Groups Call Warren’s Hearing Aid Bill a ‘Big Government Ploy’ to Increase Regulation

[rangerrebew]

 Groups Call Warren’s Hearing Aid Bill a ‘Big Government Ploy’ to Increase Regulation
Posted By Brent Scher On May 9, 2017 @ 5:00 am In Issues | No Comments

More than 20 conservative organizations stated their opposition to proposed legislation from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) that would make hearing aids available over-the-counter, calling it a "big government ploy to create more regulations."

The opposition was stated in a letter to Republican senator Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), who chairs the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee that is set to review the legislation on Wednesday. The groups, led by Frontiers of Freedom, the National Black Chamber of Commerce, and the Conservative Leadership PAC, say that the legislation will make sound amplification devises "more expensive and highly regulated."
 

Article printed from Washington Free Beacon: http://freebeacon.com

URL to article: http://freebeacon.com/issues/groups-call-warrens-hearing-aid-bill-big-government-ploy-increase-regulation/

[Hondo69]

A young person reading an overview of the story would think, "Making hearing aids available over-the-counter sounds like a cheap solution for a poor person who is hard of hearing".

But we know better.

[Wingnut]

And now, as a public service to those who have difficulty with their hearing, we will repeat the top story of the day aided by the Headmaster of the New York School for the Hard of Hearing, Garrett Morris.

[Applewood]

I have a hearing aid system  which I obtained through a medical doctor specializing in ear diseases (otologist).  Yes, it was expensive (almost $4,000), but the system is specifically designed for my needs.  That's the problem with hearing aid companies.  They may sell you any old hearing aid at perhaps a lower price, but it might not address your particular hearing loss.  And buying a hearing aid OTC will have the same downside.  Ideally, you should be fitted by a qualified audiologist under the supervision of an otologist. 

Some insurance plans will pay for hearing aids. If not, you can arrange financing.  The payment plan I had allowed me to pay off the hearing aid within one year interest free.  You just have to ask what financing is available.

Selling hearing aids OTC is a bad idea.  You might end up with a hearing aid that makes your hearing worse.  Is it worth losing your hearing altogether just to save money?

[Hondo69]

Selling hearing aids OTC is a bad idea. 

My hunch is this has very little to do with hearing aids.

[truth_seeker]

I have a hearing aid system  which I obtained through a medical doctor specializing in ear diseases (otologist).  Yes, it was expensive (almost $4,000), but the system is specifically designed for my needs.  That's the problem with hearing aid companies.  They may sell you any old hearing aid at perhaps a lower price, but it might not address your particular hearing loss.  And buying a hearing aid OTC will have the same downside.  Ideally, you should be fitted by a qualified audiologist under the supervision of an otologist. 

Some insurance plans will pay for hearing aids. If not, you can arrange financing.  The payment plan I had allowed me to pay off the hearing aid within one year interest free.  You just have to ask what financing is available.

Selling hearing aids OTC is a bad idea.  You might end up with a hearing aid that makes your hearing worse.  Is it worth losing your hearing altogether just to save money?

Why not" allow" both options?

--People such as yourself, would not be compelled to buy "OTC."

--People that desire to buy "OTC" would be "allowed" to do so.

[Hondo69]

Why not" allow" both options?

--People such as yourself, would not be compelled to buy "OTC."

--People that desire to buy "OTC" would be "allowed" to do so.

No, no, no.  That would be giving the peeps a choice and we can't have that in a Statist government.

[Polly Ticks]

And now, as a public service to those who have difficulty with their hearing, we will repeat the top story of the day aided by the Headmaster of the New York School for the Hard of Hearing, Garrett Morris.

He is obviously not a REAL sign-language interpreter; he is not even moving his hands.  They needed to hire Obama's guy:

[Wingnut]

Looks like the market is covered from what I can tell.....

[rodamala]

I have a hearing aid system  which I obtained through a medical doctor specializing in ear diseases (otologist).  Yes, it was expensive (almost $4,000), but the system is specifically designed for my needs.  That's the problem with hearing aid companies.  They may sell you any old hearing aid at perhaps a lower price, but it might not address your particular hearing loss.  And buying a hearing aid OTC will have the same downside.  Ideally, you should be fitted by a qualified audiologist under the supervision of an otologist. 

Some insurance plans will pay for hearing aids. If not, you can arrange financing.  The payment plan I had allowed me to pay off the hearing aid within one year interest free.  You just have to ask what financing is available.

Selling hearing aids OTC is a bad idea.  You might end up with a hearing aid that makes your hearing worse.  Is it worth losing your hearing altogether just to save money?

$4000 for a hearing aid? FOUR F*CKING THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A HEARING AID?!?

Oh, that's right... insurance pays for it.

That, right there, is what is wrong with "healthcare" in this nation.  I will be G-d damned if I am going to be forced to pay for someone else's effing hearing aid, OR third term abortion.

[Polly Ticks]

$4000 for a hearing aid? FOUR F*CKING THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A HEARING AID?!?

Oh, that's right... insurance pays for it.

That, right there, is what is wrong with "healthcare" in this nation.  I will be G-d damned if I am going to be forced to pay for someone else's effing hearing aid, OR third term abortion.

Actually, it is very unusual for insurance policies to cover hearing aids.

[Applewood]

$4000 for a hearing aid? FOUR F*CKING THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A HEARING AID?!?

Oh, that's right... insurance pays for it.

That, right there, is what is wrong with "healthcare" in this nation.  I will be G-d damned if I am going to be forced to pay for someone else's effing hearing aid, OR third term abortion.

The benefit is available to Medicare  supplement subscribers.  I believe (but could be wrong) that it was a required benefit to us old folks under Obamacare. 

However, there are some catches.   The insurer can dictate the brand or brands of hearing aids to be covered and only specific models within a brand or brands.  In my case, the supplemental insurance only covered some brand even my audiologist never heard of.   My guess is that the brand is sold by one of those hearing aid centers you see in the shopping mall.  No doubt a very low cost brand (insurance is not going to fork over $4,000 for hearing aids).

Hearing aid prices can vary greatly. You can get low cost hearing aids, but they may not be suitable for your hearing loss.  My hearing aid has a volume control that I can adjust up or down depending on the situation.  Some cheaper models may have only one setting which might be too loud or not loud enough.  Also, in my right ear -- because I'm almost totally deaf in that ear -- I have what looks like a hearing aid, but it's not.  It's a transmitter that picks up sound from that ear and transmits it to the hearing aid in the left ear.  So if you are sitting to my right and talking to me, I can actually hear you in my left ear.  You aren't going to get that kind of hearing system cheap or paid for by insurance. 

This is yet another insurance benefit that is totally useless, at least for me.  I wish we could pick the benefits we want (and pay for them), rather than be saddled with unnecessary benefits we are still paying for.  But that would be way too sensible. 

[Hondo69]

This is yet another insurance benefit that is totally useless, at least for me.  I wish we could pick the benefits we want (and pay for them), rather than be saddled with unnecessary benefits we are still paying for.  But that would be way too sensible.

Well, you can always do like me and donate some of your benefits to charity.  For example, I don't need birth control pills at all and Sandra Fluke says they cost $300/mo.  By donating them to charity that's a $3,600 deduction right there.

And we haven't even got into mammograms or sex change operations yet.  The way I figure it my charity donations could top $ 360,000 this year and I can't imagine the IRS putting up an argument.  All these big government types are all-in on this ObamaCare crap.

[EC]

Bet they kicked up the same amount of fuss when reading glasses started being sold over the counter.

Much as it pains me to admit - Fauxohonatas has the right of it.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I have hearing aids, and they cost $3000. Insurance did not cover them.

Amazing that something as advanced as an iphone costs like $600 or so but hearing aids are way expensive. Of course, for that price you get the aids, 2 years of warranty and replacement cost if they're lost, hearing test, programming the aids. Worth it? Meh.

The aids don't just boost sound, they boost sound at the frequencies you don't hear well at. They are fully digital and have some "speech in noise" capabilities. They will probably give you, at best, 50% of your old hearing back. My hearing was so bad, I needed to do something.

[geronl]

[Applewood]

I have hearing aids, and they cost $3000. Insurance did not cover them.

Amazing that something as advanced as an iphone costs like $600 or so but hearing aids are way expensive. Of course, for that price you get the aids, 2 years of warranty and replacement cost if they're lost, hearing test, programming the aids. Worth it? Meh.

The aids don't just boost sound, they boost sound at the frequencies you don't hear well at. They are fully digital and have some "speech in noise" capabilities. They will probably give you, at best, 50% of your old hearing back. My hearing was so bad, I needed to do something.

For $4,000 I also get replacement batteries for a full year, plus a lifetime supply of these earwax filters I have to replace in the hearing aid on a monthly basis. 

You're right that hearing aids don't give you the hearing you had as a kid, but for me -- my friends and family no longer have to shout at me, I can watch TV at a normal volume, instead of one that can be heard in the next county, and I can hear the phone when it rings or an alarm when it goes off. My hearing was so bad, I couldn't hear a car approaching when crossing the street. In that situation, hearing loss could have been fatal.

It was a major expense, but for me the investment was worth it.

[Fishrrman]

Weird wrote:
"Amazing that something as advanced as an iphone costs like $600 or so but hearing aids are way expensive."

They're expensive because the market is locked up to relatively few providers, most of whom don't compete selling their hardware.

Brings to mind the Epi-pen. Pay our price or else.

"Over-the-counter" sales of hearing aid hardware introduces a much-needed dose of competition into a captive market. Isn't this what the [so-called] "conservatives" here want?

Why couldn't one go to a professional for an exam, get a prescription, buy an hearing aid over-the-counter that is tailored to the RX, then go back for another session with the professional for fine-tuning? (aside, perhaps something like that is done now, I've never been involved in this particular market)

I'm for anything that introduces competition - REAL competition - into the market...