Hearing assistive devices help people with hearing loss communicate and take a full part in everyday life. In Latvia, some of them are paid for by the state.
Which devices the state pays for
With hearing loss from grade 3, you can receive six types of devices:
- a hearing aid or a communicator;
- an amplified phone or a digital visual communication device;
- a sound indicator with a light or vibrating signal;
- an FM radio-frequency transmission system;
- a connection unit for radio and TV (induction loop);
- a clock with a vibrating alarm.
The procedure is set by Cabinet Regulations No. 250 and No. 878. The devices are issued by LNS Hearing Technology Assistance Center (except hearing aids for children).
Who is entitled
- Adults - if the hearing loss in the better-hearing ear is at least 55 dB (hearing impairment grade 3).
- Children under 18 are entitled to a hearing aid from 15 dB (hearing impairment grade 1).
Documents you need
Submit to the Latvian Association of the Deaf:
- a written application;
- an opinion from your family doctor or ENT specialist for receiving an assistive device;
- for a hearing aid or communicator - an audiogram no older than one year.
If a decision of the State Medical Commission (VDEĀK) already states a hearing disability, no doctor's opinion is needed - attach copies of the decision and the disability certificate instead. For a child or a person without legal capacity, the legal representative submits the application together with a document proving the right to represent them.
How to submit
- in person at one of the center's branches in Riga, Ventspils, Liepāja, Rēzekne or Daugavpils;
- by e-mail to lns@lns.lv - only with a secure e-signature, scanned documents are not accepted;
- by post: Elvīras iela 19, Riga, LV-1083;
- via the latvija.lv portal.
A decision is made within 20 working days. Once it is made or your turn in the queue comes, you receive an invitation.
You can get the device from another specialist
Not everyone knows this: you can receive the device not only at the LNS center but also from another provider. The state then pays the procurement price of the device, and if the model you choose costs more, you cover the difference yourself. This way you can choose a more advanced hearing aid without losing state support.
One-off fee
The service has a one-off fee: EUR 1.42 for a child and EUR 7.11 for an adult. Some people are exempt, for example those with low-income household status and residents of long-term social care institutions.
Who can get a device without waiting in the queue
Devices are issued as a priority to:
- children;
- people who work or study;
- people with newly acquired functional impairments;
- people with a predicted disability, if this is provided for in their VDEĀK individual rehabilitation plan;
- parents and other carers looking after a child under one and a half years old.
In this case, attach a supporting document to the application, for example a certificate from your employer or educational institution.
When you can apply again
You can apply again if the device's period of use has ended, your hearing loss has changed, the device is worn out, or it was lost or stolen through no fault of your own. When re-applying for the same device, you do not need to submit a doctor's opinion or an audiogram.
The whole process is also described step by step on our State compensation page.
Source: Surdocentrs - how to apply for state-funded assistive devices (in Latvian). Sample application and doctor's opinion forms are available there.