Costco and Turlock foundations partner to provide free hearing services | Opinion
A trip to a local big box store can make a big difference for your health.
Recently, EMC Health Foundation in Turlock partnered with Costco and the Turlock Chamber Foundation to bring free hearing tests and hearing aids to residents 55 and older who live in southern Stanislaus or northern Merced counties.
The goal is simple: combine the philanthropy of EMC Health Foundation with the expertise of Costco’s hearing specialists — administered through the Turlock Chamber Foundation — for a bilingual initiative to help older residents with their battle against hearing loss.
The EMC Health Foundation covers 100% of the cost of the hearing aids — whether you have employer-provided insurance, Medicare or no insurance at all — once a Costco audiologist determines that hearing aids are required.
This partnership represents an important step in expanding service lines to meet critical needs in the hard-of-hearing community. By leveraging diversified funding sources, we can fill longstanding gaps in access — such as hearing care for our seniors — to ensure that more members of our community are supported with dignity and compassion.
According to a 2024 study by the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, hearing loss affects approximately 40 million adults in the U.S., yet only one in 10 people who need hearing aids actually use them. Previous research has shown that untreated hearing loss can result in a reduced lifespan, as well as social isolation, depression and dementia.
Caring for middle-income seniors has become a challenge due to legislative barriers. For example, Medicare recipients must undergo hospitalization before they are deemed eligible for home health services. Additionally, seniors are blocked from using drug manufacturer coupons and rebates to lower their copayments for drugs covered under Medicare Part D.
While the elderly who qualify for Medi-Cal in California and Medicaid across the country may have access to free hearing aids, every state sets its own rules. And with an emphasis on caring for the poor, middle-income retirees rarely qualify for state or federal assistance.
The EMC Health Foundation, Costco and Turlock Chamber Foundation partnership eliminates barriers by providing free hearing aids to individuals with a monthly income at or below $6,520 or a married couple with a monthly retirement income at or below $8,812.
Our partnership with Costco is built on trust, quality and excellence in bringing an incredible free audiology and hearing-aid program to our residents. Philanthropy and local businesses are coming together in a meaningful way to change the health care landscape.
Jeffrey Lewis is the President and CEO of the EMC Health Foundation, based in Turlock.