Hearing loss is no laughing matter. One in eight people in the United States (13 percent, or 37 million people) aged 12 years or older has hearing loss in both ears, based on standard hearing examinations. About 2 percent of adults aged 45 to 54 have disabling hearing loss. The rate increases to 8.5 percent for adults aged 55 to 64 and continues to go up from there with age.
Most hearing loss can be corrected with hearing aids. The problem? The average cost of getting a quality hearing aid can exceed $5,000 and is usually not covered by insurance or Medicare. But lately there is good news.
While basic sound amplification devices have been available for many years, traditional hearing aids have been unavailable to many who need them because of the cost. According to the National Institutes of Health, only one in five Americans who have hearing loss wear a hearing aid. Yet research has shown that not wearing a hearing aid if you need one can increase the chances of depression, dementia, and even falls, not to mention the social impact of poor hearing.
In October of 2018, the FDA granted the first ever approval for the sale of a "self-fitted" hearing aid. Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids are a new category of hearing aids that consumers are now able to buy directly, without visiting a hearing health professional. These devices are intended to help adults who believe they have mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Like traditional hearing aids, OTC hearing aids will make sounds louder so that some people with difficulty hearing are better able to listen, communicate, and participate fully in daily activities. In addition, OTC hearing aids will be regulated as medical devices by the FDA.
The original product, from audio equipment maker Bose, went on sale in 2019 for about $1,000. In September, 2020, the FDA released its draft regulations for a new "over the counter" class of hearing devises. Now, a year later, they can be had at places like Wal-mart, CVS and Walgreens for as little as $600. More sophisticated devices that link to your smart phone are quickly becoming available online, including a hearing tests conducted over the phone and support in setting up and maintaining your device. These are more expensive but still thousands of dollars cheaper then traditionally obtained hearing aids.
If you have been avoiding investigating a hearing aid because of the cost, now may be the time to take a look.
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