I am acutely aware of the impact of severe hearing loss. I have the good fortune of being able to purchase very expensive hearing aids that provide considerable assistance in hearing what’s going on.
As occurs elsewhere in the medical profession, access to functional hearing aids has been controlled by audiologists. The result was that te…
I am acutely aware of the impact of severe hearing loss. I have the good fortune of being able to purchase very expensive hearing aids that provide considerable assistance in hearing what’s going on.
As occurs elsewhere in the medical profession, access to functional hearing aids has been controlled by audiologists. The result was that tens of millions of Americans with minor-to-moderate hearing loss were financially blocked from obtaining essential hearing assistance.
Thanks to the Biden administration, many millions of Americans will have the opportunity to hear better.
Another president, FDR, while campaigning for re-election in 1936, tried to assist a voter with his hearing problem. Learning that Josh had great difficulty hearing, he suggested to Josh that, if he cut down severely on his drinking, his hearing would improve.
Josh replied: “Mr. President, what I’ve been drinking is so much better than what I’ve been hearing that I’m just going to keep on drinking.”
I also was fortunate enough to purchase hearing aids prior to retirement two-plus years ago. Because I was employed at a medical school, I saw an audiologist and an otolaryngologist and received a discount: still paid nearly $4000! The MD told me it will be a great thing when hearing aids become deregulated--he knew it was coming because he lived a profession that saw how unfairly people who could benefit from hearing aids were completely shut out simply due to the fact they couldn’t afford it.
Now we must continue to get people out to vote in their best interests: simple things like hearing aids are just as important to good health as medications.
My first notice of hearing loss in high range was while working as a nursing assistant taking a temp with an electronic thermometer & the patient telling me it was done. I learned then to watch the screen until it stopped. Like all other losses to ageing it is mostly compensating & adapting.
I have a large DVD collection & always use subtitles or SDH. I have gotten rid of older ones that didn't have that feature. Strangely, hearing impaired ppl must not be worthy of watching the bonus features as they often do not have subtitles.
Ashley Ditto! I have learned not to blink when I hear “What’s up Doc?” Clearly the person is speaking to someone behind me.
I came close. My book NASSER’S NEW EGYPT:A CRITICAL ANALYSIS (1960) was accepted as a doctoral dissertation by the U. Of Penn. But I didn’t seek the rough and tumble of the academic world. Rather I joined the Foreign Service and volunteered for the tranquility of six years in/on Congo. 9mm Beretta, M-16, and .45 would seem amiss in a faculty room.
My internist alerted me to Costco hearing aids when I started to need them. Excellent in-house audiologists and top of the line Phonaks and Resounds for about half the price charged by independent audiologists. This was several years ago. Upgraded once since then to keep up with improvements in technology.
Rex, as I replied to another comment down thread, not all Costco locations have an audiologist on site. Mine, in a rural CA county, only has a ‘technician’ to do testing/fitting, etc. Appointments to be seen are 6 months out (sadly healthcare services here are generally insufficient to meet the needs of the county’s population & many travel hours away for medical/dental care). Agree that Costco hearing aids seem to be of good quality and features.
That might work if it’s possible. The local techs are all you need after you get the hearing aids. That means two long trips (hearing test and order of hearings aids, then pickup and recheck a few weeks later), but the local techs can do everything necessary after that until you want to upgrade.
The nearest other Costco would be a 3+ hour one-way trip east to Redding, CA or 5 or so hour one-way south to Santa Rosa, CA….would have to check to see if those had audiologists! I love living ‘behind the redwood curtain’ as we call it here, but there are limitations to being such a small population in a large sized county (square miles) & limited healthcare services at all levels are one of them. Would like to encourage the Fed to promote and greatly increase their rural healthcare educational loan forgiveness program for those who work in rural areas for X-number of years to reduce/eliminate their loan debt..a la ‘Northern Exposure’—the TV program from years ago!!! Maybe they would become enchanted with our lovely forests (local, state & national parks), miles upon miles of beaches, a bay, lagoons and rivers + thriving art scene…fall in love with it here and stay to practice medicine!!
Oh, didn’t know that. Unfortunate, but not really surprising, I guess. I live in a highly populated area, which of course provides a lot of advantages for health care and pretty much any other service or product.
Keith, always enjoy your posts. So sorry about your hearing loss..
My beloved cousin, Noreen , was a renowned audiologist who established and operated her own private practice. I believe it was the first in Florida.(It did not make her wealthy !) She had a wicked sense of humor and would tell her adult patients that aha moment when they could finally hear was an eargasm.😂
Noreen was nearing 50 ,when state licensure rules changed ,and had to sell her practice and return to UF to obtain her Doctor of Audiology where she continued to teach.
She had a special connection with my dad….they passed away hours apart on the same day.
Gigi You may be right, but the $$$ involved may well be an impediment for many.
I am reminded of the barrels of glasses and people fishing in them to find a pair that ‘feels right.’ Often this simply is a matter of magnification. The same was true of some ‘magic hearing aids’ that simply magnified the sound.
However, these are better than nothing for those who have difficulty hearing (or seeing)/ My latest hearing aids cost over $5,000 totally out of pocket. I remember, when I first went to Germany in 1949 meeting an old lady with an elegant silver hearing trumpet. At least we have progressed somewhat.
Hearing aids are important for brain function as well as hearing. It remains my most disliked health care experiences from an economic and medical perspective. I first tried Costco as they were cheap in comparison to the audiologist. I returned the Costco as the clerks assistance was lacking. I recommend an independent audiologist if possible.
I finally broke down and got hearing helpers two years ago. My head got clearer. Audiologists track the frequencies you have problems with and program the devices specifically to your situation as a soundman would set up graphic equalizers for each different concert hall they work in
Simply upping the volume does not work
I think the key is to deregulate access to the devices themselves, encouraging a competitive price, after getting audio testing
My mom had a problem with having to replace her hearing aids constantly because they were falling out of her ears. I finally insisted that she get the kind that attach to the outside of her ears because she just could not afford to be paying the astronomical costs of the hearing aids that she was paying and they just could not fit to her ears because her ear was too small. Now she has not had to replace them and it helped her socially so much! She had a stroke right while she was missing her hearing aids and all of the treatment she got was more difficult because she could not hear well. It was such a difficult situation. I could see the huge difference the hearing aids have made in her life. I am grateful that they are included in the bill.
Some years back I had a hearing evaluation; it was one of the most interesting and lengthy medical appointments I’ve experienced, truly fascinating. Sitting in a sound-proof booth with headphones and being asked to repeat words fed into the headphones. I came to realize when I struggled with some sounds how much I used the ‘context’ of conversation to fill in the word—kinda like playing Jeopardy (at least I think that’s the show). At the end of the ‘test’, the audiologist showed me the results and, yes, I was in need of the aids, similar, but not exact loss in each ear. He pointed out which sounds ‘dropped out’ for me, only some, as for others my hearing is quite sharp. Go figure. When he told me how much the aids would cost, I gulped and replied “well I guess I’ll just have my friends yell at me!”. I could not afford them. Even now my MediCare supplemental insurance plan will only cover approximately half of what middle-of-the-road pair would cost. So, yeah, just amplifying all sound would not be best for me, and I do worry about OTC aids not coming with appropriate and necessary evaluation and support. I guess, at least, it’s a start.
Yes, thanks, Dave. I agree. Some insurance companies have paid a little for the last few years toward aids but does the new law lower costs through insurance too? I have Humana plan that required me to pay just $1000 each for mine. And they are very good ones. Humana covered the rest.
Mary, $1000 out of pocket is just too much! My mother ended up paying something like $20,000+ in hearing aid costs altogether and when I found this out I asked why the doctor who was wrongly fitting her did not absorb the cost. She did not want to ask this of him because of the need to be liked by the doctors that everyone has. Fear of being mistreated if one is not compliant and likable seems common. My mom is not like this in other situations at all. However, it seems like all of these costs are too much. In Germany one pays 10 Euros per hearing aid and the health insurance pays the rest including the cost of the visit with the audiologist of course. This is the legal limit that they can charge.
In Denmark if you have public insurance they are free of charge. Netherlands you are paying 0-25% of the cost. Norway pays full cost. Portugal they are 100 percent financed by government. Sweden they are free under national insurance. UK free with National Health Insurance. Other countries had complex formulas I am not listing here. This is from 2018. https://www.efhoh.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/State-of-Hearing-Aids-Provision-in-Europe-2018.pdf
The new law does not really cover the fitted hearing aids that my mom has or you have through your insurance, but the kind that you can get over the counter, you no longer need an audiologist to refer one. Given that hearing loss is thought to contribute to all sorts of other health problems such as falling and dementia, treating it seems important.
I really have conflicting feelings about this issue; these are really complex devices and I worry that the lack of support services and audiology care will create more problems for folks. I’ve worn hearing aids for about 10 years and they are definitely life changing....who will you go to for issues after picking them up at the drugstore? Who programs them for your particular hearing problem?
On this as on many other issues, those of us without deep pockets and/or state-of-the-art insurance generally go with the more affordable option even when it doesn't come with backup services. Often it works out fine: either we don't need the backup or we can find what we do need more cheaply. Sometimes it doesn't work out so fine, as when self-medicating a problem lands you in the ER. I hope that one of these days legislators and those in the various professional associations will realize that making quality care and products accessible to those of us without deep pockets and/or state-of-the-art insurance is a good deal for both the individuals affected and the whole society.
This question goes into the same bucket with "Why doesn't health insurance routinely cover dental care?" The answer comes down to special-interest lobbying and the power of the insurance industry.
You have to be a savvy cell phone user. You do get customer service and their apps give you instructions. These will be a huge game changer for everyone.
My husband is on the most recent of his hearing aids. The latest ones are obvious, but he says they do a better job and yes, he went to an audiologist. My voice is, unfortunately, difficult for the hearing challenged, so we have had many communication problems. There are other problems like sudden unexpected noises and noisy restaurants. I hope that OTC ones work for those who couldn't afford them otherwise because my husband's have not been cheap.
Michele, I agree. What’s important is to be able to improve hearing for safety and social reasons. But low income is an impediment. My Mother started wearing hearing aids in her mid to late eighties, (lived to be 97) although she would have benefited much earlier. Her insurance covered some of the costs but she still paid $4000 at a reputable audiologist. In about 2000. The warranty was excellent and helped because she needed numerous adjustments (had to take a taxi and their hours weren’t convenient) and because of her particular anatomy had problems with fit and sometimes keeping them in her ear. One time she noticed the left hearing aid was missing. She eventually found it under the bench at the bus stop. Hopefully more people will get the assistance they need and be able to afford the time and costs.
Irene The three year hearing aid warranty I find useful. Add a year for about $400. Adjustments are needed on occasion. The tougher thing is if you lose a hearing aid—something like $450 for the first replacement. I’m glad that I could retrieve my left hearing aid from my dog’s mouth before he chewed it. No such luck with my wife’s red rubber ear plugs. Bruno just passed a pair yesterday—makes the garden look fairly festive.
Keith, that warranty is essential, even extending it. So are the hearing aids essential. Good luck finding a missing device under a bench or in the dog’s mouth. It’s also a hassle as well as luck to lose and find one. And to be able to get back to the audiologist for the follow up and adjustments especially for people who live alone and don’t drive. I remember my mom intently looking at a speaker’s face before she ever had her ears tested. Now Medicare and many insurance companies make testing a part of a yearly exam. And even over the counter devices might be helpful and at least affordable for many who cannot pay thousands of dollars. For Medicare at least the hearing tests are part of the physical exams. Both the exams and over the counter devices are a start. Both supported by Dems. Remember the ACA. We have to call this insurance by it’s initials because Obamacare is too partisan. Another topic, another day.
I agree that cost is a problem. I have pulled a tiny part out of my husband's ear with tweezers...good thing I have a steady hand. He has had several pairs including ones he got online. He seems happy with the new ones....I haven't asked how much they cost.
Michele, aging and living alone, such a challenge. Lucky your husband has you and you’re adept at using the tweezers. And more, of course. You bring up just one of the many problems of aging. We do need each other and to be able to afford the devices in the first place. And get to the provider. I’ll stop there. The challenges.
Michele Your family travails with hearing aids reflect my own. Unexpected noises and my wife’s sudden comments that I garble. I wish women spoke as bass or alto. One salvation is text on some TV (esp British) series—-the high ranges I find vexing.
I have a low voice that if I deign to sing is alto. He doesn't hear high pitched sounds at all, so it's been me to say the car is making a high pitched sound for example. Maybe after reading your post that is a good thing. He does jump at unexpected sounds like the dog barking all of sudden or my saying something when he doesn't expect it. My hearing is good and I do admit that high pitched female voices can be annoying even to me. What really bothers me is the noise coming from our neighbor's shop where lots of the sounds are either very loud and often high-pitched. I don't want to feel like I am at the dentist's office. The metal sander is one of the worst.
Sometimes we on this page forget there are millions in the country who literally can't afford the luxury of proper health. Thanks for reminding us of that fact, Keith.
I compare over the counter hearing aids to reading glasses. At one time it was unheard of to have reading glasses. I wish my Grandmother would have had access to affordable "readers."
Uh no. Oh ye of little faith, the consumer will be empowered to shop the market to find the hearing aid that works for them. And they’ll no longer have to shop for the exorbitantly priced casket at the funeral home.
Hearing aids are a tool. We aren’t talking about heart pacemakers being sold at Walmart. We’re talking about a market that has been subject to windfall profits for years. Wait until you need one Mike.
Agreed. Buying hearing aids without at least an evaluation by an audiologist is ill-advised. While there are DIY hearing tests, you wouldn't let someone who read a medical book take out your appendix would you? Without an eval you may buy more or less hearing aid than you need
What if your hearing loss is a result of a progressive disease that left untreated could result in permanent hearing loss?
Here's a quote from an article I read today:
"Even though it will be easier to get a hearing aid, the president of the Hearing Industries Association, which represents hearing aid manufacturers, told NPR buyers should be careful about what they are buying.
“I hate to use the words ‘buyer beware,’ so instead it’s ‘buyer be educated’ about what you’re doing, what your needs are,” the group president Kate Carr told NPR."
Are you implying kickbacks, or some sort of secret fraternity handshake? Have you ever been to a qualified audiologist to see how much they have to invest in equipment to analyze your personal hearing loss? Loss of hearing is not just a simple "what did you say?" Suggest you get educated before exposing your prejudice.
Gosh Frank. You sure read a lot into a simple statement. These comments are considered a safe and civil discourse space. Disagreement is great. Belittling someone just isn't necessary. I hope you have a great Autumn day in your area.
This is not a simple statement. It indicates a belief system that includes conspiracy, collusion, and mistrust of health care providers. It is very difficult for me, a retired and hearing impaired physician, to let stand. Think about that.
You give me way too much credit for malfeasance Frank. No one is threatening your professional life nor personal issues when they comment. Most comments are done with intellectual vigor addressing the issue at hand. No one is maligning you. We could benefit a lot more from your professional expertise of the medical profession's viewpoint and your personal journey with hearing loss than listening to the whining about someone's comment hurt your feelings.
I didn't think that Frank was expressing 'hurt feelings' but, perhaps, an opinion about the integrity of most audiologists based on his experience. It is worthwhile to acknowledge both of your points of view.
Keith funny you should write my story. I am acutely aware of the impact of the mortar round that left me with severe hearing loss. Not to mention the eye which went south later. When I realized the ringing was forever and the hearing was debilitating I asked the army for help. Hearing aids. Nope they said for 40 years and three requests. Nope! Nope! You dope. We were lying when we sent you into the fray. Yer on yer own cowboy. Not to worry Like most enterprising veterans I invented the cure. Easy to spot in a crowd, I had my version of the silver horn. Perhaps not as elegant were my wolf ears but shucky darn they did work. After 40 years the army did me right and I am grateful. They even threw in an almost successful eye operation. :)
Pat, I had to beg my husband, also a Vet, to get hearing aids from the VA. He got them, finally and lost one of them the very day he got them. Got a replacement albeit two weeks later but a month afterwards, the VA found his missing hearing aid under a bench! You think he wears them?? It’s a fight to the finish!
Jeeze Marlene us husbands just like our wives to yell at us. Sign him up as a Catholic and get some guilt working for you. I wear them for my wife St. Tammy.
A 96 year old woman agrees that it's a fight to the finish with hearing aids. Be tough and persevere. OTOH all HA and all Hs do die and I'm hoping I'll do it first. LB&L
Not only an enterprising vet with a silver horn and wolf ears, darn lucky to have had the Army come to his rescue 40 years later with hearing aids and an almost successful eye operation. This vet has the talent to make his disabilities as a result of military service and the Army's lack of support for him very amusing, indeed. Hooah, Cole!
I am acutely aware of the impact of severe hearing loss. I have the good fortune of being able to purchase very expensive hearing aids that provide considerable assistance in hearing what’s going on.
As occurs elsewhere in the medical profession, access to functional hearing aids has been controlled by audiologists. The result was that tens of millions of Americans with minor-to-moderate hearing loss were financially blocked from obtaining essential hearing assistance.
Thanks to the Biden administration, many millions of Americans will have the opportunity to hear better.
Another president, FDR, while campaigning for re-election in 1936, tried to assist a voter with his hearing problem. Learning that Josh had great difficulty hearing, he suggested to Josh that, if he cut down severely on his drinking, his hearing would improve.
Josh replied: “Mr. President, what I’ve been drinking is so much better than what I’ve been hearing that I’m just going to keep on drinking.”
I also was fortunate enough to purchase hearing aids prior to retirement two-plus years ago. Because I was employed at a medical school, I saw an audiologist and an otolaryngologist and received a discount: still paid nearly $4000! The MD told me it will be a great thing when hearing aids become deregulated--he knew it was coming because he lived a profession that saw how unfairly people who could benefit from hearing aids were completely shut out simply due to the fact they couldn’t afford it.
Now we must continue to get people out to vote in their best interests: simple things like hearing aids are just as important to good health as medications.
Linda I HEAR YOU (unless you speak in a very high range which requires my feeble lip reading attempt)
My first notice of hearing loss in high range was while working as a nursing assistant taking a temp with an electronic thermometer & the patient telling me it was done. I learned then to watch the screen until it stopped. Like all other losses to ageing it is mostly compensating & adapting.
I have a large DVD collection & always use subtitles or SDH. I have gotten rid of older ones that didn't have that feature. Strangely, hearing impaired ppl must not be worthy of watching the bonus features as they often do not have subtitles.
Keith, you are not alone. I too, have hearing aids now, the ones with batteries. Can’t say they don’t significantly help because they do!
Just love you, not-Doc Wheelock!
Ashley Ditto! I have learned not to blink when I hear “What’s up Doc?” Clearly the person is speaking to someone behind me.
I came close. My book NASSER’S NEW EGYPT:A CRITICAL ANALYSIS (1960) was accepted as a doctoral dissertation by the U. Of Penn. But I didn’t seek the rough and tumble of the academic world. Rather I joined the Foreign Service and volunteered for the tranquility of six years in/on Congo. 9mm Beretta, M-16, and .45 would seem amiss in a faculty room.
My internist alerted me to Costco hearing aids when I started to need them. Excellent in-house audiologists and top of the line Phonaks and Resounds for about half the price charged by independent audiologists. This was several years ago. Upgraded once since then to keep up with improvements in technology.
Rex, as I replied to another comment down thread, not all Costco locations have an audiologist on site. Mine, in a rural CA county, only has a ‘technician’ to do testing/fitting, etc. Appointments to be seen are 6 months out (sadly healthcare services here are generally insufficient to meet the needs of the county’s population & many travel hours away for medical/dental care). Agree that Costco hearing aids seem to be of good quality and features.
Barbara, can you make an appointment at another, semi-nearby Costco?
That might work if it’s possible. The local techs are all you need after you get the hearing aids. That means two long trips (hearing test and order of hearings aids, then pickup and recheck a few weeks later), but the local techs can do everything necessary after that until you want to upgrade.
The nearest other Costco would be a 3+ hour one-way trip east to Redding, CA or 5 or so hour one-way south to Santa Rosa, CA….would have to check to see if those had audiologists! I love living ‘behind the redwood curtain’ as we call it here, but there are limitations to being such a small population in a large sized county (square miles) & limited healthcare services at all levels are one of them. Would like to encourage the Fed to promote and greatly increase their rural healthcare educational loan forgiveness program for those who work in rural areas for X-number of years to reduce/eliminate their loan debt..a la ‘Northern Exposure’—the TV program from years ago!!! Maybe they would become enchanted with our lovely forests (local, state & national parks), miles upon miles of beaches, a bay, lagoons and rivers + thriving art scene…fall in love with it here and stay to practice medicine!!
Oh, didn’t know that. Unfortunate, but not really surprising, I guess. I live in a highly populated area, which of course provides a lot of advantages for health care and pretty much any other service or product.
Funny story Keith, but, honestly, I don't drink much at all (and never did) because, if I do?
Next morning my ears ring. No lie.
Plus, I will have a headache.
Just not worth dragging around doing morning chores for a slight bit of euphoria that vanishes into the commode in the middle of the night.
Keith, always enjoy your posts. So sorry about your hearing loss..
My beloved cousin, Noreen , was a renowned audiologist who established and operated her own private practice. I believe it was the first in Florida.(It did not make her wealthy !) She had a wicked sense of humor and would tell her adult patients that aha moment when they could finally hear was an eargasm.😂
Noreen was nearing 50 ,when state licensure rules changed ,and had to sell her practice and return to UF to obtain her Doctor of Audiology where she continued to teach.
She had a special connection with my dad….they passed away hours apart on the same day.
Eargasm, too-too funny; and correct I would say!
That’s hysterical!!😂😂👏🏼👏🏼
But for the Letters, perhaps we all should start drinking as well. (or step it up as the case may be)
Anyone who buys a hearing aid without seeing an ear doctor first is flushing away their money.
Gigi You may be right, but the $$$ involved may well be an impediment for many.
I am reminded of the barrels of glasses and people fishing in them to find a pair that ‘feels right.’ Often this simply is a matter of magnification. The same was true of some ‘magic hearing aids’ that simply magnified the sound.
However, these are better than nothing for those who have difficulty hearing (or seeing)/ My latest hearing aids cost over $5,000 totally out of pocket. I remember, when I first went to Germany in 1949 meeting an old lady with an elegant silver hearing trumpet. At least we have progressed somewhat.
Hearing aids are important for brain function as well as hearing. It remains my most disliked health care experiences from an economic and medical perspective. I first tried Costco as they were cheap in comparison to the audiologist. I returned the Costco as the clerks assistance was lacking. I recommend an independent audiologist if possible.
I finally broke down and got hearing helpers two years ago. My head got clearer. Audiologists track the frequencies you have problems with and program the devices specifically to your situation as a soundman would set up graphic equalizers for each different concert hall they work in
Simply upping the volume does not work
I think the key is to deregulate access to the devices themselves, encouraging a competitive price, after getting audio testing
My mom had a problem with having to replace her hearing aids constantly because they were falling out of her ears. I finally insisted that she get the kind that attach to the outside of her ears because she just could not afford to be paying the astronomical costs of the hearing aids that she was paying and they just could not fit to her ears because her ear was too small. Now she has not had to replace them and it helped her socially so much! She had a stroke right while she was missing her hearing aids and all of the treatment she got was more difficult because she could not hear well. It was such a difficult situation. I could see the huge difference the hearing aids have made in her life. I am grateful that they are included in the bill.
Mine fit behind the ear with a small wire attached to the plug that is secured in the ear canal. Comfortable and very secure
Some years back I had a hearing evaluation; it was one of the most interesting and lengthy medical appointments I’ve experienced, truly fascinating. Sitting in a sound-proof booth with headphones and being asked to repeat words fed into the headphones. I came to realize when I struggled with some sounds how much I used the ‘context’ of conversation to fill in the word—kinda like playing Jeopardy (at least I think that’s the show). At the end of the ‘test’, the audiologist showed me the results and, yes, I was in need of the aids, similar, but not exact loss in each ear. He pointed out which sounds ‘dropped out’ for me, only some, as for others my hearing is quite sharp. Go figure. When he told me how much the aids would cost, I gulped and replied “well I guess I’ll just have my friends yell at me!”. I could not afford them. Even now my MediCare supplemental insurance plan will only cover approximately half of what middle-of-the-road pair would cost. So, yeah, just amplifying all sound would not be best for me, and I do worry about OTC aids not coming with appropriate and necessary evaluation and support. I guess, at least, it’s a start.
Yes, thanks, Dave. I agree. Some insurance companies have paid a little for the last few years toward aids but does the new law lower costs through insurance too? I have Humana plan that required me to pay just $1000 each for mine. And they are very good ones. Humana covered the rest.
My insurance maxed out at 1500. That left me paying 2800. The improvement in quality of life? Priceless
Mary, $1000 out of pocket is just too much! My mother ended up paying something like $20,000+ in hearing aid costs altogether and when I found this out I asked why the doctor who was wrongly fitting her did not absorb the cost. She did not want to ask this of him because of the need to be liked by the doctors that everyone has. Fear of being mistreated if one is not compliant and likable seems common. My mom is not like this in other situations at all. However, it seems like all of these costs are too much. In Germany one pays 10 Euros per hearing aid and the health insurance pays the rest including the cost of the visit with the audiologist of course. This is the legal limit that they can charge.
In Denmark if you have public insurance they are free of charge. Netherlands you are paying 0-25% of the cost. Norway pays full cost. Portugal they are 100 percent financed by government. Sweden they are free under national insurance. UK free with National Health Insurance. Other countries had complex formulas I am not listing here. This is from 2018. https://www.efhoh.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/State-of-Hearing-Aids-Provision-in-Europe-2018.pdf
The new law does not really cover the fitted hearing aids that my mom has or you have through your insurance, but the kind that you can get over the counter, you no longer need an audiologist to refer one. Given that hearing loss is thought to contribute to all sorts of other health problems such as falling and dementia, treating it seems important.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-hidden-risks-of-hearing-loss
I have two friends (prior to OTC) to purchase hearing aids—with the assistance of an on-site audiologist—and they are thrilled.
I got mine at Costco and have been very satisfied.
Perhaps I could have been if I had patience. :)
I really have conflicting feelings about this issue; these are really complex devices and I worry that the lack of support services and audiology care will create more problems for folks. I’ve worn hearing aids for about 10 years and they are definitely life changing....who will you go to for issues after picking them up at the drugstore? Who programs them for your particular hearing problem?
On this as on many other issues, those of us without deep pockets and/or state-of-the-art insurance generally go with the more affordable option even when it doesn't come with backup services. Often it works out fine: either we don't need the backup or we can find what we do need more cheaply. Sometimes it doesn't work out so fine, as when self-medicating a problem lands you in the ER. I hope that one of these days legislators and those in the various professional associations will realize that making quality care and products accessible to those of us without deep pockets and/or state-of-the-art insurance is a good deal for both the individuals affected and the whole society.
If insurance pays towards glasses why not also towards hearing aids?
This question goes into the same bucket with "Why doesn't health insurance routinely cover dental care?" The answer comes down to special-interest lobbying and the power of the insurance industry.
You have to be a savvy cell phone user. You do get customer service and their apps give you instructions. These will be a huge game changer for everyone.
My husband is on the most recent of his hearing aids. The latest ones are obvious, but he says they do a better job and yes, he went to an audiologist. My voice is, unfortunately, difficult for the hearing challenged, so we have had many communication problems. There are other problems like sudden unexpected noises and noisy restaurants. I hope that OTC ones work for those who couldn't afford them otherwise because my husband's have not been cheap.
Michele, I agree. What’s important is to be able to improve hearing for safety and social reasons. But low income is an impediment. My Mother started wearing hearing aids in her mid to late eighties, (lived to be 97) although she would have benefited much earlier. Her insurance covered some of the costs but she still paid $4000 at a reputable audiologist. In about 2000. The warranty was excellent and helped because she needed numerous adjustments (had to take a taxi and their hours weren’t convenient) and because of her particular anatomy had problems with fit and sometimes keeping them in her ear. One time she noticed the left hearing aid was missing. She eventually found it under the bench at the bus stop. Hopefully more people will get the assistance they need and be able to afford the time and costs.
Irene The three year hearing aid warranty I find useful. Add a year for about $400. Adjustments are needed on occasion. The tougher thing is if you lose a hearing aid—something like $450 for the first replacement. I’m glad that I could retrieve my left hearing aid from my dog’s mouth before he chewed it. No such luck with my wife’s red rubber ear plugs. Bruno just passed a pair yesterday—makes the garden look fairly festive.
Keith, that warranty is essential, even extending it. So are the hearing aids essential. Good luck finding a missing device under a bench or in the dog’s mouth. It’s also a hassle as well as luck to lose and find one. And to be able to get back to the audiologist for the follow up and adjustments especially for people who live alone and don’t drive. I remember my mom intently looking at a speaker’s face before she ever had her ears tested. Now Medicare and many insurance companies make testing a part of a yearly exam. And even over the counter devices might be helpful and at least affordable for many who cannot pay thousands of dollars. For Medicare at least the hearing tests are part of the physical exams. Both the exams and over the counter devices are a start. Both supported by Dems. Remember the ACA. We have to call this insurance by it’s initials because Obamacare is too partisan. Another topic, another day.
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I agree that cost is a problem. I have pulled a tiny part out of my husband's ear with tweezers...good thing I have a steady hand. He has had several pairs including ones he got online. He seems happy with the new ones....I haven't asked how much they cost.
Michele, aging and living alone, such a challenge. Lucky your husband has you and you’re adept at using the tweezers. And more, of course. You bring up just one of the many problems of aging. We do need each other and to be able to afford the devices in the first place. And get to the provider. I’ll stop there. The challenges.
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Michele Your family travails with hearing aids reflect my own. Unexpected noises and my wife’s sudden comments that I garble. I wish women spoke as bass or alto. One salvation is text on some TV (esp British) series—-the high ranges I find vexing.
I have a low voice that if I deign to sing is alto. He doesn't hear high pitched sounds at all, so it's been me to say the car is making a high pitched sound for example. Maybe after reading your post that is a good thing. He does jump at unexpected sounds like the dog barking all of sudden or my saying something when he doesn't expect it. My hearing is good and I do admit that high pitched female voices can be annoying even to me. What really bothers me is the noise coming from our neighbor's shop where lots of the sounds are either very loud and often high-pitched. I don't want to feel like I am at the dentist's office. The metal sander is one of the worst.
Sometimes we on this page forget there are millions in the country who literally can't afford the luxury of proper health. Thanks for reminding us of that fact, Keith.
I compare over the counter hearing aids to reading glasses. At one time it was unheard of to have reading glasses. I wish my Grandmother would have had access to affordable "readers."
Uh no. Oh ye of little faith, the consumer will be empowered to shop the market to find the hearing aid that works for them. And they’ll no longer have to shop for the exorbitantly priced casket at the funeral home.
Capitalism to the rescue!!
If we only have unregulated, unfettered, legal GREED,
ALL WILL BE WELL!!
Hearing aids are a tool. We aren’t talking about heart pacemakers being sold at Walmart. We’re talking about a market that has been subject to windfall profits for years. Wait until you need one Mike.
Hear hear.
Agreed. Buying hearing aids without at least an evaluation by an audiologist is ill-advised. While there are DIY hearing tests, you wouldn't let someone who read a medical book take out your appendix would you? Without an eval you may buy more or less hearing aid than you need
As I sit typing with Big Lots readers on I couldn't disagree more. I respectfully point out that your comparison is an apples to oranges argument.
Why not let people decide for themselves?
What if your hearing loss is a result of a progressive disease that left untreated could result in permanent hearing loss?
Here's a quote from an article I read today:
"Even though it will be easier to get a hearing aid, the president of the Hearing Industries Association, which represents hearing aid manufacturers, told NPR buyers should be careful about what they are buying.
“I hate to use the words ‘buyer beware,’ so instead it’s ‘buyer be educated’ about what you’re doing, what your needs are,” the group president Kate Carr told NPR."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/18/hearing-aids-over-the-counter-walgreens-walmart
Maybe, but when my husband went to a doctor about his hearing loss, the doc sent him to an audiologist.
Of course he did. That's the club.
Are you implying kickbacks, or some sort of secret fraternity handshake? Have you ever been to a qualified audiologist to see how much they have to invest in equipment to analyze your personal hearing loss? Loss of hearing is not just a simple "what did you say?" Suggest you get educated before exposing your prejudice.
Gosh Frank. You sure read a lot into a simple statement. These comments are considered a safe and civil discourse space. Disagreement is great. Belittling someone just isn't necessary. I hope you have a great Autumn day in your area.
This is not a simple statement. It indicates a belief system that includes conspiracy, collusion, and mistrust of health care providers. It is very difficult for me, a retired and hearing impaired physician, to let stand. Think about that.
You give me way too much credit for malfeasance Frank. No one is threatening your professional life nor personal issues when they comment. Most comments are done with intellectual vigor addressing the issue at hand. No one is maligning you. We could benefit a lot more from your professional expertise of the medical profession's viewpoint and your personal journey with hearing loss than listening to the whining about someone's comment hurt your feelings.
I didn't think that Frank was expressing 'hurt feelings' but, perhaps, an opinion about the integrity of most audiologists based on his experience. It is worthwhile to acknowledge both of your points of view.
Keith funny you should write my story. I am acutely aware of the impact of the mortar round that left me with severe hearing loss. Not to mention the eye which went south later. When I realized the ringing was forever and the hearing was debilitating I asked the army for help. Hearing aids. Nope they said for 40 years and three requests. Nope! Nope! You dope. We were lying when we sent you into the fray. Yer on yer own cowboy. Not to worry Like most enterprising veterans I invented the cure. Easy to spot in a crowd, I had my version of the silver horn. Perhaps not as elegant were my wolf ears but shucky darn they did work. After 40 years the army did me right and I am grateful. They even threw in an almost successful eye operation. :)
Pat, I had to beg my husband, also a Vet, to get hearing aids from the VA. He got them, finally and lost one of them the very day he got them. Got a replacement albeit two weeks later but a month afterwards, the VA found his missing hearing aid under a bench! You think he wears them?? It’s a fight to the finish!
I think it would be a lot of fun to have lunch with you and Pat. You both gave LsOL
I would absolutely love that!!
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Jeeze Marlene us husbands just like our wives to yell at us. Sign him up as a Catholic and get some guilt working for you. I wear them for my wife St. Tammy.
Oh honey, he was raised Catholic and I’m Jewish so believe me, there’s a ton of guilt in our house! :)
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Or a Jew. We're wonderful with guilt, too. Although we came first... L&B&L
A 96 year old woman agrees that it's a fight to the finish with hearing aids. Be tough and persevere. OTOH all HA and all Hs do die and I'm hoping I'll do it first. LB&L
Not only an enterprising vet with a silver horn and wolf ears, darn lucky to have had the Army come to his rescue 40 years later with hearing aids and an almost successful eye operation. This vet has the talent to make his disabilities as a result of military service and the Army's lack of support for him very amusing, indeed. Hooah, Cole!
"If it is to be, it is up to me." Gratitude to Anon
L&B&L
Great anecdote!🤣🤣🤣
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