Why Do Hearing Aids Cost So Much?
I often get this question from clients and it is the #1 reason people do not pursue hearing aids, even when they really need them.
Hearing Aid Costs
In New Brunswick, and across Canada, hearing devices are typically a bundled cost.
This bundled price not only includes the cost of the hearing aid(s), but also,
Programming and verification of settings
Follow-ups
Adjustments
In-house repairs for the lifetime of the device(s).
When you are purchasing a hearing device, you are also purchasing a 5-year treatment plan.
At Atlantic Hearing Clinic, we spend an average of 3 hours with our new clients until we feel comfortable that they can manage on their own. After that, we are here to service them when needed, regardless of the number of visits. We collaborate with 3 local ENTs and are trained to send referrals when medically necessary.
Hearing rehabilitation is not just a ‘one-and-done’, it is about ongoing care. Audiologists are like physical therapists. Hearing loss is an ongoing injury that requires gradual treatment over time and is typically progressive in nature. Hearing aids are just one tool in the equation and are actually the lesser cost. We are the greater and more important cost.
This also explains why you can seemingly purchase hearing devices online for significantly cheaper. Currently, the hearing devices you can purchase directly, without getting examined first by an audiologist, are personal sound amplification products or PSAPS. PSAPs are not hearing aids and are not recommended for people with hearing loss. They are designed for people who wish to amplify sounds in noisy environments, such as parties. Unlike hearing aids, PSAPs are not FDA-regulated medical devices. PSAPs cannot distinguish or separate speech from noise. They also cannot be customized to meet your specific needs. PSAPs may even cause damage to hearing, due to the sound volume they provide.
At Atlantic Hearing Clinic, we discuss all options to improve your hearing and have solutions to stay within your budget. We also offer payment plans to make this cost more affordable. Private health insurance plans often cover some of this cost. One should ask, ‘why do health insurance plans cover so little?’. In other healthcare fields, we don’t see the costs as they are covered by Medicare. For instance, having a hip replacement requires surgery, X-rays, dressing changes, office visits, and more for a much greater cost. We are just bundling our services together. Hearing aids are also tax-free and tax-deductible as they are a medical expense. We understand the cost of hearing aids is not something everyone can easily afford. That is why we are doing everything we can to make them more affordable and last longer. We’ve repaired hearing aids in situations where the hearing aids seem far beyond broken.
Our team cares about your hearing and you will never be oversold on something you don’t need. We have your best interests at heart.
In other provinces, like Ontario, the government will help support some of the cost of hearing aids for the general public. Unfortunately, this program has yet to come to New Brunswick. We are consistently in talks with the Minister of Health on this topic but have yet to make significant progress. If you feel passionate about this discussion like we do, I encourage you to contact your local member of parliament. The more voices they hear, the better chance we have at bringing this to fruition.
Currently, at this time of writing, a hearing aid (1) will roughly cost anywhere between $1,650-$3250. Prices do fluctuate based on the manufacturer’s cost and market conditions. The price of the hearing aid also depends on the features that you’d like. While features are a nice perk to have, the base hearing aids do a good job of making improvements in your hearing in different environments.
If you are interested in communicating better and learning the costs of different types of hearing aids, book an appointment today!
For more information on why hearing aids cost so much, visit Forbes article on the same topic!