I bought my high tech hearing aids through an online hearing aid retailer for half the price of a brick n mortar store or audiologist's office. I adjust my hearing aids myself via my computer. No driving every time my hearing aids need a tweeking.
Anyone saying consumers cannot manage buying and adjusting hearing aids is dead wrong. The monopoly audiologists have on the hearing aid market is criminal.
Anyone saying consumers cannot manage buying and adjusting hearing aids is dead wrong. The monopoly audiologists have on the hearing aid market is criminal.
25
Ok yet another area of healthcare for United Healthcare to invade. The have another owned subsidiary that sells cheap hearing aids that are from China. If you have never heard of it, look at the AARP pages they sell them and sometimes seniors end up getting almost a free on when signing up for a Medicare D plan.
http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/10/united-expands-cheap-hearing-aids...
So guess who's lobbying for this bill? The subsidiary is known as Hi Innovations.
http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/unitedhealthcare-expands-their-ch...
http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/10/united-expands-cheap-hearing-aids...
So guess who's lobbying for this bill? The subsidiary is known as Hi Innovations.
http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/unitedhealthcare-expands-their-ch...
2
This article immediately made me cry as I remembered being served by a teenaged waitress working to pay for her much needed and very expensive hearing aids. Hearing should not be a luxury.
17
Sounds like a wonderful price drop for the public.
No reason for the huge prices of hearing aids.
My suggestion for a store name.
"Say What?"
No reason for the huge prices of hearing aids.
My suggestion for a store name.
"Say What?"
11
Great idea. Alas, this assumes it is possible to pass a law, which hasn't happened since President Trump arrived. Witness the Rose Garden ceremony for the health care bill after it passed the House. Has he signed anything into law yet? (Executive orders don't count.)
8
Kitschy name... Hear to Eternity.
12
Please call these OTC product stores what we "evil, greedy" audiologists call it: "Good luck with that device" store.
1
Why is is that medical insurance excludes ears and teeth?
23
I recently bought a set of Bose Hearphones (at a mall!) They are a combination wireless, noise cancelling headphones that also have programable, directional microphones that can assist with hearing in different situations. I got them because I was having trouble hearing things in the upper frequencies, bird songs for instance. You can program them to only pick up sounds directly in front of you (in a noisy restaurant) or all around you (on a walk in the woods)
These things make no attempt at being invisible - you just look like everyone else listening to their own sound track on a cell phone or iPod (which you can do, too.) But by not trying to be invisible, they are less likely to be lost - a problem I've heard about from friends with regular hearing aids.
The only drawback is that they're currently only available at certain Bose stores. Still, I think they represent a fresh approach to this issue and the direction for the future. Check them out if you can.
These things make no attempt at being invisible - you just look like everyone else listening to their own sound track on a cell phone or iPod (which you can do, too.) But by not trying to be invisible, they are less likely to be lost - a problem I've heard about from friends with regular hearing aids.
The only drawback is that they're currently only available at certain Bose stores. Still, I think they represent a fresh approach to this issue and the direction for the future. Check them out if you can.
17
My father wore hearing aids in his later years. His first pair he got through a prominent NY hospital $3k ) He was never quite comfortable with them. Three years later, we had Dad retested & that audiologist said the new pair would be $5k. After doing research online, i saw great reviews about Costco. We went for an appointment & they were great! My father was comfortable with the whole process & the hearing aids. Best of all, they were under $2k.
One thing that the gentleman at Costco did that impressed me was that he had my Dad wear a pair around the store to see how he could hear in different area - tv aisle, etc.
One thing that the gentleman at Costco did that impressed me was that he had my Dad wear a pair around the store to see how he could hear in different area - tv aisle, etc.
16
You asked readers to submit kitschy names for retail hearing aid chains. H(ear)s mine: Hear Ye, Hear Ye.
7
Hmmm, that sounds a bit dire...
1
Applause.
2
What?
3
Yet another kitschy-name suggestion: Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow.
3
Hmm, that one sounds a bit dire.
3
Tweeked a little. Here Today, Hear Tomorrow.
2
I bought a $300 hearing aid on the internet. Works great. As good as any I previously got from an audiologist.
5
Great article. I had no idea such legislation was proposed. Previous comments have mentioned the pervasive noise pollution in stores, restaurants and other public places. Having hearing loss amplifies and brings this problem forward. I have a unilateral total hearing loss, meaning I am deaf in my right ear. I have only a slight hearing loss in my left --good ear which is helped with bicros hearing aids. The bicros hearing aids send sound from my deaf ear to my good ear. They are not perfect. I can no longer tell which direction sound comes from-- not corrected by hearing aids. These aids definitely help when driving and attempting a conversation with a passenger. I still have to consciously place myself so my good ear is next to the speaker. The biggest help has been attending a lip reading course-- free through the San Francisco City College. It is a miracle worker. The class is geared to learning how to communicate despite a hearing loss. Instead of pissing normal hearing people off by always saying huh or what or pretending to hear, we learn selective questioning and how to pay attention to how sounds look on lips. The class is fun--like playing games at a party. I wish these classes could be more available and promoted for those with hearing loss. The classes have definitely helped as much or more than hearing aids. The combination has increased the quality of my life. I would like to see the hearing loss classes promoted and subsidized in addition.
11
In the 3rd to last paragraph, I think the author meant to call the new store, Hear Here!
4
I was not that clever, sadly.
3
I would give these a try. My current set of hearing aids were $6000 for the pair. I'm grateful that I was able to pay for them because they really do improve my daily life, but that's a big chunk of money.
10
I bought my aid from Costco for $700, which includes a yearly hearing test and re-adjustment, as well as cleaning, in that price.
Not as cheap as what is being proposed, but a LOT better than thousands of dollars!
And I was tested by a licensed audiologist there.
Not as cheap as what is being proposed, but a LOT better than thousands of dollars!
And I was tested by a licensed audiologist there.
13
Thanks for this bill which is sorely needed to bring down the extravagant costs of hearing aides which are not covered by insurance coverage. For an item that is fundamentally simple compared to say, a Mac computer, it costs three times to eight times as much. It is highway robbery depriving many elders of quality hearing.
24
I have severe hearing loss and wear aids at over $1500 per. But my biggest problem is that I produce commercial quantities of ear wax. And I can't use standard ear inserts, but need to have then individually fitted.
No insurance to cover them, and regular ear cleaning required.
What a pain.
No insurance to cover them, and regular ear cleaning required.
What a pain.
6
Resistance to this kind of legislation should be minor, given there's only one U.S.-based hearing aid maker left (Starkey). Once this bill is signed, there will be zero.
5
Yes Pat, all others, you are absolutely correct! Like perhaps many of you, could write a book about experiences with hearing loss & use of aids. Having gone through many hearing aids & hearing tests. Early experiences includes visiting newly registered audiologist, his testing apparatus all in his briefcase and the printout looked like a receipt from home depot. Hearing aids for some hundreds of dollars on internet are perhaps good for some; they'll see an immediate improvement. From experience, I soon realized they were not effective enough, couldn't hear my granddaughter correctly; & it's not very good to say no when I really meant yes. Gone through the ones in the ear, the average ones behind the ear and now wear the best by ReSound behind the ear with the new Bluetooth circuit allowing iPhone calls and music streaming right to my hearing aids. I stopped going to my ear dr. for the usual 6 months checkup since it wasn't very useful; looks inside my ear & tells me they'r clean, sends for hearing test & back for review. Test hasn't changed much for last 5 years. Bill comes, paid by medicare & Bl.Cr. gap insurance. However, I can tell if my hearing being reduced, if so I'll visit dr. All-in-all, you feel milked when buying the aids & by your audiologist and your doctor. There have been more audiologists popping up in our area in the last 2 years than in the last 10. It's a good business!!!! Technology still need to solve the "crowd & restaurant problem".
14
How about lowering the volume of noise in the environment? Why must we be subjected to pounding music in the mall, in the supermarket, in the beauty salon, at parties, at a concert, at the theater, in a bar, in a restaurant? Why isn't more done to protect our hearing so we don't need to purchase hearing aids before we get old? Why are landscaping companies allowed to use excessively noisy leafblowers, weed whackers, lawn mowers, chain saws, etc.? Why are people allowed to drive with their music cranked up so loudly that they rock the cars around them?
If I need a hearing aid when I'm in my 70s I might not mind. But, unless I have a congenital problem, I shouldn't need one in my 40s or 50s. Since being able to hear is vital to our health, why not add such coverage to insurance? Oh, I forgot, as someone who wasn't born rich, I don't deserve decent hearing or good services.
If I need a hearing aid when I'm in my 70s I might not mind. But, unless I have a congenital problem, I shouldn't need one in my 40s or 50s. Since being able to hear is vital to our health, why not add such coverage to insurance? Oh, I forgot, as someone who wasn't born rich, I don't deserve decent hearing or good services.
33
Well said and absolutely true. Too much hearing loss is due to preventable causes including noise. Don't forget earbuds and headphones, especially among children and teens. It's a HUGE problem. The New York Times actually wrote an article not too long ago about how many of the ones purporting to have volume controls are still dangerously loud. And yet today we see toddlers with these things in the ears. Please protect young ears!
14
The boom cars have got to go somehow. Beyond obnoxious.
There ought to be a law.
There ought to be a law.
6
Presently, hearing aids are high margin items (that is, overpriced) due to constraints on the supply. If this legislation passes, we may finally see price reductions due to increased competition and higher production volumes. This is good news for the consumer.
12
What an awful take on this matter: audiologist "gatekeeper". As though aural rehabilitation is all about the product and nothing else. Shame on you Ms. Span for writing such biased and ill-informed comments about audiology services.
Hearing aids are amplifiers. hearing loss, hearing problems and communication difficulties due to auditory dysfunction can be resolved/improved given some increase in loudness, yes, as hearing aids can provide. But the product is NOT a panacea for all -- and in some cases most -- hearing problems & communication deficits.
Again, the NYT does an disservice to all, hearing and hearing-impaired alike.
Hearing aids are amplifiers. hearing loss, hearing problems and communication difficulties due to auditory dysfunction can be resolved/improved given some increase in loudness, yes, as hearing aids can provide. But the product is NOT a panacea for all -- and in some cases most -- hearing problems & communication deficits.
Again, the NYT does an disservice to all, hearing and hearing-impaired alike.
8
The lower end self programmable devices will be great for a large group of the population with moderate hearing loss. Having said that, the power , technology and performance of properly fitted high end hearing aids is impressive. One of the biggest cost drivers in the price of hearing aids is the overheads of local audiologists (spread over a very small customer base) - this adds between $2,000 and $4,000 to the price of premium hearing aids. And once you get your hearing test from an Audiologist, programming them is more of a science than an art so while it needs to be done by someone licensed to do so, it does not need to be at retail. This is why Embrace Hearing was created. We sell the highest end hearing aids online for 1/3 of the retail cost - we dont have the retail overheads and we ship world wide - lower costs, more customers - we pass the savings on to our customers.
4
The prices charged by practitioners for hearing aids is a classic protected rip-off of huge dimensions, like drug prices. Think of what kind of computer you can buy for $4000 dollars and ask yourself how a hearing aid can cost that much or more. It doesn't make sense.
12
How much are these devices in other countries? Maybe it warrants a trip to get one overseas or in Canada.
2
By far the majority of hearing loss cases are in the upper frequencies. Consonants are higher pitched than vowels, and so as you age you lose parts of words. You can hear tones of voice, you hear someone talking but you can't understand what they're saying. How the consonants are formed in a word affects the vowels before and after and makes it easier to guess, but it's still guessing, and far harder in a noisy environment.
Hearing aids give you those upper frequencies and whole words back. The sooner you start using them, the easier it is to retrain your brain to pick out sounds from the background noise.
One thing an audiologist can test you for that a kiosk sure can't: there's a reason they tell you to keep your hand up as long as you can hear the sound. If you hear it but then stop hearing it while it's still going, that's a sign of a brain tumor.
Not an audiologist, just the longtime patient of one. Got my first pair in my 20s, thirty years ago.
Hearing aids give you those upper frequencies and whole words back. The sooner you start using them, the easier it is to retrain your brain to pick out sounds from the background noise.
One thing an audiologist can test you for that a kiosk sure can't: there's a reason they tell you to keep your hand up as long as you can hear the sound. If you hear it but then stop hearing it while it's still going, that's a sign of a brain tumor.
Not an audiologist, just the longtime patient of one. Got my first pair in my 20s, thirty years ago.
4
As an individual with a moderate to profound hearing loss since birth (wearing hearing aids since age 3) and a D/hh teacher with the 2nd largest school district in the US and a consultant to the older generation who are now having to wear hearing aids, I can tell you that while we have made great progress toward acceptance, the "stigma" of wearing them is still present sadly. What the audiologist and people at the mall CAN'T teach people who are just getting hearing aids after having hearing all their lives is what sounds to listen for and the "nuances" of hearing. For example, one with a hearing loss NEEDS to look at someones lips and more. If buying a hearing aid(s) at the mall comes to be, I already know they will end up in a drawer someplace and no one is going to want to wear them as when they do, the complaints will be numerous.
With more baby boomers becoming HOH with the loud noises around us, it is inevitable that something will have to be done.
With more baby boomers becoming HOH with the loud noises around us, it is inevitable that something will have to be done.
8
Untreated hearing loss comes with significant individual and societal costs. At the Hearing Health Foundation, we support research, education and awareness toward prevention and treatment of hearing loss. We believe that hearing health care should involve a wide range of services and technologies, and we are supportive of lower-costs hearing aids and the novel ways of acquiring them. However, unregulated devices often amplify sounds at dangerous decibel levels that can further damage hearing. As such, they defy the problem they seek to mitigate.Safety standards and federal regulations must be enforced to ensure that individuals with hearing loss fully benefit, and are not harmed by, over-the-counter hearing aids and other assistive hearing technology.
Nadine Dehgan
CEO
Hearing Health Foundation
Nadine Dehgan
CEO
Hearing Health Foundation
4
My first hearing aids, at about age 65, were obtained through an audiologist for about $4,000. This year, at age 84, I bought a pair at Costco. Maybe the guy was an audiologist, maybe not. I wasn't sure. I paid $1,700 and they are warranted for several years and I can return them for a full refund anytime in the first year. Can be serviced for free at any Costco, anywhere. They work just fine. I have moderate hearing loss that, unaided, makes it impossible to hear movies or strike up meaningful conversations in a group setting. Now I can do both.
11
An elderly family member purchased his hearing aids at Costco. Their personnel are not PhD audiologists with their ASHA Certification, but they have state licenses for hearing testing and hearing aid sales. They evaluate hearing in a sound proof booth and give the client very good information about using hearing aids correctly. The price, warrantee and continued service were excellent. The Kirkland brand is very good and Costco sells a wide variety of other top of the line hearing aids. I have questions about sales at malls--seems a state license of some kind should be required, assuring that the sales staff has an adequate level of training for dispensing hearing aids and educating the purchaser. If the correct counseling on usage and proper adjustments are not part of the purchase, the hearing aids will not be worn consistently.
8
another option for hearing impaired individuals (especially with cognitive impairments or unlikely to wear hearing aids consistently) is the purchase of an assistive listening device such as a Pocket Talker. I purchased one for my mother for $100 online-- it was useful for listening to the TV - (normal volume for the others in the room while she had headphones on) and for listening to others, in group or individual situations. The clarity and amplification are excellent and the device truly works. If an individual is at home alone most of the time, hearing aids will not be used enough to grow accustomed to them. The Pocket Talker can be used when the need arises. The batteries are easily replaced and the affordability makes it a very viable option. My elderly aunt now uses one when her children visit in her assisted living facility.
2
While hearing prostheses can be very beneficial in limited circumstances (low levels of background noise in environments with relatively little reverberation), they currently don't provide anything approaching the richness and subtlety of natural hearing. The real breakthrough, preservation or restoration of natural-like hearing, if it ever comes to pass, will arrive in the future after a lot of additional basic research.
17
Exactly. I seldom wear my $4,500 hearing aids because they don't help in any situation except the ones you describe. I could care less about the "stigma," and I have been known to take them out of my pocket and put them on in social situations where they become useful.
6
I know I probably need hearing aids for age-related hearing loss. Your comment is one reason why I haven't done anything about it yet. I understand that the aids may not help in all situations, as you say. What I never hear, though, is what makes people who have them leave them out? Does wearing them make it harder to hear natural sounds? Are they hot or itchy or otherwise bothersome? Do you feel like your ear is plugged up when they are in? After cataract surgery, I still wear one contact lens for reading, because I can't stand wearing glasses (my skin actually breaks down and I get sore spots no matter the style or how they are fitted), so my questions are serious, not facetious. Will I find the aids are more bothersome than helpful? The last thing I want is to spend what you spent for hearing aids that I don't wear and feel guilty about. I hope you do not mind responding!
1
I use behind-the-ear aids made by Resound, which are much less intrusive than in-the-ear aids and can be used in cases of mild-to-moderate hearing loss. I should stress that my aids are extremely helpful to me - enabling me to understand much more of what someone is saying than I otherwise might. I use them all the time - occasionally with a remote microphone (that your interlocutor can hold or clip on a lapel) and sometimes with a transmitter that can be attached to the output of a TV set. These are bluetooth devices that are controlled with a smartphone app, which can also be used to select and fine-tune the aids' performance. Modern aids also can be used in conjunction with hearing-assist systems in theaters.
I suspect that a major problem for some people is that they expect more from hearing aids than the aids can deliver. In my experience, their most important effect is subtle at first but ultimately helpful: to increase the intelligibility of other people's speech enough to make a difference in what the user can understand. Nothing miraculous, but very helpful in the right circumstances, and with some patience and dedication.
Finally, I believe that most dispensers of hearing aids will give clients a 2-3 month trial period, during which they can return the aids for a full refund if they can't make good use of them. I had this kind of experience with in-the-ear aids, which effectively block out all airborne sound and provide a very different kind of experience.
I suspect that a major problem for some people is that they expect more from hearing aids than the aids can deliver. In my experience, their most important effect is subtle at first but ultimately helpful: to increase the intelligibility of other people's speech enough to make a difference in what the user can understand. Nothing miraculous, but very helpful in the right circumstances, and with some patience and dedication.
Finally, I believe that most dispensers of hearing aids will give clients a 2-3 month trial period, during which they can return the aids for a full refund if they can't make good use of them. I had this kind of experience with in-the-ear aids, which effectively block out all airborne sound and provide a very different kind of experience.
2
Ms. Span, There is much more to this story. I hope that you take some time to visit your local audiology clinics and learn about what happens in a typical patient encounter. You have cherry-picked the article by Dr. Humes. I have a letter to Senators Warren and Grassley that I hope you will take time to read. And, please keep in mind that the mall stores or kiosks will not be able to provide the type of follow-up/troubleshooting services that thousands of hard-working audiologists and their staff offer every single day. You might want to check into the average salaries of audiologists while you are at it.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/open-letter-senators-warren-grassley-nore...
Respectfully, Noreen Gibbens, AuD
Doctor of Audiology
(32+ years of clinical care and proud of it--along with the hundreds of students, fellow audiologists, support staff and others that have done the same hard work)
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/open-letter-senators-warren-grassley-nore...
Respectfully, Noreen Gibbens, AuD
Doctor of Audiology
(32+ years of clinical care and proud of it--along with the hundreds of students, fellow audiologists, support staff and others that have done the same hard work)
7
If you can't afford that audiology clinic, it does't much matter to you what goes on there. The malls will be for the rest of us, who would otherwise do without.
3
kitschy name? hearhere!!
1
Nice.
1
To point out, as this article does, that older adults with hearing loss fall more and have declining health is an example of _pst hoc ergo propter hoc_. Hearing loss aside, the elderly get feeble.
Just for context, I'm a 70-year old who wears (grossly overpriced) hearing aids.
Just for context, I'm a 70-year old who wears (grossly overpriced) hearing aids.
No, well-designed studies will include a control group of similar age and health status, so that they compare the experiences of people with hearing loss to other older adults -- not to younger, healthier ones.
10
But couldn't it be that problems within the ear cause both hearing loss and balance issues, thus more falls. Correcting the hearing would not necessarily correct the underlying factor leading to the falls.
6
Great. My $700 I-phone has the crappiest audio of any phone I've ever used. Now I can have an Apple-made hearing aid? Gee, it will probably be part of the Internet of Things, too, so that I can turn on my oven from my left ear, and remotely start my smart car from my right ear. This is called progress as capitalism continues to circle the drain of global collapse.
16
Uncertain (as someone else noted) that the "audiologist as gate keeper" is the model - you can purchase hearing aids over the Internet now
They cannot call them hearing aids, however. I think the terminology is Personal Sound Amplifier, which cover a wide array of devices.
I would love to see the cost of hearing aids come down. However, I'm pretty sure that an OTC approach isn't going to be the main cost driver. As the article author notes, Medicare specifically does not cover hearing aids. And since most private insurance benefits follow on Medicare coverage models, many private plans do not either. (Pro tip, tho: even if your plan doesn't cover them, bill through insurance anyway as your provider may offer a discounted rate to the full market price.)
I'm also wary of DIY fittings. As the study notes, the OTC protocol they created is likely not valid for a broad swath of hearing-aid users. In my decade of wearing hearing aids, I've found that a good audiologist is as key or more key than the instruments themselves. Hearing tests require expert interpretation, and to properly program digital aids, a good audiologist pays attention not just to the results, but to what you tell them about your hearing experience. Yes, that is a service that costs money, but it's a vital one to properly treating hearing loss. Solve the insurance issue, and you'll make far more progress on affordability than simply switching to an OTC model for some users.
I'm also wary of DIY fittings. As the study notes, the OTC protocol they created is likely not valid for a broad swath of hearing-aid users. In my decade of wearing hearing aids, I've found that a good audiologist is as key or more key than the instruments themselves. Hearing tests require expert interpretation, and to properly program digital aids, a good audiologist pays attention not just to the results, but to what you tell them about your hearing experience. Yes, that is a service that costs money, but it's a vital one to properly treating hearing loss. Solve the insurance issue, and you'll make far more progress on affordability than simply switching to an OTC model for some users.
9
Why does the author of this article think it unnecessary to address the question of insurance coverage of hearing aids? Weight-loss surgery, at up to $50,000 is covered by medicare. Why are the hearing impaired not covered ?There is no reason for this anomaly.
22
Those who might have voted to have Medicare cover hearing aids in 1965 did NOT do so; I asked several of my patients why, when they were in their 30s or 40s in the 1960s they didn't vote for that . . . and they would just look at me. Now, with the costs so high, availability easy AND after 1983 and the Congress imposition on Medicare fees, well, it's not possible.
4
Insurance coverage is just a euphemism for getting someone else to pay! Who, me pay? Heaven forbid!
I find it fascinating that the VA offers hearing tests and hearing aids to the veterans at reduced cost, even free, and with a lifetime supply of batteries.
(http://www.healthyhearing.com/help/hearing-aids/va) If one branch of the federal government can offer this service, why can't other branches?
(http://www.healthyhearing.com/help/hearing-aids/va) If one branch of the federal government can offer this service, why can't other branches?
27
I've had 2 sets of aids from the VA & only wear them under specific situations. Why? Because the VA provides basic models that only address 1aspect of hearing loss: amplification. I have multiple hearing issues the VA aids don't address. IMO, there's no point in wearing aids that help in 1 aspect, but you still can't hear well.
2
Hearing Industry Association? Is that just another lobbying group? It has been clear to me for years that miniaturization of electronics which has created over-the-moon computers for relatively low prices never translated into lower prices for hearing aids because of extremely high profits in the field of hearing aid sales. These sellers have been raking it in for decades and don't want their golden goose "cooked."
16
In my public speaking, I've recently been working with a 92-year-old woman who hands me a remote transmitter for her hearing aid, which I then clip to my lapel. She is not shy about the hearing aids, or the fact that everyone else in the group knows whose device it is. For the first time in the two years she has been with us, she can hear what I'm saying (which hasn't changed her mind about attending!). What grieves me is that there are least eight other people in the group with profound hearing loss. They would have to lay out at least $2,500 for audiologist visits and a whiz-bang device like this.
10
This would change my life so dramatically. I am 36 years old with congenital hearing loss. It has been really difficult for me to afford hearing aids as I've never had insurance that covers hearing aids the same way it covers other devices like eyeglasses.
Most of my friends and coworkers aren't aware of my hearing loss until I inform them of it - and I do - because I have made many adaptations so as to be able to function normally without the expensive hearing aids. Still, if I were able to afford them I would have them this instant. My quality of life would improve dramatically. So would that of my loved ones who are probably sick and tired of helping me communicate in certain scenarios.
Most of my friends and coworkers aren't aware of my hearing loss until I inform them of it - and I do - because I have made many adaptations so as to be able to function normally without the expensive hearing aids. Still, if I were able to afford them I would have them this instant. My quality of life would improve dramatically. So would that of my loved ones who are probably sick and tired of helping me communicate in certain scenarios.
9
My parents' hearing aids were $1200 for each ear! No insurance coverage or Medicare. I hope you are able to get the help you need to hear and soon!
3
So until this legislation goes through, skip the expensive audiologists and head off to Costco. You'll get better service, cheaper options and replacement if you lose them in the first three years.
4
I think it would help the moral of many people who have mild, and moderate hearing loss. I have a hearing loss and know I will eventually want hearing aids. I think making them available would be a terrific step in helping all people.
7
Don't look for that in the new health insurance plans from Congress! They are not too interested in morale or helping people.
3
While it is true that hearing loss is especially prevalent among older adults, please dispense with the notion that it is exclusively an old-age thing. Three out of every 1,000 babies are born with hearing loss, and up to 20% of teenagers will have completely preventable, noise-induced hearing loss (due mostly to listening to music too loudly). Myself, I was diagnosed with hearing loss at age 10, wore very expensive hearing aids for the next 25 years, and now, in my forties, wear two cochlear implants (which are fully covered by insurance thank goodness). Your very last sentence is about "a diversity of people" yet right above that you limit your writing to those who get Medicare. Please remember that hearing loss affects everyone at any age.
13
Always a good reminder, Sdh, but the column is called the New Old Age because it focuses specifically on aging and caregiving.
4
Been there, done that, and heard it all before. Tried state of the art digital hearing aids and returned them a couple of days later. I have already adapted to my mild to moderate hearing loss, so, no thank you...
It sounds like you had a negative experience. I recommend you find a caring audiologist to help you. You will see that working with the right person makes all the difference. Consider this, your brain needs to be stimulated in order for it to function appropriately. If you have a moderate hearing loss, your brain physically cannot recieve the input it needs to continue to create the neural bridges necessary for you to keep up, socially. The result of leaving your hearing loss untreated is increased stress from the strain of trying to hear, withdrawl from activities you once enjoyed, and even depression. Please do not allow your brain to starve itself of information that brings life to living. It's like resigning yourself to living in a dimly lit room when everyone else is out enjoying the sunlight.
2
No, quite the opposite, I had a wonderful experience with the audiologist who I consulted. The hearing aids worked well, too well. As I said, I have already adapted to my asymmetrical tinnitus with mild to moderate hearing loss. I have heard it all before anyway. I do use Bose ear pieces on my phone and when listening to music. I simply adjust the tone. Otherwise, I persevere and adapt to the inevitability and management of my aging.
1
You can already buy an excellent hearing aid for $150, at retail. Hunters and outdoor types are very familiar with the "game ear" pieces sold under various brands/retailers. They are, quite simply, a hearing aid, and have been sold for many years.
6
How about a short list of these suppliers?
1
Not soon enough. This has been a complete disaster for decades, especially from the point that health programs would not provide payment assistance. I have had very good medical coverage through my employers for the most part, except for hearing aids; they cost me over $5,000 totally out of my pocket. I was fortunate to finally have the money for them, so many people do not. Maybe, when my current hearing aids no longer function well enough, this new plan will be in place, if I'm still alive. But I think I have a better chance of being here than this plan has of seeing the light of day, given the current nefarious...no, disgusting, political administration. This plan would help people who actually need it - Donnie would never allow that.
20
Sheez! Obama didn't help you with this any more than Trump did!
1
The president doesn't write bills. That's up to Congress, and we know who controlled Congress during most of the Obama years.
5
Excellent news for the millions who may look forward to affordable hearing aids.The issue with the so called best devices offered, reamain's the same. Unless you have two or three auxiliary devices, like a I Phone, or a phone clip as example, hearing aids do not work in Restaurants , watching TV, or howling when you use a smart phone or land line phone, close to your ear. All hearing aids basically accomplish is increasing volume. High frequencies remain out of range to hear. Cocktail parties forget it! Complete in the ear devices to get around the stigma of wearing hearing aids don't communicate with auxiliary devices. So the box behind the ear is required.
3
I have Resound hearing aids which fit completely in the ear and can communicate with my iPhone via Bluetooth as well as my mini-microphone for TV watching. It is not necessary to have a behind the ear aid to have this capability with other makes as well.
3
Medicare should cover the cost of hearing, not to mention dental.
These are essential services.
These are essential services.
62
Until the monopoly of hearing aid manufacturers is broken, adding medicare would be gravy to the 6 manufacturers and a heavy burden on the government.
6
I can't hear you. This is a phony excuse. What about the "heavy burden" of unlimited Pentagon spending or tax cuts for corporations? This is fine, right?
14
I was born and brought up in Oklahoma before moving to the land of a National Health Service (I married a Brit). My father had significant hearing loss - probably both industrial cause and hereditary. Fifty years ago he had aids which helped some. I have had Siemens aids for ten years; they are provided by the NHS at no charge and have been regularly upgraded after visits to the NHS audiologist; my son, still in his 40's is awaiting an appointment with a senior ENT doctor before the prescription of the aids he needs. Our aids are/will be provided by a single payer health service. It's a terrible concept isn't it that British national insurance (equivalent of Social Security) should pay for people to be able to hear!
62
Agree with your comments. We should remember, Social Security was designed so most people never collected any funds, or maybe a couple years. Medicare works, but the doughnut hole for Drugs doesn't go away until 2020. Social Security is broke so adding things like hearing aids will never happen.
3
Social Security is an artificial problem; there is no reason for the current FICA cutoff. It is not the appropriate program for hearing aids anyway. Medicare would be much stronger if first extended to the healthier 50+ cohort, then all as the insurance middlemen are phased out. The drug donuthole is an abomination.
1
Hearing aids, custom fitted by an audiologist, are available at half cost. Go to a Costco hearing aid center; their audiologists are on salary, not on commission. Other similar deals are also available; my supplemental Medicare insurance carrier, which actually reimburses for hearing aids, has a similar deal with a chain of audiology/hearing aid providers.
5
They still can be thousands of dollars.
6
My current audiologist has sold me my hearing aids and taken excellent care of me for the last 20 years. A few years ago he started matching the prices at Costco. The savings was only a couple of hundred dollars.
Even at Costco, still over $1700. Pretty steep on a small pension. However, I was sold one useless hearing aid (I could only afford one) through an audiologist 7 years ago for $4000. Supposed to be top of the line. I gave up after a few weeks. It didn't help with the TV or the phone, and it irritated the inside of my ear. It's been in a drawer ever since. Useless, but difficult for me to through $4000 in the trash.
1
As best I can determine, I had a progressive autoimmune hearing loss that probably started when I was in college. It was fortunately gradual, but did culminate in a total hearing loss at age 74. (Now, all I can hear is a Harley Davidson at full throttle a few feet away...) Unfortunately, my hearing loss was unusual, and no aids matched the loss. In middle age, I had nearly normal high frequency hearing but 45db or greater loss at voice frequencies or below. I had to put up with filtered aids that still boosted too much in the highs and too little in the lows. I spent a lot of time and money with some very good audiologists and ENT doctors. Eventually, I also lost my high frequency hearing. As the aids would frequently blast out painfully loud in the high frequencies as I tried to hear speech in public settings, I assume that the hearing aids probably contributed to my eventual high frequency loss - loud noise is a cause of industrial hearing loss and high gain hearing aids produce loud noise. And contrary to what someone claimed, a poorly fitted aid can make understanding some types of speech worse than no aid at all. When I had a moderate hearing loss, I would sometimes have to remove my aids and cup my hand behind my ear to be able to understand some people.
5
You are right. The first analog hearing aids that could be programmed for specific pitches came out in the very late 60's, early 70's. I was told not to wear hearing aids as they would destroy my low frequency hearing which was quite good. I got my first ones in 1974, correctly programmed to my specific hearing pattern, and they were a miracle. Loved them, loved them, loved them.
College was exceptionally hard to get through as I missed so much of some lectures. But I did get through it.
I am sorry that it happened to you that way.
College was exceptionally hard to get through as I missed so much of some lectures. But I did get through it.
I am sorry that it happened to you that way.
2
Since most folks who need hearing aids are over the age of 70, I must suggest, "Hear today, Gone tomorrow".
7
Marmar suggests that "Since most folks who need hearing aids are over the age of 70, I must suggest, "Hear today, Gone tomorrow."
True of us, I suppose (though I do hope to live more than one more day), but he/she forgets that today's 69-year-old is tomorrow's 70-year-old. Indeed, most Americans now in their 20s or 30s will be 70 one day.
It's best not to scoff at things benefiting the elderly without first noticing that you're walking the same primrose path they took!
True of us, I suppose (though I do hope to live more than one more day), but he/she forgets that today's 69-year-old is tomorrow's 70-year-old. Indeed, most Americans now in their 20s or 30s will be 70 one day.
It's best not to scoff at things benefiting the elderly without first noticing that you're walking the same primrose path they took!
29
Who's scoffing? It's laughing so you won't cry.
In Heaven, you won't need your hearing aids. In Hell, you will!!!!
I've been wearing catalog hearing aids - amplifiers - for four years after four of the audiologist kind. They've worked well for me for 2000 fewer bucks!
L&B&L
In Heaven, you won't need your hearing aids. In Hell, you will!!!!
I've been wearing catalog hearing aids - amplifiers - for four years after four of the audiologist kind. They've worked well for me for 2000 fewer bucks!
L&B&L
1
1. With a couple of generations of young people walking around every waking hour with earbuds blasting music or voices into their ears, they will have serious hearing problems a long time before they're 70. Plus, the general noise level in stores, restaurants, etc. is much higher than it used to be. 2. Studies have projected there could be 70 million Americans over the age of 65 by 2030. 3. A study done a few years ago projected that people then 65 could expect to live an average of 18 more years. I volunteer at a community center for seniors and visit a retirement community often. Many people in their 80s and 90s are quite active. Studies show that hearing loss is linked to dementia and depression. More active people are generally healthier and Medicare would spend less on them. There is a great need for affordable hearing aids.
5
Meanwhile we already have right-wing lobbying groups running ads alleging that this bill is a plot by Elizabeth Warren to “eliminate states rights, expand the size and power of the federal government resulting in higher prices for consumers.”
If there's a way to make or keep life worse for ordinary Americans, they will find it, won't they? http://dailycaller.com/2017/06/07/conservative-group-launches-ads-linkin...
If there's a way to make or keep life worse for ordinary Americans, they will find it, won't they? http://dailycaller.com/2017/06/07/conservative-group-launches-ads-linkin...
30
Kitchy name nomination: NOW HEAR THIS
4
Excellent!
3
Apple, Samsung, Bose, and other consumer electronics companies should provide us with economical hearing aids since many of their products are responsible for our hearing loss. I think there will be a boom in hearing loss with the ubiquity of cell phones, ear buds, and Beats.
34
Since Apple, Samsung, google and Bose now provide us with the most expensive call phones available I would not count on a cheaper hearing aid from them. However China would probably fill that gap as it has done with many excellent smartphones at reasonable prices.
5
I need one regular hearing aid and one transmitter for my totally deaf ear. That's in-ear aids. Is that combination going to be OTC also?
1
No. It will not. You need a BiCros. Please, go see an audiologist. You have a specialty need and you could see an amazing improvement in your quality of life if you give it a try.
1
"Amazing improvement" is hardly what BiCros aids provide. You still get no triangulation so background noise is worse than ever because MORE sound is going into one ear, and they are not programmable with a cell phone. BiCros aids help a lot in a few situations, help somewhat in others. Then the rest of the time it's worse than ever.
My hearing loss is worse in one ear than the other. Should I stay away from OTC and internet hearing aids? I refuse to pay a fortune for hearing aids, but some kind of immediate help would be great.
6
I bought hearing aids over the Internet and they helped me a lot. I have a large group of friends with many social gatherings and was able to have a conversation with another person who had hearing aids in a very noisy room. When I met my deductible I purchased top of the line prescription hearing aids that work significantly better but those first ones got me through some difficult times. I am so glad hearing aids will soon be more accessible and affordable to all.
7
Have you had your hearing tested? Having an asymmetrical loss can be a red flag for a potential medical condition. Whether you decide to treat your hearing loss or not, you really should have a professional evaluation. I'd be happy to see you at Vital Hearing in Lakewood, CO just to provide some education and guidance.
6
Keep this in mind, if you try an appropriate set of hearing aids with a qualified audiologist who you respect and feel comfortable with, you can return any hearing aid you try and recieve a refund, if not satisfied. With OTC there is no one to help you through the process or fit your hearing aid to your ear. There is a test that audioligists use called real ear measures where we measure the sound pressure your ear drum recieves with your hearing aids. This is how we obtain a precise fit. Every ear is different. Honestly, otc devices can be compared to cheater glasses. They really will not work in an acceptable way for anything beyond a mild loss.
I'm not sure where this "audiologist as gate keeper" notion has come from. Consumers can and have purchased hearing aids from hearing dispensers for decades; as a matter of fact, there was a time when audiologists were prohibited from selling hearing aids due to a "conflict of interest." All patients were then referred to hearing aid dispensers.
It will be interesting to see how all this shakes out and how the professional community of audiologists responds and sustains itself.
It will be interesting to see how all this shakes out and how the professional community of audiologists responds and sustains itself.
6
" "audiologist as gate keeper" notion has come from"
It comes from SPECIAL INTERESTS offering cash bribes, the same sources where most legislation comes from.
Americans could vote differently to affect the situation, but usually don't.
It comes from SPECIAL INTERESTS offering cash bribes, the same sources where most legislation comes from.
Americans could vote differently to affect the situation, but usually don't.
2
While diversifying the marketplace would finally lower the cosmic cost of hearing aids, which hard-of-hearing and late-deafened adults like myself have wanted for decades, there are still elements of ableism, exclusion, and prejudicial, medical misconception reported in this article.
The pending study by Dr. Lin is a classic example of medical science fostering the false notion that the ability to hear is directly related to mental health, an ancient misconception that actually dates back to the time of Aristotle, when "civilization" first equated speech with language. That $16,000,000 was authorized for this study only reminds individuals with hearing loss, including the Deaf community, that the dominant hearing world will pay millions of dollars just to believe that having the ability to hear makes them better than those of us who are different.
Consider as well the proposal to limit the marketplace to mild hearing loss. This simply reveals another overshadowing aspect of hearing ableism, simply because the proposal assumes that individuals with significant hearing loss are incapable of making decisions for themselves.
Opening the marketplace is a significant step forward, but it is quite clear that ableism remains incapable of acceptance.
The pending study by Dr. Lin is a classic example of medical science fostering the false notion that the ability to hear is directly related to mental health, an ancient misconception that actually dates back to the time of Aristotle, when "civilization" first equated speech with language. That $16,000,000 was authorized for this study only reminds individuals with hearing loss, including the Deaf community, that the dominant hearing world will pay millions of dollars just to believe that having the ability to hear makes them better than those of us who are different.
Consider as well the proposal to limit the marketplace to mild hearing loss. This simply reveals another overshadowing aspect of hearing ableism, simply because the proposal assumes that individuals with significant hearing loss are incapable of making decisions for themselves.
Opening the marketplace is a significant step forward, but it is quite clear that ableism remains incapable of acceptance.
10
For people or families that don't sign and people with fewer social outlets (which happens with hearing loss) there is from what I have read a correlation with declining mental health and possibly accelerated cognitive decline. The ability to communicate with your friends is important.
It really has very little to do with the Deaf community per se.
It really has very little to do with the Deaf community per se.
14
My father-in-law is almost completely deaf now. He is also stubborn as a mule and has arthritis that wrecked his hands. Do you want to come teach him sign language? ASL is an awesome thing, but not relevant here or for millions of other people.
5
"the ability to hear is directly related to mental health"
Certainly not being able to hear the world is a cause of isolation, which very well affects mental health.
To deny this is a "hear no evil" reckless stance.
Certainly not being able to hear the world is a cause of isolation, which very well affects mental health.
To deny this is a "hear no evil" reckless stance.
5
Why are eyeglasses, hearing aids, dental care and home health care considered "optional" or "cosmetic" or some other term that implies that they aren't vital? And yet a pacemaker in a patient who is terminal is covered by Medicare. I hope this really comes to pass. And when it does, I'm sure, Paula, that you will be the one to let us know!! Thank you!
39
For some reason, the right-wingers among us believe that the human body does not include the head.
36
Exactly! My cousin, an ENT doctor in England, visited me last week. While the NHS is going through a tough period right now, British citizens have had coverage of these healthcare needs for what, 60+ years? She did say they face a dramatic shortage of nursingcare and assisted living facilities. We babyboomers around the world did not do a great job of preparing our societies to handle our later years, and now the chickens are coming home to roost.
1
There is a tremendous amount of profit in hearing aids; you only have to look at the full-page ads run by hearing aid places in newspapers such as Newsday almost every day. Those ads don't come cheap. And just try to comparison shop among sellers -- you can't get a straight price quote and they are much more interested in learning what kind of insurance you have. If the technology in a smart phone only costs a few hundred dollars there's no reason a pair of hearing aids should cost $5,000. This industry is long overdue for competition and sunshine disinfectant.
127
The industry also increases prices in lock-step by about 8% every year, just like the drug companies.
3
Hah. Mine were $8888 for the latest technological breakthrough, but then they go up to 110 dB, and it used to be that anything over 90 dB was considered totally deaf. I'm a tiny percentage of the market and I pay for your R&D.
But what I paid for was not just the aids but a lifetime supply of batteries for them, the audiologist's time to adjust them even as my hearing changes for as long as I own them, his time when diagnosing, for instance, a speaker I didn't know I'd broken, and a routine cleaning out of the earwax from them as many times in a month as I care to bring them in. That's a lot of time.
The upshot is that even after 30 years of wearing hearing aids for a severe loss, with these I was hearing birds again, I could hear a voice across a room (this was HUGE!), found out the neighbors have a yappy little dog--who knew--and felt like a whole new person. Worth every penny. I cannot begin to fathom not choosing to hear like this.
But what I paid for was not just the aids but a lifetime supply of batteries for them, the audiologist's time to adjust them even as my hearing changes for as long as I own them, his time when diagnosing, for instance, a speaker I didn't know I'd broken, and a routine cleaning out of the earwax from them as many times in a month as I care to bring them in. That's a lot of time.
The upshot is that even after 30 years of wearing hearing aids for a severe loss, with these I was hearing birds again, I could hear a voice across a room (this was HUGE!), found out the neighbors have a yappy little dog--who knew--and felt like a whole new person. Worth every penny. I cannot begin to fathom not choosing to hear like this.
3
At that mind-boggling price, is there insurance coverage against loss, which seems to be a common experience?
This is way overdue. A top of the line set of aids from an audiologist costs around $7,000, but you get 3 years of service. Few can afford this. In the last few years Costco started carrying top of the line products for about 1/2 the cost, but you waited a very long time for a servicing. Still, these things are mass produced and the market is huge and growing as boomers age up. They are still way over priced. $300 per unit seems about right. As to the consumer, fitting himself, they do with reading glasses. This is not more complex, really. If you have the right computer program, there should not be a problem. For those that need help, they will have the option of paying for it. But, I suspect once there is competition from the mall stores, prices will plummet across the market and they should. People are sophisticated enough to buy electronic equipment, cars, homes, and various financial products. By in large they do ok. This is not different. For those who say this option should only be available for the mildly impaired, with respect, that is protecting one's turf. As to the FDIC having 3 years to write the regulations if the law passes, that is way, way too long. Please, let people hear and not charge exorbitant prices. The sooner the better.
90
Three years for $7000? I keep my cell phones, laptops, and cars longer than that!
I got my hearing aids at CostCo. They're not the perfect solution - I don't think any hearing aid is yet- but they're making a big difference in my ability to hear. CostCo doesn't use audiologists, but uses technicians. I'm,pretty darn happy and spent $1,800 for the pair.
25
After suffering an autoimmune hearing loss when I was in my 30s, I had gotten by without hearing aids. The cost was prohibitive, I was embarassed, and my one attempt to wear them after the initial hearing loss had been unsuccessful. When the technician I saw at Costco last year told me that I did not need hearing aids, I felt relieved. Yet, deep down I knew she was wrong. Struggling to hear at work I was exhausted at the end of the day. I grew increasingly isolated as it was just too exhausting to try to hear. I was reluctant to go out because conversation in many settings was just too hard. Finally, a combination of events led me to an audiologist. She confirmed a moderate hearing loss and fitted me with hearing aids. They have been life-changing. While I agree the cost is too high and not everyone requires the skill of an audiologist, I am concerned. Wearing hearing aids successfully isn't as easy as a trip to the mall.
8
Yes, exhaustion is a huge problem with hearing loss. The brain is having to work overtime to make sense of conversation and other sounds. This was the first relief I experienced from using hearing aids. We don't talk enough about this symptom if hearing loss.
4
Indeed. Education about living in the world with a hearing loss is desperately needed. Life does not automatically go back to a world of normal hearing when one gets hearing aids. The biggest help for me was a lip reading class that focused on how to communicate when you don't understand or hear what is being said. It was free through my local community college.
1
Why is Medicare coverage of hearing aids prohibited by law? That's the major injustice that needs to be addressed.
All other kinds of stuff is covered, like the knee braces and scooters I see advertised on TV. Not to mention Viagra.
Hearing is one of the major physical senses. Encroaching deafness is crippling if you need to hear to work, as I do.
Being able to buy hearing aids OTC is a step in the right direction, but Medicare should pay for them.
All other kinds of stuff is covered, like the knee braces and scooters I see advertised on TV. Not to mention Viagra.
Hearing is one of the major physical senses. Encroaching deafness is crippling if you need to hear to work, as I do.
Being able to buy hearing aids OTC is a step in the right direction, but Medicare should pay for them.
110
Ms. Schneebly, the original Medicare act of 1965 prohibited coverage for hearing aids. Congress would have to rewrite and revise it to include hearing health. But it also doesn't cover Viagra, since Congress barred Part D coverage of such drugs in 2006.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/25/politics/house-rejects-coverage-of-impotence-pills.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/25/politics/house-rejects-coverage-of-impotence-pills.html
7
I have to think it's because they are so expensive, that many of the offices that sell hearing aids would take advantage of seniors, just to bill Medicare for thousands per patient. Perhaps the law would change and cover a percentage up to the average cost of OTC hearing aids (say, $300) - but not any time soon.
At 38, I was diagnosed with significant hearing loss in high ranges. I can't hear whispers or certain sounds. I was fitted for hearing devices at a cost of over $5k total — none of which was covered by private insurance. I didn't buy the devices, because I can't afford it, even though they'd help me a lot and maybe even help preserve my hearing. They tried really hard to sell to me but I'm not a sucker. I'm 42 now and the audiology office still calls me constantly, about sales, promotions, etc. Anything to make a sale. I can't imaging being elderly & coerced into taking out a loan or my savings to pay for hearing devices.
At 38, I was diagnosed with significant hearing loss in high ranges. I can't hear whispers or certain sounds. I was fitted for hearing devices at a cost of over $5k total — none of which was covered by private insurance. I didn't buy the devices, because I can't afford it, even though they'd help me a lot and maybe even help preserve my hearing. They tried really hard to sell to me but I'm not a sucker. I'm 42 now and the audiology office still calls me constantly, about sales, promotions, etc. Anything to make a sale. I can't imaging being elderly & coerced into taking out a loan or my savings to pay for hearing devices.
3
Every time Medicare covers an item like a chair or a scooter, scammers appear. If the hearing aid benefit were 300 per ear someone would figure out how to cheat either Medicare or the elderly.
Sad but this soft fraud is killing Medicare.
Sad but this soft fraud is killing Medicare.
1
My father already buys his hearing aids at Costco. Has been for years...
3
I've heard from lots of readers happy with hearing aids from Costco, Georgina. But even Costco uses the old "bundled" method in which you are paying for the aids, the testing, the adjustment, with an audiologist still serving as the gatekeeper. And hearing aids are still not cheap at Costco. This proposed legislation should open up still more options.
19
As previously noted, Costco does not use audiologists.
2
Apparently in some states Costco does had audiologist, as required by the state law. Not so in California.
1
AT $5000 a pair (that's what my mother just paid) there has to be a lot profit margin built in because with today's technology, it shouldn't cost that much. This a great way to let the market place dictate pricing and it will surely bring prices down for us all.
9
With the technology availability consumers should not be robbed.
The practice of "locking" hearing aids that permits only the seller to service them is unconscionable. There is no doubt more technology in your cell phone than in a hearing aid device.
Get it on the market NOW and let the insanity of pricing and gouging the public begin.
The practice of "locking" hearing aids that permits only the seller to service them is unconscionable. There is no doubt more technology in your cell phone than in a hearing aid device.
Get it on the market NOW and let the insanity of pricing and gouging the public begin.
10
Never heard of locking them into one seller before. Although you do pay for their time in advance when you buy the things, so you would have to pay the non-seller for their time.
I gave my dad my old hearing aids; his audiologist provided his audiogram, my audiologist made him the earmolds and adjusted the aids to suit him, and after he flew home again his audiologist serviced the aids at some agreed-on price.
I gave my dad my old hearing aids; his audiologist provided his audiogram, my audiologist made him the earmolds and adjusted the aids to suit him, and after he flew home again his audiologist serviced the aids at some agreed-on price.
1
We spend billions on creating phone apps (many outright absurd - Haircaster or Pimple Popper or Sexy Bikini Fart, anyone) but can't find anyone to make good hearing aids at a reasonable cost.
21
MDHearingAid. Read about the company in the New York Times A few years ago and purchased their best ones for $700.
2
Why didn't this article mention hearing aids offered on the internet? There are some good ones out there for as little as $258 for a pair--not just one aid--a pair! I have another set which cost $650 for the pair, and they have three selectable programs, a tele coil for facilities which employ this hearing aid, and most importantly, a volume control. Do not buy a hearing aid that does not have a volume control! A volume control allows one to adjust for slowly declining hearing without taking one's aids to a technician for a hefty fee. Expensive aids constitute one of medicine's biggest rip-offs.
12
I fully agree. But along with any medical rip-off like this one there is usually another law prohibiting import and online buying "for your protection". I am guessing that is the case here too.
2
Let's not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Like eyeglasses, hearing aids can be designed with many levels of sophistication and quality but all should provide at least some degree of hearing improvement. As long as the cost of hearing aids often run into the thousands of dollars, cheaper, OTC hearing aids will help millions of people who need them get much needed improvement.
My concern is that consumers with substantial resources will have access to the best while the rest will get only marginal benefits from cheaper options. Good hearing correction should be just as important as good vision correction.
My concern is that consumers with substantial resources will have access to the best while the rest will get only marginal benefits from cheaper options. Good hearing correction should be just as important as good vision correction.
6
You can buy a great hearing aid Over the counter (direct to consumer) right now. No need for the legislation. I was quoted a price of nearly $4000/pair from an audiologist to help with my moderate, high frequency hearing loss (she told me that this is a very common type of hearing problem). After the shock subsided, I started doing some research on line and found a product on walmart.com from General Hearing Instruments. Although I was a bit skeptical, I decided to try the Simplicity Smart Touch mostly because the reviews were very good and they offered a 90 day, 100% money back guarantee. I received them in just a couple of days. I viewed the DVD, popped them in my ears and I was surprised. They work great and I paid less than $1000 for the pair!
4
Glad to hear you had a good experience. But the problem with these non-prescription PSAPs (personal sound amplification products) is that a few brands work very well but many are worthless -- and it's very difficult for consumers to tell which are which.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/19/health/hearing-aid-alternatives.html
Having FDA requirements for effectiveness and safety would mean that consumers could have more confidence in buying aids over the counter.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/19/health/hearing-aid-alternatives.html
Having FDA requirements for effectiveness and safety would mean that consumers could have more confidence in buying aids over the counter.
22
Before ordering I called the company customer service line listed on the site. I asked them if these were amplifiers. They told me that these devices are not amplifiers, but really hearing aids and are regulated by the FDA. The difference is that they are pre-programmed to a very common hearing loss pattern for people that have moderate hearing loss. If your hearing loss happens to fall outside of that common pattern and they are not suitable, they can be returned to the local store for a full refund. Walmart backing the transaction gave me the added confidence to try them out. I am sure glad I did.
8
Having the FDA "seal of approval" is not a guarantee of anything. As one example, the FDA approved Theranos.
1
I just bought my second pair of new hearing aids(upgrade after four years of my first pair). They are an improvement--that's the plus side. They were also more expensive ($500.00 more). And those were the least expensive in the whole audiology office. I went for several adjustments, but one of the pair stopped working completely within a week--the audiologist office replaced it immediately (it turned out to be defective). I got very good service through them(including the hearing exam).
The point is, yes, basic hearing aids should be far less expensive. I'm lucky I could afford them right now. However, I wonder about those future "walk-in" stores. What happens if you can't get it properly adjusted, they are defective or stop working, or aren't the right fit? I'm a little skeptical. I do think, though, the hearing aid industry is a bit of a racket, so something needs to be done to help more people hear better--the question is what.
The point is, yes, basic hearing aids should be far less expensive. I'm lucky I could afford them right now. However, I wonder about those future "walk-in" stores. What happens if you can't get it properly adjusted, they are defective or stop working, or aren't the right fit? I'm a little skeptical. I do think, though, the hearing aid industry is a bit of a racket, so something needs to be done to help more people hear better--the question is what.
15
Give me a break. Hearing aid specialists don't really know what they're doing.
I am very near sighted (9-10 diopters) with an astigmatism in at least one eye, and I now also wear progressive lenses. And I can't see anything when I go swimming with regular goggles -- but the difference when swimming with a $20 pair of 8 diopter goggles bought OTC in a swim kiosk is huge and stunning!! I imagine that hearing aids might be like that; even cheaper versions might provide significant improvement, if not the best possible. (And even my expensive glasses do not correct my eyesight to 20/20, plus I lose powers of resolution due to the strength of the correction needed.) And if I had a choice between prohibitively expensive glasses and an OTC pair with 8 diopter lenses, I would buy the OTC pair in a flash.
9
For swimming, OTC corrected goggles are fantastic. It's too bad most people don't know that they exist. The off-the-shelf diopter range is good enough, terrific in fact for most folks.
I suppose OTC hearing aids could be even better, after all they are electronic and could be adjusted through your computer or even your phone.
I suppose OTC hearing aids could be even better, after all they are electronic and could be adjusted through your computer or even your phone.
4
Good article. Thanks. I retired early when I could no longer clearly hear my students' questions and answers. Then along came the $5,000 Starkey aids and I wanted to go back, but alas my tenure position had been filled. I could have taught another five years and built my nest egg considerably. The other side of that is that retirement has been wonderful.
22
3 years? Really, 3 years? I've got a better idea.
Have the audio guys and the industry guys get together to develop industry standards that are both workable and achievable at a target price of $299 or less. Give them 12-18 months AND give them immunity from competition law to discuss and agree on the standards.
I betcha Apple, Bose and some of the other players could do it in 6 months.
Have the audio guys and the industry guys get together to develop industry standards that are both workable and achievable at a target price of $299 or less. Give them 12-18 months AND give them immunity from competition law to discuss and agree on the standards.
I betcha Apple, Bose and some of the other players could do it in 6 months.
58
I got hearing aids when my hearing loss (expected, because there's age-related hearing loss on both sides of the family) began having a negative effect on my appreciation of music. I could no longer hear the full tonal range, and familiar pieces sounded "wrong."
Getting the hearing aids was one of the best things I've done in recent years, much better than spending the rest of my life saying, "What? What?"
I received a discount with my insurance, but it was still a hefty expense and meant that I couldn't afford to take a planned foreign vacation.
Now can we do something about dental care? That's another area in which high costs discourage proper care.
Getting the hearing aids was one of the best things I've done in recent years, much better than spending the rest of my life saying, "What? What?"
I received a discount with my insurance, but it was still a hefty expense and meant that I couldn't afford to take a planned foreign vacation.
Now can we do something about dental care? That's another area in which high costs discourage proper care.
62
This isn't right. We shouldn't have to be reduced to sitting on electronic street corners, tin cup in hand, to obtain the medical care and devices we need.