Over-the-counter hearing aids finally available to buy
Unlike eyeglasses, hearing aids take some getting used to, and a visit to an audiologist may still be a good idea. Credit: AP/Rick Bowmer
Soon, millions of Americans will hear better, for less money and with greater convenience.
As of Oct. 17, over-the-counter hearing aids may be sold at local stores and online for the first time, making it possible for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss to buy the devices without a prescription.
Major retailers, including Best Buy, Walmart, Walgreens and CVS, have begun selling OTC hearing aids, and smaller pharmacies are likely to follow in the coming months.
This new category of hearing aids was approved by the FDA in August, five years after Congress passed legislation requiring federal regulators to do so. Since then, tech companies have rushed to design cheaper devices for the new market. An estimated 30 million American adults have some hearing loss — but fewer than one-third use hearing aids.
Prices coming down
The over-the-counter models are expected to be much cheaper than most prescription devices. Hearing aids at Walgreens, for example, will cost $800, while most prescription hearing aids cost thousands of dollars. Medicare and most insurance policies do not cover hearing exams or aids, and a device costing hundreds of dollars may still be out of reach for many consumers.
Yet, less costly hearing aids are welcome news to those who have advocated for lower health care costs. At a news conference earlier this year, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra called the final FDA ruling a “standout.”
“Get ready, folks,” Becerra said. “You’re going to save a lot of money and we are all going to benefit from that.”
But audiologists and some members of the hard-of-hearing community are skeptical, saying consumers may lose money on ill-suited or poorly fitting hearing aids if they do not work with a specialist.
Even worse, consumers may not regain the hearing they expected from an OTC hearing aid, said Leslie Soiles, chief audiologist at the hearing clinic HearingLife. Soiles pointed out that many factors play into hearing loss, including medical conditions not easily detected with a simple hearing exam.
“We’re asking a consumer to self-diagnose,” Soiles said.
Getting hearing checked
The ideal situation may be a combination of professional assessment and OTC hearing aids, said Lynne Kinsey, local chapter president of Hearing Loss Association of America, a nonprofit patient support association.
First-time hearing aid users should get their hearing checked first, Kinsey said, preferably by an audiologist. The results of a hearing exam, called an audiogram, will show what frequencies are heard and which are missed. Consumers can then see if an OTC hearing aid fits their needs.
Kinsey, who used hearing aids for years after abrupt hearing loss at age 40 and now has two cochlear implants, cautions customers to do their research beforehand and be prepared to try a few before picking one that fits.
“Hearing aids are often hard to get used to,” Kinsey said, adding that those with profound hearing loss may not be helped by OTC hearing aids.
Still, Kinsey said she believes OTC hearing aids have the power to change many people’s lives. “It’s going to help a lot of people.”
Where to go:
Walgreens, Best Buy, Walmart and CVS all said they have begun selling OTC hearing aids.
•Walgreens is selling Lexie Lumen OTC hearing aids for $800 in-store and online. Customers will have 45 days to try the hearing aids. But keep the box – returns will only be accepted if they include all original packaging and items.
•Best Buy is selling OTC hearing aids from several brands, including Lexie Hearing, Nuheara, Jabra Enhance Plus, Lucid Hearing and Eargo. Prices range from $400 to $2,950. Store employees have received training on “the anatomy of the ear, stages of hearing loss, general fitting techniques and different features of various devices and brands.” Customers can check their hearing levels using an online assessment tool on BestBuy.com.
•Walmart said its hearing aids start at $200 and can be purchased online and in-store at its vision departments.
•CVS is selling Go Hearing OTC hearing aids, priced between $200 and $300, online, and said in-store hearing aids will hit the shelves in some stores this month. In those stores and online, customers can take a hearing assessment. Customers will have 60 days to return the Go Hearing devices, according to cvs.com.
