WebMd has conducted an in-depth report on forthcoming Over the Counter Hearing Aids. Their conclusions include:
“…… costs and hurdles are what led to the passage of a federal law in 2017 that designates a new FDA-regulated category for over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. But OTC hearing aids, which will be approved to treat mild to moderate hearing loss in adults ages 18 and older, aren’t here just yet. The FDA has until August 2020 to publish proposed guidelines for OTC hearing aids.”
“A pair of hearing aids runs $5,600 on average — a cost that health insurance doesn’t typically pick up. In order to get the devices, people with hearing loss must have a medical exam to rule out the slim chance of a serious medical problem that is causing the hearing loss, or they must sign a waiver opting out of the exam. You can only buy hearing aids through an audiologist or a licensed hearing aid dispenser, who is authorized to test hearing and sell hearing aids.”
“At the moment, there are no OTC hearing aids. If someone labels them as such, that violates the law. There are no official regulations that define OTC hearing aids yet,” says Paul Kileny, PhD, an audiologist and director of Michigan Hearing at the University of Michigan. “Anything you buy that is labeled as an OTC hearing aid is not.”
Read the Report
