A large percentage of the cost is due to the amount of research and development needed to continually improve the technology that powers your hearing aid. Every year, the hearing industry spends hundreds of millions of dollars to make their hearing aids smaller, more powerful, and more natural-sounding. The price of hearing aids includes the cost of the device itself, as well as the services of the professional. Many argue that today the devices are overdesigned for the average user with mild or moderate hearing loss.
Over-engineering gives manufacturers an excuse to charge higher prices by introducing “newer and better models”. This is largely why so many consumers consider hearing aid costs today to be a scam. The technology inside hearing aids is another reason why they are so expensive. In addition, the cost usually includes the services of an audiologist for adaptation and maintenance.
Direct-to-consumer companies such as Eargo, Lively, MDHearingAid and Audicus offer you hearing products directly online. There are other options for financing hearing aids, including low-interest loans, credit cards, and cash-matched financing plans for medical devices. The price listed below a hearing aid may not be the final amount you pay before you walk out the door. As far as I can tell, almost all of the key components of hearing aids come from Asia, and many are also manufactured there.
More than three-quarters of Americans over the age of 60 have some form of hearing loss, but only a fraction use technology that helps them talk on the phone or understand a conversation over dinner. Research has clearly shown that hearing problems can have serious health consequences, leading to falls, cognitive problems, depression and social isolation. When you qualify, the VA normally pays for everything related to the hearing aid, including the supply of batteries. Customers return frequently for adjustments, cleanings and seminars, all of which take time and are usually included in the price of the hearing aids.
If you have a mild hearing loss, you may be tempted to buy a personal sound amplification product (PSAP) on a website, often called hearing amplifiers or even hearing aid amplifiers. Unfortunately, the high cost of hearing aids is the main reason why many people give up these life-changing devices. When you consider the communication, relationship and health benefits you get from wearing hearing aids, most people agree that it's worth it. And finally, hearing aid companies are likely to increase the price of stickers to account for manufacturing costs, parts, and other business-related expenses needed to produce the device.
Severe to profound hearing loss requires a high-powered hearing aid, which provides the highest amplification. While overall hearing aid prices have remained stable, the technology you can get for that price is much higher today than it was just two years ago. Mandy's career is guided by her dedication to serving people with hearing loss and her previous experience in research, training and hearing management. Untreated hearing loss is linked to other health conditions, such as dementia, depression, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of trips and falls.
