to your ears – avoiding the loud volume that can be distracting to others.

 

Many theaters/movie houses also offer headphones to enhance your appreciation of dialogue and music.

 

Hearing Care Providers

Healthy Hearing is an online directory of audiologists in the Basking Ridge area.

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Ear, Nose, and Throat Physicians

Damian W. Sorvino, MD

95 Madison Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960

973-644-0808

 

Summit Medical Group

Giant Lin, MD

Sara Scheid, MD

140 Park Ave, Florham Park, NJ 07932

973-576-5265

 

Summit Medical Group

Alexander Gnoy, MD

Lowell E. Gurey, MD

1 Diamond Hill Rd, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922

908-277-8681

 

Morristown Otolaryngology at SMG

26 Madison Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960

973-267-1850

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Hard of Hearing Resources

Audio Books – Bernards Township Library has a wide variety of audio-books available through check-out or downloaded from MAIN (Morris Automated Information Network). 32 South Maple Ave, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920. You may need a CD player or a device that can provide audio (smart-phone, tablet or computer).

 

NJ Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DDHH) maintains up-to-date resources on hearing loss including communication access referral services, technical assistance, equipment distribution and advocacy.

 

Equipment Distribution Program – Individuals unable to afford the cost of assistive communication devices may apply to the “Equipment Distribution Program” for assistance. To become eligible individuals must not exceed the annual income limit, which is 400% of FPL - $60,240 per year, and must also be an NJ resident with a doctor noted hearing impairment. Upon meeting eligibility requirements, individuals may receive communication devices free of cost from the DDHH.

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English Equipment Distribution Program Eligibility Application

Spanish Equipment Distribution Program Eligibility Application

 

Devices currently available as part of this program include:

• Sonic Alert HomeAware Fire and CO Signaler

• Nighthawk 900-0230 CO Alarm

• Ring Video Doorbell 2

• Sonic Alert

• Clarity XLCR Amplified Cordless Extra Loud Phone

• Geemarc Amplipower 60 Plus Amplified Telephone

• Cisco Unified SIP Phone 3905

• Minicom IV

• VTech DM221 Digital Audio Baby Monitor

• Tablet – Apple iPad Wi-Fi Only, 64 GB *Requires access to internet service.

• Tablet – Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite Wi-Fi Only, 64 GB *Requires access to internet service.

• Smartphone – Apple iPhone XR Wi-Fi and 4G, 64 GB *Requires cellular service plan.

• Smartphone – Google Pixel 5A Wi-Fi and 4G, 64 GB *Requires cellular service plan.

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