Consumerization of healthcare: why the hearing aid market might be the next to feel disruption

[Sherman A1]

:snip:

With hearing aids starting at about $1,400 each and going up and up and up in price, the hearing aid market is at least worth $5 billion. Now, it turns out that, as with many medically-dispensed devices, hearing aids come in a huge variety, based on patient need -- from those that just sit behind the ear and magnify sound to those that are surgically installed inside the ear for a direct tech-to-bone connection.

:snip:

As it turns out, there's a category of devices that help hearing but aren't allowed to be called hearing aids. According to the FDA (which is the agency that regulates hearing aids in the United States), these are Personal Sound Amplification Devices (PSADs). A 2009-vintage Web page on the FDA site describes "Hearing Aids and Personal Sound Amplifiers: Know the Difference."

:snip:

Choosing a PSAP as a substitute for a hearing aid can lead to more damage to your hearing, says Mann. "It can cause a delay in diagnosis of a potentially treatable condition. And that delay can allow the condition to get worse and lead to other complications," he says.

Clearly, any discussion of anything medical should include the suggestion to see your doctor. So I dutifully remind you that I'm not a medical professional and suggest that you go see your doctor.

http://www.zdnet.com/consumerization-of-healthcare-why-the-hearing-aid-market-might-be-the-next-to-feel-disruption-7000033949/

Interesting piece which takes a look at the potential of newer consumer electronics to drive down the cost of expensive hearing aids.

[Crewleader]

1. Thanks for the info Sherman A1

[Sherman A1]

2. My pleasure

there are lots of good reasons to not rely on off the shelf items for health care and to be sure to consult your doctor, but this may be a case where we see something positive happening in the market that drives down the cost for everyone in the long term.

[brer cat]

4. I hope so.

My sister and I are both losing our hearing as we approach our 70's, but good hearing aids are too expensive.

Thanks for the post, Sherman A1.

[mopinko]

3. among other things.

i hope. a cpap costs about $1500. the electronics part is comparable to a smart phone motion/sleep monitor, apps that are now out there. all it needs is a little blower and a mask.
why the fuck are they $1500.

[liberalhistorian]

5. I've worn hearing aids for nearly thirty

years now, since I was twenty years old. I would greatly welcome any reduction in price, as they are horrendously expensive. Insurance doesn't cover them and if you don't have the money upfront their financing is often very expensive with terrible terms. And each pair generally lasts only about, on average, five years; sometimes it's less, because your hearing does continually change (often progressively worsening) and technology also changes. The aids I had 30 years ago, prevented years ago, are quite primitive to the ones I have now. Trouble is, I will need new ones soon and we have absolutely no money to pay for them or even to make payments on financing. And I cannot function effectively without them. So I welcome this news, not just for me but for others in the same boat.

It pisses me off that insurance doesn't cover them. Except for Medicaid, which will cover the cost of one. That's not perfect, but it's certainly better than none at all.

[onyourleft]

6. I got high-end hearing...

...aids one year ago and was most fortunate in that our insurance company paid for all but around $200. It is quite heartening that prices may be dropping so that more people in need will have an opportunity to perhaps receive this care.

[unhappycamper]

7. The reason I joined the VA last year:

I got tired of snail mail telling there's a hearing clinic (in the hood) and Medicare will help/pay for them.

Last Friday I was fitted for hearing aids at the Jamaica Plain VA. These things are really small. Tiny almost; 'twas a Siemens model.