Hearing aid affordability in the United States

Jilla, Anna Marie; Johnson, Carole E.; Huntington-Klein, Nick

doi:10.1080/17483107.2020.1822449

Cited by 34 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…In the United States, hearing healthcare, specifically hearing aids, are often not covered by most private insurances and not every state has Medicaid coverage of hearing aids for low-income individuals [33]. This can create a barrier for individuals with low SEP in accessing services and treatment, where hearing care is unaffordable for 77% of Americans with hearing loss, as a healthcare cost over $2500 would be considered financially catastrophic [34]. With the average cost of a pair of hearing aids alone costing an average of $4700, many are left without an affordable treatment option [35].…”

Section: Socioeconomic Position and Hearing Lossmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socioeconomic position and hearing loss: current understanding and recent advances

Malcolm

Suen

Nieman

2022

Current Opinion in Otolaryngology &Amp; Head &Amp; Neck Surgery

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Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to describe recent literature examining the relationship between socioeconomic position (SEP) and hearing loss, including the impact of hearing loss on several socioeconomic outcomes over the life course. Additionally, we highlight current policy advances in recent years and review alternative models of hearing care that aim to address disparities related to SEP and hearing healthcare. Recent findingsApplying a social epidemiologic lens to hearing health gives insight into the role of material and social contexts in understanding and improving hearing health outcomes. Recent studies investigating the intersection of SEP and hearing health highlight the disparities that exist for individuals with low SEP as well as the influence of hearing loss on SEP. Individuals with hearing loss are more likely to be unemployed, have lower educational attainment, lower income, and are less likely to use hearing aids and access hearing care. Legislation addressing cost and access to hearing care as well as transforming the current landscape of hearing care, is essential to creating equitable care for individuals, especially older adults, with low SEP.

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Section: Socioeconomic Position and Hearing Lossmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socioeconomic position and hearing loss: current understanding and recent advances

Malcolm

Suen

Nieman

2022

Current Opinion in Otolaryngology &Amp; Head &Amp; Neck Surgery

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“…Hearing care costs are a major access barrier for the majority of U.S. adults who could pose to benefit, considering that an out-of-pocket cost of $2,500 would constitute a catastrophic health expense for 77% adults with serious hearing difficulty. 47 Like many sectors of health care, Medicare coverage for specialized professionals is limited to a defined set of procedures. Medicare Part B (traditional Medicare) does not have coverage provisions for hearing aids, hearing aid services, audiologic rehabilitation, nonmedical management of hearing loss, vestibular dysfunction, tinnitus, or auditory processing disorders when provided by audiologists.…”

Section: Medicarementioning

confidence: 99%

U.S. Policy Considerations for Telehealth Provision in Audiology

2021

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The demand for telehealth services will continue to grow alongside an increased need for audiology services among both children and adults. Insurance coverage policies for audiologic services are specific to each payer and vary widely in the level of coverage provided for both in-person and telehealth-based audiology services. While benefits for children are fairly comprehensive, coverage for audiology services for adults is generally poor. Traditional Medicare does not cover hearing aids or other rehabilitative audiologic services, and other payer policies vary widely. Lack of benefits for hearing and balance services is inconsistent with the evidence base and leaves many beneficiaries without access to meaningful care for hearing and balance disorders, which are highly prevalent among and disproportionately affect Medicare beneficiaries. The purpose of this article is to discuss regulatory and reimbursement considerations for telehealth provision in audiology and elucidate opportunities to influence related health policy at both state and federal levels.

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“…This study suggests that this purchase would represent a catastrophic healthcare cost for 77% of Americans with functional hearing loss, placing 4% of the population into poverty for the year. 13 The high cost of care was one of the drivers behind the recommendation by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) in 2015 and the subsequent NASEM report in 2016 to have the FDA establish regulations for a class of OTC hearing aids.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Broad Examination of Health Policy Barriers to Access and Affordability of Hearing Treatment for Medicare Beneficiaries

et al. 2022

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In 2016, the National Academies on Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released a report titled, “Hearing Health Care for Adults,” which detailed the challenges and provided recommendations for improving the access to affordable hearing care for adults in the United States. Arguably the most significant outcome from this report was the subsequent passage of the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act in 2017, which requires the Food and Drug Administration to develop regulations for a class of hearing aids that address mild to moderate hearing loss to be available for sale over the counter (OTC). While this presents an important step toward improving access and affordability of hearing treatment, it does not represent a complete solution. In fact, optimizing the new landscape of hearing care for individuals with hearing loss also may require new policy solutions. This article reflects on the progress achieved since the NASEM report and the policy issues that remain to improve accessibility and affordability of hearing care among older adults.

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Hearing aid affordability in the United States

Cited by 34 publications

References 25 publications

Socioeconomic position and hearing loss: current understanding and recent advances

Socioeconomic position and hearing loss: current understanding and recent advances

U.S. Policy Considerations for Telehealth Provision in Audiology

A Broad Examination of Health Policy Barriers to Access and Affordability of Hearing Treatment for Medicare Beneficiaries

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