Americans Need Easier Access, More Affordable Options for Hearing Health Care

“Hearing loss is a significant public health concern, and efforts should be made to provide adults with easier access to and more affordable options for hearing health care, especially for those in undeserved and vulnerable populations, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.”

“The committee that carried out the study and wrote the report called for greater transparency and changes in the cost of hearing health care and expanded treatment options given the number of Americans who have hearing loss and the high cost of hearing health care. It recommended that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration remove the regulation requiring adults to have a medical evaluation or sign an evaluation waiver to purchase a hearing aid, as well as establish a new category of over-the-counter, wearable hearing devices — separate from hearing aids — that could assist adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. The report does not address surgical devices, such as cochlear implants, and related services.”

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