Since the September 2015 release of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) report, which detailed the cost barriers that exist for people with hearing loss, hearing aid prices and the high average cost of hearing aids have become even greater “hot news items” throughout the hearing industry.
As a result of the PCAST report, it is possible that new regulations designed to improve access to basic hearing aids could be in the very near future. This could be a life-changing reality for millions of people who suffer through the daily challenges of living with hearing loss, and it's a long-time coming for those who understand the importance of hearing aids' role in overcoming hearing loss and its effects.
Whether they are expensive or affordable hearing aids, the actual price of hearing aids is certainly a consideration, but in end, compared to the potential costs of not treating hearing loss, even the most expensive hearing aids turn out to be a bargain. That is why getting help at the first sign of a problem could be the best investment in yourself that you will ever make.
The Cost of Untreated Hearing Loss
A recent study by Better Hearing Institute found that people with untreated hearing loss earn significantly less than those with normal hearing—up to $30,000 per year less. It’s not uncommon for people in their 40s (the period of life with the highest earning potential) to have noise-damaged hearing.
With this in mind, treating hearing loss can be more expensive than putting a few hundred dollars toward improved hearing. In fact, when it comes to the value of personal items that can enhance your life, using hearing aids to treat your hearing loss can bring you a greater return on your investment than expected.
As shocking as it is, the financial cost of untreated hearing loss pales in comparison to the impact that impaired hearing has on relationships, social activity and quality of life for millions of people. In addition, untreated hearing loss has been linked to a number of health risks such as depression, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and more.
Here are a few ways that “living with untreated hearing loss” might be negatively affecting you:
- Some of life’s most precious moments are accompanied by whispers that even mild hearing loss render inaudible.
- Connecting with family and friends without straining to understand is an investment in your personal well-being.
- Very small degrees of noise damage can change the way music sounds and take away the punch line of the jokes that has everyone else laughing.
- Missing the tiny voices of grandchildren is a cost only those experiencing it can understand.
- Hearing-impaired people, once active participants living life in the center ring, gradually become bystanders. High noise levels inherent in most recreational sporting activities tend to make those that don’t hear well go home and turn up the television volume instead.
The Benefits of Treating Your Hearing Loss
Treating hearing loss and avoiding the stress and health hazards it can lead to is easy and well worth the time and money invested. Research shows that the rewards can be substantial. In fact, identifying and addressing hearing loss by buying hearing aids has been shown to positively influence virtually every aspect of an individual’s life, helping people personally, professionally and even financially.
In addition to helping maintain an active lifestyle and avoid a future of diminished earnings, today’s hearing aids come with a level of technology that can improve your life in ways you've probably never imagined.
There are now styles of hearing aids that are capable of seamlessly connecting with audio sources everywhere giving hearing aid wearers access to the sound world inherent in modern electronic media.
- Listen to T.V. or YouTube audio via BlueTooth and hear soundtracks and music corrected to your individual hearing loss.
- Regaining the ability to hear and appreciate the full range of music alone makes wearing hearing aids worth the price.
- Get more of life’s most important information by connecting to audio systems in schools and places of worship.
Background noise is a significant issue for those with hearing loss, but many hearing aid models include noise reduction technologies that will help you hear clearly again even in noisy areas.
How Can You Treat Your Hearing Loss?
Now, for nearly 34 million hearing-impaired Americans, a solution to their hearing problem is within reach. The latest advances in mass communications have enabled greater access to information about hearing aids and hearing aid technology. This has helped provide more people with more choices than ever before about solutions to help ease the consequences of untreated hearing loss.
Another result of the PCAST report proves that basic, affordable hearing aids with an average cost of $300 perform on a par with the more expensive models routinely sold by local hearing centers. In the two decades since the advent of digital hearing aid technology, prices have dropped, and customer satisfaction and knowledge have skyrocketed.
In addition, hearing aid manufacturers who don't have brick-and-mortar stores and instead ship the hearing aid directly to your door, like Advanced Affordable Hearing, are able to cut their costs and pass those savings on to you by reducing the hearing aid cost.
As a result, for just a small investment of a few hundred dollars, it is now possible to get a great pair of basic hearing aids in your price range, get the raise at work, and relive the memories that will last a lifetime.
If you have questions about which hearing aid will help you hear more clearly again, please don't hesitate to contact our hearing professionals at 1 (800) 804-0434.