Consumers can also take hearing tests online or through an app on their phone or computer, Lin said. While over-the-counter hearing aids will improve accessibility for people with mild hearing loss, Adunka said Ohioans with severe loss still need a prescription for hearing aids that work better. If you want to know more about selling or buying used hearing aids, contact the experts at EarPros. We`re here to answer your questions about world-class hearing aids and guide you on your journey to improved hearing. The move is aimed at expanding access to hearing aids, and the Biden administration expects some Americans to save thousands of dollars, according to a White House statement released in August. The latest hearing aids feature advanced technologies such as deep learning/artificial intelligence and Bluetooth. These are very convenient, especially if you use apps on your smartphone or like to stream music. You`re less likely to find these features on older, used hearing aids. Some new companies have entered the market, including Sony. It will sell its cheapest, self-adjusting over-the-counter hearing aid for $999 at Best Buy and other retailers. Nancy M. Williams, president of Auditory Insight, a hearing medicine management consultancy, said she reviewed eight over-the-counter hearing aid products ranging from $499 to $1,299.

Some look like headphones or are almost invisible, while others look like traditional hearing aids that wrap around the ear. The OTC tools she reviewed largely have limited or no Bluetooth connectivity, a feature that allows users to customize devices, and only about half have rechargeable batteries. But all eight allow the user to customize the devices based on their hearing test results. Another factor that could drive demand for new devices is that the stigma of wearing a hearing aid is diminishing, as people often use hearing aids to listen to music. Some consumers may want to see an audiologist in person or online to have their hearing tested before buying an over-the-counter aid, Lin said. An audiologist can also recommend which hearing aid is best for their type of hearing loss. Traditional fees for Medicare Service and most health insurers cover routine hearing tests. But Medicare and most private insurers don`t cover the cost of hearing aids, though many private Medicare Advantage plans do. What you need to consider before buying or selling used or refurbished hearing aids. « Despite the high prevalence and public health impact of hearing loss, only about one-fifth of people who could benefit from hearing aids seek intervention, » the FDA said. CVS also plans to offer the aids in its pharmacies and online « in the near future, » the company said in an email. If the hearing aid was originally expensive and works well, you can sell it on a forum like eBay or Craig`s List.

Before you do that, though, check if it`s legal in your area. There are surprisingly many states where it is not legal to sell used hearing aids. If you decide to sell it, be sure to include in your listing all the relevant information a buyer wants to know: manufacturer and model number, age and condition of the device, type of warranty, type of battery and reason for the sale. Also, don`t expect to receive as much money as you paid for. Look for ads for similar hearing aids and keep your hearing aids in the same area. OTC tools cost less in part because they do not bundle the services of an audiologist for hearing assessment, fitting and fine tuning of the device. Instead, the new devices will be set up by the consumers themselves, though manufacturers will offer technical support via apps and phone. BTE hearing aids are a one-size-fits-all for those who sit behind the ear. They are paired to the ear via custom ear tips or standard ear domes. While someone else`s custom eartips can no longer be worn, the hearing aids themselves can be reused by someone else, as long as the device is reprogrammed by a doctor to meet the hearing needs of the second person. Used hearing aids will not fit in another person`s ear if it is an in-ear (ITE), intra-channel (ITC) or complete in the channel (CIC) device. These types of hearing aids were explicitly disguised for the original owner`s ear.

If you try to put someone else`s in-ear hearing aid in your ear (which should be avoided), it falls, sticks out, or is uncomfortable to wear. Indeed, the hearing aid has been specially adapted to the shape and size of the ear of the original wearer with an ear print.