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Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) Cost and Procedure Guide

Explore how bone-anchored hearing aids offer a unique solution for hearing loss, as well as how the procedure works and what you can expect to pay.

Written by Amy Isler, M.S.N., R.N.

Posted July 25, 2025

Two people assessing different hearing aid options

Hearing aids can be a lifeline for millions of Americans, yet they remain surprisingly underused. Although more than 28 million adults in the United States could benefit from hearing aids, only about 30% of adults ages 70 and older and only around 16% of adults ages 20 to 69 take advantage of them.1

For people looking to correct certain types of hearing loss or who do not respond well to traditional hearing aids, bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA) may be a good option.

What Is a Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA)?

A bone-anchored hearing system is a small, surgically implanted titanium device that is placed in a small bone behind the ear, attaching to an external processor worn behind the ear. There are also non-surgical types of BAHA devices.2

People with conductive hearing loss typically benefit from a BAHA device. Other common reasons someone may need a BAHA device include:2

  • Allergy to traditional hearing aids
  • Benign tumor
  • Chronic ear infections
  • Severe malformations of the outer or middle ear
  • Single-sided deafness

How Does a Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid Work?

The BAHA corrects hearing loss by transmitting sound vibrations directly from the environment to the inner ear, bypassing the outer and middle ear altogether. This is achieved through bone conduction, which occurs through the skull.2

Types of bone-anchored hearing aids

There are two types of bone-anchored hearing aids: non-surgical and surgical implantation.2

  • Non-surgical bone conduction hearing devices are attached using a headband, a softband or an adhesive that attaches directly to the skin. These are typically good for small children and people who do not want to undergo surgery.2
  • Surgically implanted BAHA implants a small screwlike device in direct connection with the skull. An external processor connects magnetically with the implant to allow vibration signals to reach the inner ear.2

BAHA vs. conventional hearing aids

One of the biggest differences between BAHA and conventional hearing aids is the type of hearing loss they correct.

Bone-anchored hearing aids are designed to treat conductive hearing loss, which is caused by damage to the outer or middle ear. The BAHA device is attached directly to the skull bone, which allows sound vibrations to travel via bone conduction to the cochlea in the inner ear and up the auditory pathway to the brain.2

In contrast, conventional hearing aids use air conduction to amplify sound waves along the direct pathway from the middle ear to the inner ear. They are most often used to treat sensorineural hearing loss, which is caused by damage to the inner ear or neural pathway.3

How Much Does a Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid Cost?

The national average cost* for a percutaneous BAHA implant (which has a small abutment sticking out through the skin for attaching the processor) is $11,601, but it can range from $9,259 to $21,864. The average cost* for a transcutaneous BAHA implant (completely under the skin) is $13,854, but it can range from $10,670 to $24,674. In comparison, the average cost* of conventional digital hearing aids per pair ranges between $1,650 and $4,155.4

The variables that can affect cost include:4

  • Brand and type of hearing system
  • Clinic location and specialist expertise
  • Follow-up and programming sessions
  • Maintenance and replacement parts
  • Surgical and fitting costs

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Average cost of bone-anchored hearing aids by state/district

Here is a breakdown of the average costs* of a BAHA device across all 50 states and the District of Columbia:4 

State/District Average cost of percutaneous BAHA Average cost of transcutaneous BAHA
Alabama $10,015 $11,870
Alaska $14,031 $16,805
Arizona $11,700 $14,019
Arkansas $10,399 $12,048
California $14,274 $17,186
Colorado $11,564 $13,723
Connecticut $11,936 $14,301
Delaware $11,576 $13,797
District of Columbia  $15,679 $17,546
Florida $11,469 $13,787
Georgia $10,535 $12,419
Hawaii $17,414 $20,673
Idaho $11,725 $14,138
Illinois $12,246 $13,975
Indiana $10,176 $12,611
Iowa $10,101 $11,930
Kansas $10,225 $12,256
Kentucky $10,771 $12,522
Louisiana $10,771 $12.997
Maine $11,378 $14,093
Maryland $13,274 $15,664
Massachusetts $12,903 $17,872
Michigan $10,659 $12,745
Minnesota $10,796 $12,923
Mississippi $10,263 $11,989
Missouri $10,312 $12,434
Montana $11,341 $13,649
Nebraska $10,300 $12,434
Nevada $11,663 $14,049
New Hampshire $12,047 $14,316
New Jersey $12,890 $15,027
New Mexico $10,622 $12,656
New York $12,952 $15,220
North Carolina $10,709 $12,760
North Dakota $10,597 $12,671
Ohio $10,833 $12,967
Oklahoma $9,916 $11,900
Oregon $12,481 $14,953
Pennsylvania $11,329 $13,426
Rhode Island $12,382 $14,508
South Carolina $10,523 $12,893
South Dakota $10,696 $12,463
Tennessee $10,585 $12,508
Texas $10,808 $12,764
Utah $11,477 $14,123
Vermont $11,626 $14,167
Virginia $11,304 $13,501
Washington $12,865 $15,042
West Virginia $10,325 $12,300
Wisconsin $10,895 $12,952
Wyoming $10,783 $12,641

Does Insurance Cover Bone-Anchored Hearing Aids?

Hearing aids, including BAHA devices, are typically covered by health insurance.2 However, out-of-pocket costs will vary depending on insurance type (personal insurance, Medicare, Medicaid).

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has revised its definition of hearing aids to include auditory osseointegrated and auditory brainstem implant devices and related services to ensure they are covered under Medicare as prosthetic devices.5

Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid Procedure

The BAHA device consists of two parts: the internal implant and the external processor. Together, they create a bone conduction pathway allowing sound vibrations to be translated through the bone instead of the middle ear.2

Your doctor may have you try the non-surgical option for a few weeks to see if this type of hearing aid is right for you.2

Surgical implantation

Placing the small titanium implant in the bone behind your ear is an outpatient surgical procedure.3 It is typically performed under local or general anesthesia.6

An incision will be made in the skin behind the ear, and a tiny hole will be drilled into the mastoid bone to accommodate the implant. The incision is closed with stitches, and a dressing is applied to keep it clean and dry.6

You will need to wait several weeks for the implant to fuse with the bone before the external processor attachment can be used to correct hearing. This process is called osseointegration.3

Recovery

Recovery from surgery usually takes about a week. You may experience soreness or redness.6 Call your doctor if you develop a fever or experience long-lasting ear pain.

Activation and programming

After osseointegration is complete, a doctor or audiologist will help fit the external processor to the implant and customize its settings to meet your specific needs.7

These steps can include:

  • Calibrating to minimize feedback7
  • Customizing listening programs for both quiet and loud environments7
  • Personalizing the settings7
  • Positioning the processor for optimal sound transmission
  • Training you on how it works
  • Volume control

After activation, follow-up appointments may be necessary to fine-tune or troubleshoot any complications and to ensure optimal hearing.2

How to Know if a BAHA Is Right for You

The bottom line is that if traditional hearing aids don’t work for you, or you have conductive hearing loss with damage to your middle ear, a BAHA device might be right for you.

While BAHA may be more expensive than traditional hearing aids, they are typically covered by insurance and can be a more convenient solution for ensuring your hearing loss does not affect your quality of life.

Frequently Asked Questions About BAHA

Still have questions about bone-anchored hearing aids? Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about them.

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The CareCredit credit card can help you pay for hearing care, including regular hearing tests, screenings and more.** Use our Acceptance Locator to find a hearing specialist near you that accepts CareCredit. Continue to invest in your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

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Author Bio

Amy Isler, M.S.N., R.N., has more than a decade of nursing expertise. She combines her nursing experience and journalism background to create engaging and educational healthcare content for leading brands and publications, including GoodRx, Verywell Health, Vision Center and more. Her mission in writing is to provide positive, accurate and informative articles for consumers.

*Actual cost may vary based on geography, provider and other variables. Cost information is based on research in the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, which was conducted by ASQ360° in 2023-2024 on behalf of Synchrony’s CareCredit.

**Subject to credit approval.

The information, opinions and recommendations expressed in the article are for informational purposes only. Information has been obtained from sources generally believed to be reliable. However, because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by our sources, or any other, Synchrony and any of its affiliates, including CareCredit, (collectively, “Synchrony”) does not provide any warranty as to the accuracy, adequacy, or completeness of any information for its intended purpose or any results obtained from the use of such information. The data presented in the article was current as of the time of writing. Please consult with your individual advisors with respect to any information presented.

© 2025 Synchrony Bank.

Sources:

1 “Quick statistics about hearing, balance and dizziness," National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Updated September 20, 2024. Retrieved from: https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing

2 Victory, Joy. “Bone-anchored hearing systems," Healthy Hearing. Updated September 13, 2024. Retrieved from: https://www.healthyhearing.com/help/hearing-aids/bone-anchored

3 “Overview of bone-anchored hearing aids," AudiologyHQ. September 12, 2024. Retrieved from: https://audiologyhq.com/overview-of-bone-anchored-hearing-aids/

4 2024 Synchrony Average Procedural Cost Study for Cosmetic, Dental, Veterinary, Vision and Other Practices Across the United States, conducted by ASQ360° Market Research, Cost Tables.

5 “Medicare frequently asked questions: Audiology," American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Accessed June 13, 2025. Retrieved from: https://www.asha.org/practice/reimbursement/medicare/medicare_faqs_aud/#8

6 Sanchez-Perez, Jose and March, Antonio Riera. “Osseointegrated bone-conducting hearing prostheses," StatPearls. Updated April 3, 2023. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK564385/#article-124645.s9

7 “Fitting your bone conduction device," Cochlear. Accessed June 13, 2025. Retrieved from: https://www.cochlear.com/us/en/home/ongoing-care-and-support/hearing-with-your-new-device/fitting-your-bone-conduction-device

8 “How long do cochlear implants last?" South Florida ENT Associates. Accessed June 13, 2025. Retrieved from: https://www.sfenta.org/blog/how-long-do-cochlear-implants-last/

9 “MRI and medical considerations," Cochlear. Accessed June 13, 2025. Retrieved from: https://www.cochlear.com/us/en/home/ongoing-care-and-support/device-help-and-support/mri-and-medical-considerations

10 Khan, Nasrene and Lewis, Aaran T. "Influence of bone conduction hearing device implantation on health-related quality of life for patients with and without tinnitus," Audiology Research. August 1, 2023. Retrieved from: https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4349/13/4/50