Americans will now hear better and more conveniently and pay less. The OTC or over-the-counter hearing aids will be available at local stores and online platforms from this week onwards. People can buy the devices without providing prescriptions. The world of audiology offers several solutions to those with mild to moderate hearing loss. By consulting an Audiologist in Perth, individuals can explore different devices and strategies to improve their hearing ability.
The Facilities
Retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, CVS, and Walgreens have started selling OTC aids whereas medium and small pharmacies will offer the product from next month.
The FDA approved this hearing aid in August 2022 after Congress passed legislation demanding federal rules to do the same five years ago. Since then, tech companies have been working continuously to design better and cheaper hearing devices to sell. Statistics show that almost thirty million Americans have partial hearing loss, and not even one-third use aids.
The Cost
The prescribed hearing devices generally cost much more than these newly designed aids. A Walgreens hearing aid, for example, will cost $800, while the prescribed ones usually require spending not less than thousands of dollars. Another reason that people with partial hearing loss don’t prefer aids because medical insurance doesn’t cover these devices. Spending thousands of dollars on a device is not simply possible for many. Therefore, they choose to stay with hearing loss.
Americans who have advocated in recent years for the health care costs to be reduced will also be happy with the move.
Some are Skeptical
But everyone in the USA is not, however, welcoming the news. Some audiologists and other concerned persons fear that people may get poorly fitting or ill-suited products and waste money. Audiologists are skeptical about installing a hearing aid without a doctor’s prescription and questioning how people can diagnose the type and amount of their hearing problems.
