Over-the-counter hearing aids are for sale but they are not for everyone - Abbeyfeale Golf Club Abbeyfeale Over-the-counter hearing aids are for sale but they are not for everyone Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Telegram BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – According to the FDA, over-the-counter hearing aids will start hitting shelves this month after they got the greenlight. Dr. Carissa McCauley, an audiologist at Rutland Regional Medical Center, has mixed emotions about over-the-counter hearing aids, saying they’ll help some people, but they’re not for everyone. According to the Vermont Legislature, hearing loss affects over 70,000 Vermonters. Now, some will have the option to buy a hearing aid at a pharmacy. “This will be right for people in the mild to moderate degree of hearing loss range, who may have difficulty affording traditional hearing aids because its cost is always a concern,” McCauley said. McCauley noted that OTC hearing aids will provide more access to Vermonters. She said the prices range from $300 per device or per year up to $1,000, depending on what options people choose. She said they have a maximum volume and won’t go louder than what is safe. She also anticipates a lot of interest in Vermont. “We did have a population where there’s not always access to money, there are fixed incomes and this might be a good option for some of those people. Not everyone is going to be a great fit for this. But I do think there’s going to be a large amount of interest, especially in our area,” she said. But while access is great, McCauley encourages patients to do their research before purchasing. “I am also hopeful that people will still come and see an audiologist for a hearing test. A lot of the over-the-counter hearing aids don’t require you to have a hearing test. They’ll kind of do like a self-fit one. And I think it’s just a disadvantage to people who might have other underlying issues that they might not even be aware of,” McCauley said. She said audiologists can recommend hearing aids based on your needs and the style that would suit you best. Another potential challenge is that over-the-counter hearing aids are self-fitting, which can be difficult, especially if the user is someone experiencing cognitive impairments. “From my experience, if it’s a first fit and patients haven’t worn hearing aids before, it can be stressful and confusing with my assistants. So I can only imagine how tricky it might be once they are fit,” McCauley said. A law passed by the Vermont Legislature last session requires insurance to cover hearing aids, repairs and evaluations for Vermonters who have been prescribed a hearing aid in 2024. That it doesn’t specifically exclude OTC products, but they’d have to be prescribed for insurance to cover it. Dr. McCauley added that consumers should be aware that there is false advertising where personal amplifiers are being disguised as hearing aids and are being sold for hundreds of dollars. Related Stories: What you need to know about over-the-counter hearing aids Over-the-counter hearing aids expected this fall in the US Copyright 2022 WCAX. All rights reserved. . Related Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Telegram Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Advertisement Recent Posts 6 seconds ago Over-the-counter hearing aids are for sale but they are not for everyone 1 min ago Cyclist’ s trip honors grandfather’ s war journey News 2 mins ago SAS Championship partners with HBCUs for inaugural invitational 4 mins ago Pau Horse Trials entries 2022 include 31 British riders among 51 horses 5 mins ago MSHSL Adds Female Division For State Clay Target Rejects Expanded Baseball and Softball Schedule Back to top button Abbeyfeale Golf Club