Hearing Aid Industry
Hearing aids are big business! You've probably noticed that hearing aids
are becoming VERY expensive, and that the industry is consolidating.
Here's your chance to learn about the hearing aid industry!
April 2013 - Oticon's Parent Buys
Cochlear Implant Company
October 2012 - Study Predicts Growth
in Hearing Aid Sales Through 2018
October 2012 - Entire Sonova Group to
Support Hear the World Foundation
October 2012 -
UnitedHealth hearing aid deal criticized
September 2012 -
New Devices Offer Simpler and Less Expensive Hearing
Loss Solutions
September 2012 -
Hearing Aid Dispensers Try to Block Sale of
Hearing Aids as Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs)
September 2012 -
UnitedHealth Extends Hearing Aid Offering to
Commercial Members
August 2012 -
The Next Startup Boom: Hearing Aids?
August 2012 - Audiologists Express
Support for Consumer-Driven Hearing Health Care
August 2012 -
US Hearing Aid Market Potential Remains High, But
Cochlear Impants May Catch Up
June 2012 -
FDA Shuts Down hi HealthInnovations' Online Hearing
Test
June 2012 -
State Officials Urged
to Encourage Use of Licensed Hearing Healthcare Professionals
April 2012 - Competing with Costco: Is it Time to
Unbundle Prices?
March 2012 - Hearing Aid Providers Overcharging?
March 2012 - TruHearing Unveils Discounted Hearing
Program
March 2012 - HLAA Comments on United Health Care's
Direct to Consumer Hearing Aid Program
February 2012 - Indiana Hearing Aid Specialists Defeat Deregulation Bill
February 2012 - Panasonic Reaches Distribution
Agreement With The Hearing Shop
January 2012 -
Consumer skittishness turns hearing aid sales
sluggish
January 2012 -
Programming hi HealthInnovations' Hearing Devices
January 2012 -
High Drama: The Unraveling of HearUSA
January 2012 -
Audiologist assistants may alleviate the
workforce squeeze
January 2012 -
India-made hearing aid to cost below $60
January 2012 -
Able Planet Enters Low Cost Hearing Instrument
Market
December 2011 -
Increasing Hearing Aid Adoption Rates Through
Value-based Advertising and Price Unbundling
December 2011 -
Meeting the First-Time User Challenge
November 2011 -
Industry Fights Back Against UnitedHealth's
Hearing Aid Program
November 2011 -
Are Internet hearing aid sales the inevitable
future?
November 2011 - Audiology Organizations Question Legality of Online Hearing Aid Marketing
November 2011 - Global Audiological Devices Market to
Reach US $26.2 Billion by 2017
November 2011 - IntriCon to Supply Hearing Aids to hi
HealthInnovations
November 2011 -
Cost-effective Pricing for Hearing Aids and Related Audiological
Services
November 2011 -
Hearing Loss Association of America Speaks Out on the Latest
UnitedHealthcareR Initiative
October 2011 - Health Insurer to Provide Reduced
Cost Hearing Aids
October 2011 -
US Hearing Aid Sales Show Slow but Stable Growth in
Third Quarter
October 2011 - Better Hearing Institute Warns on
Do-It-Yourself Hearing Care
October 2011 -
Insurance Company Plan to Sell Hearing Aids
Criticized
September 2011 - European Hearing Aid and
Cochlear Implant Market
August 2011 - HearUSA Announces Agreement
for Sale of Assets to Siemens
August 2011 -
ADA Files Federal
Lawsuit Against ASHA Alleging Fraudulent Activities
July 2011 - HLAA
Convention: Consumer Reports on Hearing Loss
July 2011 -
HLAA Encourages Transparency of Hearing Aid Pricing
July 2011 -
A Survey of Key Metrics for Benchmarking a Hearing
Practice, Part 2
July 2011 -
Hearing Aid Business Booms as Population Ages
July 2011 -
HearUSA case offers peek at profitable AARP brand
endorsements
June 2011 - Companies Battle for Billion Dollar
Chinese & Indian Hearing Aid Market
June 2011 - Audiotoniq Announces Revolutionary
High-Tech Hearing System
May 2011 -
Does Hearing Aid Cost Influence Buying Decision?
May 2011 - HearUSA Files for Bankrupcy
May 2011 - William Demant Selected as Stalking Horse
Bidder for HearUSA
May 2011 - Hearing healthcare professionals are
satisfied in their careers
April 2011 - Siemens Introduces New Products
Including Waterproof Hearing Aid
April 2011 - TV Ears to Provide Referrals to
Hearing Professionals
April 2011 -
Verification and validation increase hearing
aid satisfaction
March 2011 -
Cell phone inspires ear
specialist to design affordable hearing aid
March 2011 -
MDHearingAid Offers
Affordable Hearing Aids
March 2011 - Industry Reacts to Growing Internet
Hearing Aid Sales
March 2011 -
Hearing aid orientation supplement through DVD
instruction
December 2010 -
In troubled economic times, the hearing aid
industry remains an island of stability
November 2010 - The Economics of
a 24/7 Hearing Aid
October 2010 - HearUSA Reports Expanded Managed
Care Contracts for 2011
September 2010 - Panasonic Digital Hearing
Instruments Debut in US Marketplace
September 2010 - Will New Hearing Aid Company
Revolutionize the Market?
September 2010 -
Mayo Study: Is it Safe for
Seniors to Self-Refer to an Audiologist?
July 2010 - MarkeTrak VIII: Utilization of PSAPs and
Direct-Mail Hearing Aids by People with Hearing Impairment
May 2010 - HearUSA Rolls Out AARP Hearing Care
Program Nationwide
May 2010 - Survey probes dispensers' views on key
issues raised by Consumer Reports
May 2010 - Sonova posts new sales record and
significant earnings growth
April 2010
- Part Two of BHI's MarkeTrak VIII Report Tracks Customer
Satisfaction
April 2010 -
New York Seeks To Allow Physicians To Provide
Hearing Aid Services
April 2010 -
Audiology convention shows off top technology
March 2010 -
Boomers Demanding More Technology in Hearing
Aids
March 2010 - Doctor
creates affordable hearing aids costing less than $200
February 2010 - Audiologist Survey
Addresses Changing Hearing Aid Market
January 2010 - Sonova Acquires InSound Medical Inc. and
its Lyric Hearing Aid
January 2010 -
Consumer Protection for Hearing
Aid Purchasers
November 2009 -
NIDCD Working Group on Accessible and Affordable Hearing Health Care for
Adults with Mild to Moderate Hearing Loss
November 2009 -
Sonova Announces the Acquisition of
Advanced Bionics
October 2009 -
VA Awards Hearing Aid
Contracts
August 2009 -
The inside story of Consumer Reports'
controversial new hearing aid study
August 2009 -
Cochlear Implant Candidates Unidentified
and Underserved in Hearing Aid Dispensing Practice
July 2009 -
Audiologists Respond to "Consumer
Reports" Criticisms
June 2009 -
Consumer Reports: Hearing Aid Shoppers
Pay High Prices, Get Mediocre Fittings
May 2009 -
FDA Issues PSAP Guidance
May 2009 - Identifying Cochlear Implant
Candidates in the Hearing Aid Dispensing Practice
April 2009 - Starkey Introduces the Next
Generation of Hearing Aids: S Series with Drive Architecture
April 2009 - Hamilton CapTel
Aligns with Oaktree Products, Inc.
April 2009 -
Hamilton CapTel Announces Alliance with
EPIC, Inc.
April 2009 -
Zounds Hearing Aid Centers Files
Bankruptcy
April 2009 -
Newspaper Article Questions Hearing Aid Pricing
Practices
March 2009 - America Hears Introduces New Hearing
Aids
March 2009 -
Hearing aid salesman admits fraud
March 2009 -
Study compares hearing aids fitted
online with clinical fittings on the same subjects
February 2009 - Maryland Issues New Internet
Hearing Aid Sales Regulation
February 2009 -
Man Says Quest For Hearing Lost Him $5,200
December 2008 - America Hears Expands, Upgrades its
Unique 'Clicks-and-Mortar' Hearing-Aid Business
June 2008 - America Hears Partners with Dynamic
Hearing to Deliver Next-Generation Hearing-Aid Solutions
December 2007 - Hearing Aids: Seven Buyers
Beware Warnings
November 2007 - The Future of Hearing Health Care
November 2007 - America Hears Offers Free Demo
Version of Software for Download
November 2007 - "Hear
the World" to launch in January
October 2007 - America Hears Introduces Pricing
Structure Featuring One Low Price for All Digital Hearing Aids
September 2007 - Hearing Aid
Industry Transitions to Patient-Focused Model
August 2007 - Oticon Hearing
Aids Benefits Cancer Research
August 2007 - Songbird
Hearing Being Resurrected?
May 2007 - Colorado Audiologists Attempt to
Restrict Hearing Aid Sales by Dispensers
May 2007 - HearPod, A New Hearing
Aid Concept
April 2007
- SeboTek Group Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit
Against Oticon, Phonak, Interton, GN-Resound, and Vivatone
October 2006 - Phonak acquisition makes it world
number one
May 2006 -
The pros and cons of buying hearing aids online
November 2005 - I guess it's no surprise to any of us that the
hearing aid industry projects how many hearing aids they expect to sell
in any given year. It may be a surprise that, at least according to this
press release, the industry is falling short of expectations. This
article offers some interesting perspectives on the industry and how it
conducts business.
July 2001 -
Have any questions you'd like to ask a hearing aid manufacturer? I've
got about a million of them, and I bet you do too. They're probably not
all answered by this
Hearing Aid Manufacturers Panel,
but I bet you'll learn a lot by reading it!
More on this and related
topics
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 2012
A hearing-aid manufacturer in Arden Hills says it
will be the supplier for an expanded program at Minnetonka-based
UnitedHealth Group to make low-cost hearing aids available to the insurance
company's health plan members. But the program is proving controversial
among hearing health professionals who say UnitedHealth has tried to save
money at their expense. "They're pretty much trying to provide the device
and cut out the health care system," said John Coverstone, an audiologist in
New Brighton who is president of the Minnesota Academy of Audiology. "The
time we spend with the patient is what makes the difference between using an
instrument successfully and having a device that's not appropriately fit."
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 2012
To many people, hearing loss represents another step
in the dreaded march to old age. In fact, only about 20% of the 36 million
Americans who could benefit from a hearing aid actually use one, according
to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Diseases. Now,
a wave of new devices that are smaller, hipper and sold over-the-counter are
trying to win over more consumers-and appeal to the growing number of
younger people with hearing damage from loud music. One upcoming model is a
smartphone app. Others look like MP3 players or Bluetooth headsets. Some can
barely be seen at all. They're also less expensive: Traditional hearing aids
can cost more than $4,000 per ear and aren't covered by Medicare or most
insurers. Often likened to "reading glasses" for the ears, many of the new
models come preset to boost sounds in the high frequencies that most people
lose first. That lets consumers bypass audiologists, who have traditionally
controlled the market by giving hearing tests and selling custom-programmed
hearing aids.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 2012
The American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA),
Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA), and International Hearing Society (IHS)
have filed a joint letter on August 31 to the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) urging the agency to address concerns with hearing aids
being sold as Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs). According to
ASHA, the three organizations stated their belief to FDA that many companies
are marketing hearing aids directly to consumers as "personal sound
amplifiers." ASHA said that, in at least one case, different sellers are
marketing the same product (ie, hearing aids) differently-in some instances
as hearing aids and in others as PSAPs. The letter-which specifically
mentions Neutronic Ear, RCA Symphonix Personal Sound Amplifier, Lee Majors
Bionic Hearing Aid, and the TV Ears Sports Amplifier-urges the FDA to
investigate products sold by retailers to determine whether they are
violating FDA disclosure regulations and, if appropriate, to send warning
letters instructing violating parties to cease and desist marketing and/or
distributing these products for not complying with FDA requirements.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 2012
UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s (UNH) health-insurance
business has extended its hearing-aid offering, launched last year for
people on Medicare-based plans, to more than 26 million people who have
commercial health coverage through the company. UnitedHealthcare is offering
the hearing aids through collaboration with another UnitedHealth business,
hi HealthInnovations. That company gets the devices from supplier IntriCon
Corp. (IIN). The health insurer, which is the industry's biggest by
membership, has said it is simplifying the hearing-aid supply chain and
using its purchasing clout to deliver lower-cost devices. The effort ran
into a challenge earlier this year when the Food and Drug Administration
said an online hearing test--initially highlighted as a key part of the
hearing- aid offering--was being marketed without necessary regulatory
approval. The test, which has also drawn criticism from hearing
professionals, was taken down and is being reworked. In the meantime, hi
HealthInnovations said patients can get tests through a company hearing
professional or other health-care providers.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 2012
The iPod generation may face a real problem: hearing
loss. As younger generations routinely plug in their ear buds, they could
unwittingly join the millions of American's who suffer some degree of
hearing loss. "The extensive use of music players among the iPod generation
is likely to accelerate hearing loss and could lead to a pick-up in demand
for hearing aids in the next 10 to 20 years," according to Ingeborg Oie,
analyst withJefferies [JEF 14.12 -0.09 (-0.63%) ] the global
securities and investment banking group. So it's no surprise that startups
have begun to tap into this growing demand. Case in point: Audicus. The
web-based startup hopes to become a disrupter in the space with its
unorthodox approach to hearing ads. "With this massively growing market
that we are seeing both from the younger generations, as well as older
population segments, we are positioning hearing aids in the realm of
accessory instead of old school medical device," says Audicus founder
Patrick Freuler. The startup plans to compete with traditional hearing aid
makers, likeSiemens[SI 92.86 -0.52 (-0.56%) ], by dropping the cost
of their products by 70 percent, he said.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 2012
According to a new hearing device report by iData
Research, the United States hearing aid market is still growing and will
continue to grow until 2018. Open fit devices and RICs are growing in market
share, but cochlear implant sales may increasingly take market share away
from all hearing aid devices. The iData report, "Markets for Hearing-Aids
and Audiology Devices," provides an analysis of the wholesale and retail
hearing-aid market by style, circuit, battery size, and includes market
research findings on cochlear implants, direct drive implants, otoscopes,
OAE and ABR analyzers, audiometers, tympanometers and real ear analyzers. A
2012 "U.S. Audiologist Product Preference & Use Survey" is also available.
According to a summary press release, IData's analysts say that growth of
the American hearing device market is largely dependent on technological
innovations that are offered by manufacturers and the growing aging
population of Baby Boomers. They also note that while many people are
experiencing some degree of hearing loss, only a minor portion of this
population is currently purchasing hearing aids. Thus, they conclude that
the market remains at only a fraction of its potential size. iData notes
that sales of open-fit and receiver-in-canal (RICs) devices have grown
rapidly and a driver in shifting patient preference away from BTEs.
According to Kamran Zamanian, CEO of iData, "The advantages of open-fit
hearing aid devices have propelled sales, as patients have benefited from
the discreet design; however, open-fit and receiver-in-canal unit growth
will largely parallel increases in the overall hearing aid market once
saturation occurs." Within the next few years, IData says that manufacturers
of RICs will continue to capture unit share from traditional BTE
manufacturers. However, the report also predicts that within the in-the-ear
(ITE) segment, completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aids will gain
popularity due to the release of invisible ITE hearing aids.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 2012
Hi HealthInnovations has removed its online hearing
test from its website after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from the
Food and Drug Administration March 28. (See FastLinks.) The company, an
affiliate of insurance behemoth UnitedHealth Group, made a controversial
entry into the hearing aid market last fall when it offered
direct-to-consumer hearing aids at sharply discounted prices with no
out-of-pocket costs to some Medicare Advantage members. Obtaining hearing
aids without a consultation with a qualified professional, and using only a
limited online screening tool for diagnosing and prescribing the aid, caused
an uproar among hearing healthcare professionals. The American Academy of
Audiology, the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, and the American
Speech-Language-Hearing Association asked regulators to step in. The FDA
took action after reviewing hi HealthInnovations' website.
Full story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 2012
Audiologists and hearing aid dispensers haven't
always made it easy for patients to know what they're getting for their
money. Practitioners quote prices that typically lump together the cost of
hearing instruments and professional services, and advertisements in
newspapers often use confusing industry jargon to endorse the latest hearing
devices. The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) advocates unbundling
the price of hearing aids from professional services, and it launched its
Campaign to Make Hearing Aids Affordable in April 2011 to encourage
itemization by hearing health practitioners. It's not a new concept, but
HLAA has embraced it as part of a broader effort to remove barriers to
treatment. "We think that consumers have a right to know what they're paying
for," said Brenda Battat, HLAA's executive director. Six months after HLAA
launched its campaign, the UnitedHealth Group in Minnetonka, MN, began
offering low-cost hearing aids through its hi HealthInnovations unit
directly to people who take online hearing tests. (See FastLinks.) The
insurer promoted a "simple, convenient, and affordable" approach to dealing
with hearing loss. Audiology groups immediately criticized the initiative on
quality-of-care, patient safety, and legal grounds, concerned that the
online delivery method removes professional services from the equation, but
HLAA, in support of more options, said the model should be given a chance so
that consumers can decide for themselves. For better or worse, the
initiative put price back on the front burner.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2012
Millions of dollars in reimbursements to Medi-Cal
hearing aid providers are being questioned by state Controller John Chiang.
In a letter to the Department of Health Care Services, Mr. Chiang says rate
changes could save taxpayers as much as $27.4 million over a three-year
period. "At a time when health care services to California's neediest are
being cut to the bone, I urge the department to reconsider policies that
cause taxpayers to pay not only up to $3 for every $1 of goods provided, but
also for services never rendered," says Mr. Chiang. "Spending less needs to
be paired with spending smartly." The review stemmed from a March 2011
State Controller's Office report in which auditors questioned more than
$500,000 in reimbursements paid to one Medi-Cal audiologist. The review
revealed a significant difference between what the audiologist paid for
hearing aids, and the amount he was reimbursed by Department of Health Care
Services. In one case, the audiologist had purchased a pair of hearing aids
for $120, but under the DHCS Medi-Cal reimbursement policy in effect at the
time, he was reimbursed $1,465. State auditors expanded their scope to
review 60 claims filed in 2009 by five other Medi-Cal audiologists and
hearing aid providers. The review found that discounts and rebates were
offered to the providers, resulting in a significant difference between the
actual acquisition costs for the providers and the wholesales costs reported
to Department of Health Care Services that are used to determine the
reimbursement rate.
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2012
Indiana hearing aid specialists and other
professions that require a license have defeated HB 1006, a deregulation
bill that was withdrawn from consideration after strong opposition by the
professional hearing health community and other affected professional
groups. "This was an important victory for Indiana consumers, and we are
extremely pleased with the outcome," said Jane Bowman, BC-HIS, president of
the Indiana Hearing Aid Alliance (IHAA) and member of the International
Hearing Society (IHS). "As a licensed hearing aid specialist, I am required
to uphold the highest level of standards when testing hearing and fitting
customers with hearing devices. Without regulation, consumers' safety would
be compromised." The withdrawn bill was based on recommendations made by the
Regulated Occupations Evaluation Committee (ROEC), released in December
2011. Similar to the sunset review process used by many states, the ROEC
evaluation calls for a systematic review of all professional licenses within
a 7-year period. The Committee of Indiana Hearing Aid Dealers was one of
several committees being evaluated and recommended for elimination.
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2012
It's shaping up to be another lackluster year for
hearing aid sales in the United States as jittery consumers, concerned about
the nation's economy, keep a tight grip on their wallets. Growth in unit
sales slowed to a trickle in the second and third quarters of 2011, up a
mere 0.99% and 0.94%, respectively. The industry experienced modest growth
in the first nine months of the year. Unit sales totaled 2,079,258, an
increase of 2.26%, according to the latest statistical data reported by the
Hearing Industries Association (HIA). In the same period in 2010,
manufacturers moved 2,033,378 units, a 3.9% gain. Excluding sales to the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), manufacturers sold 1,659,930 units
during the first three quarters of the year, a 1.85% increase over the
previous year. Unit sales totaled 1,629,783 during the same nine months in
2010, representing a 2% increase. Experts who follow the industry say
hearing aid purchases reflect uniquely personal decisions to invest in the
technology, often after years of delay or denial. Ultimately, longer-term
demand is driven by the perceived need for hearing assistance. But in the
short term, when a sharp deterioration in consumer confidence occurs, it
inhibits hearing aid purchases, said Klaus Madsen, Head of Equity Research
for Handelsbanken Capital Markets in Denmark. "I think that's exactly what
we saw during Q2 and Q3," he said
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2012
Open-fit hearing devices do not require custom ear
impressions and earmolds. Therefore, the same device can fit most ears,
using a limited number of tubing, connectors, and tip sizes. This
flexibility of physical fit has the potential to increase access to hearing
devices for people who are open-fit candidates. Studies in the United
Kingdom have already shown that open-fit devices can make hearing health
care more accessible and less costly. hi HealthInnovations makes available
technologically advanced open-fit hearing devices to people who are
candidates for them. Candidacy is assessed using tests that the potential
hearing device user can take either in a health care provider's office or at
home via the Internet, using a variety of platforms. The purpose of this
article is to describe the methods developed for these self-tests and report
the results of studies evaluating their reliability and accuracy.
The goals of
the hi HealthInnovations hearing tests are:
1.
Accurately assess the hearing of users for the purposes of identifying
people who could potentially benefit from open-fit hearing devices;
2. Make
appropriate audiological and medical referrals for people who are not
candidates for open-fit devices so that they may get the custom earpieces,
hearing device programming, and individualized assistance they need;
3. For those
users who are candidates, provide open-fit hearing devices accurately
programmed according to methods that meet current audiological standards of
practice.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2012
In a matter of months, the big shots at HearUSA went
from "thinking of the many ways they were going to spend their millions to
losing their jobs and getting pennies on the dollar for their shares,"
according to an insider's view of spring 2011 at HearUSA. I always thought
this series would end with two of our industry's largest companies, William
Demant Holding (WDH) and Siemens, duking it out over HearUSA. But the facts
got in the way. Siemens and WDH were just doing business-a really boring
story. The juicy story remained HearUSA, the adolescent in permanent crisis
that would not take its exit cue. This blog post is the script notes for the
Final Act of the melodrama, with HearUSA chewing up the scenery and holding
onto center stage for dear life...or in this case, the publicly traded
company'sDeath by Bankruptcy.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2012
Understanding the workforce crunch for audiologists
is just a matter of doing the math. Some 17,000 licensed audiologists
practice in the United States, and within the next decade, about 40 percent
of them will be retiring. At the same time, the worldwide demand for hearing
aids and similar devices is growing by about six percent annually,
exacerbated by an aging baby boom population, according to a report by the
London-based Companies and Markets. The 600 or so students graduating from
audiology programs, not all of whom will go into clinical practice, won't be
enough to fill the growing need for audiologists, said Barry Freeman, PhD,
Starkey's Senior Director of Education and Audiology. Many experts have long
believed that the answer to this squeeze on audiologists lies with audiology
assistants, but this proposed solution is far from being fully integrated
into the scope of practice. A 2004 survey of American Academy of Audiology
members revealed that only about 28 percent of audiologists employ
assistants in their practices, and that number hasn't changed much. Why are
some practitioners not taking advantage of this option, and more
importantly, are they holding themselves and their practices back by not
hiring audiology assistants?
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2012
India is recognised the worldover as a pioneer in
the field of low-cost innovation, be it Tata Motor's Nano car or the
government-aided Aakash tablet project, and now it is time for a hearing aid
priced at Rs 2,000-3,000 [Ed. $38 to $57] to have a disruptive effect in the
market. "C-DAC has developed such devices which will cost between Rs 2,000
to Rs 3,000 for each million units produced. Hearing aid devices with
similar features sell at a price between Rs 10 thousand and upward of Rs 1
lakh, which is out of Indian customers' reach," DIT Joint Secretary Ajay
Kumar said.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2012
Ever since electric hearing aids were introduced
around the turn of the last century, they have been too expensive for most
aging Americans. Scores of inventors have tried to commercialize lower-cost
hearing devices, but their products often come up short, amplifying
low-frequency sound and making it difficult to hear voices. Now a Colorado
headphone manufacturer called Able Planet plans to launch a new line of
affordable amplification devices, beginning in March. The first new product,
the Personal Sound AMP, is smaller than a dime and fits into the ear with a
band to hold it in place. At $800 a pair, the AMP is meant to be an
alternative to hearing aids, which can cost several thousand dollars. Only 9
percent of U.S. seniors making less than $50,000 a year own hearing aids,
according to 2010 survey by medical devices research firm Parks Associates.
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2011
The retail price of hearing aids, which averages
about $2,000 per unit in the United States, continues to prevail as a
primary barrier to the use of these devices by consumers. To lessen the
impact of price as a barrier and substantially increase the number of
hearing aids dispensed to non-users, it has been advocated that hearing aid
cost be reduced. However, economic estimates do not support this idea.
Specifically, devices fully or partially subsidized by the US federal
government are expected to yield only small gains in adoption rate, based on
the inelastic demand for this technology. In this paper, we contend that
price is not a primary factor to the adoption process. Instead, we reason
that impaired listeners are not adopting amplification, in part, because of
the market's lack of emphasis on the evidence-based potential benefits of
this technology in a meaningful way.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2011
This study looks at several factors related to
first-time use of hearing aids with the new Oticon Intiga device, which
employs a system of gradual gain increases during the first month of use
until it reaches full prescriptive gain. Some benefits derived from the use
of help systems-such as directional microphones-are realized almost
immediately and grow as the hearing aid increases the amplification. Other
help systems provide some significant immediate benefit, and then appear to
grow in terms of improved aided performance over time, as the auditory
system experiences increased audibility of, and learns to use, speech and
spatial cues that facilitate speech understanding in complex sound
environments.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
November 2011
As the audiology industry reacts to the news that
Minnetonka-based health insurer UnitedHealth Group is making discounted
hearing aids available for only $749-$949 per ear to both their customers
and non-customers,NowiHear.com, a wholly owned consumer marketing division
of AuDNet, Inc. dedicated to educating and providing resources to consumers
with regard to hearing health, wants consumers to understand the potential
dangers of this initiative and is offering an alternative. Although
UnitedHealth Group claims to have consulted hearing health professionals for
the development of their online hearing test (which will soon be available
through mobile phones as well), the audiology industry at large, which
consists of Master's and Doctoral level professionals who often undergo
eight years of training, is weary that consumers will forgo what is best for
their long-term hearing health in exchange for a short-term, "cheaper"
alternative. . . . NowiHear.com is not alone in their concern about
UnitedHealth Group's decision, and joins the Minnesota Department of Health
and professional industry organizations that have taken specific actions
regarding this news such as the American Academy of Audiology, Academy of
Doctors of Audiology, and American Speech, Language, and Hearing
Association.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
November 2011
Former television star Lee Majors promises that his
rechargeable bionic hearing aid-that I can buy for just $299 from Amazon.com,
where it gets 4.5 out of 5 reviewer stars-is designed for mild to moderate
hearing loss, and will "affordably enhance" my hearing ability. There's just
one problem: the bionic ear is being marketed as a hearing aid, but the U.S.
Food & Drug Administration requires that anyone purchasing a hearing aid
specifically to treat hearing loss visit a doctor first, preferably one that
specializes in diseases of the ear. The bionic ear is skating down the
middle of an increasingly controversial division between true hearing aids
and personal sound amplification devices (PSAPs). Hearing aids must be
fitted by a professional, while PSAPs, according to the FDA, don't have to
be-and can be sold pretty much anywhere from Radio Shack to Amazon to eBay.
"Sellers of PSAPs get around the FDA regulations by saying that this is not
a device to help people hear better," said Carole Rogin, President and
Director of the Hearing Industries Association. "You can manufacture a
'one-size-fits-many' product that amplifies to a moderate degree, especially
in the speech range, and if you do not advertise it as a product for people
with hearing loss, you can sell it on the Internet."
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
November 2011
Three of the major professional organizations
involved in hearing aid dispensing responded last week with letters directed
to hi HealthInnovations, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group that announced
in early October its plans to market hearing devices via UH's provider
network and directly to consumers via the Internet. Both letters raised
questions about the legality of the online marketing of hearing aids by hi
HealthInnovations, as well as expressed concerns about eliminating hearing
care professionals from the testing, selection, fitting, and rehabilitation
process. (For more information, see the HR Online news item from October 3
and the October 10 HR interview of hi HealthInnovations CEO Lisa Tseng, MD,
at www.hearingreview.com.) In a "cease and desist" letter to Dr Tseng
(pictured, right) dated October 26, International Hearing Society (IHS)
General Counsel John Paul Hessburg said that IHS believes hi
HealthInnovations is not in compliance with FDA regulations in the company's
online marketing of hearing aids. Hessburg's letter also states that they
believe the company is in violation of most, if not all, state licensing
laws.
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 2011
According to statistics compiled by the Hearing
Industries Association (HIA), Washington, DC, net hearing instrument unit
sales during the third quarter continued to grow, albeit slowly, with
private (non-VA) sector dispensers experiencing a 1.1% increase in sales and
the VA dispensing about the same number of units (0.27%) compared to the
same period last year. When private sector and VA sales are combined, the
hearing aid market saw an increase of 0.94% in the third quarter, compared
to a growth rate of 2.36% for the same period in 2010.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 2011
A United HealthGroup subsidiary said it can provide
hearing tests and hearing aids at a deep discount for patients by
"eliminating intermediaries" that drive up cost. United and its subsidiary,
hi HealthInnovations, said "intermediaries" doesn't refer to physicians, and
that the company will encourage patients to see their doctors for certain
hearing problems. But physicians who diagnose and treat hearing loss said
that even if it's not the aim, promoting a service that could leave
physicians out of the loop is potentially dangerous. They said patients who
skip the doctor's office in favor of United's self-administered test risk
missing treatable underlying conditions or making the conditions worse.
"Bypassing a physician evaluation and referral can lead to misdiagnoses and
inappropriate treatment that could cause lasting and expensive damage to
patients," the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery,
said in a statement. Todd Hillman, MD, a Pittsburgh otolaryngologist, called
United's plan "a poor idea."
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 2011
This is Part 2 of a two-part benchmarking survey
designed to provide US hearing care practices with a tool they can use to
compare their performance against industry standards. These industry
benchmarks can be used as a basis for assessing and setting realistic,
continuous, and fact-based improvement goals for your own dispensing office
or practice. For the past 3 years, Phonak Hearing Systems has commissioned
Customer Care Measurement and Consulting, LLC, Alexandria, Va, to conduct a
nationwide survey of dispensing professionals to establish basic industry
metrics. A Web-based survey methodology was utilized. Responses were
collected in July 2010, and more than 400 hearing care professionals
responded. About two-thirds (63%) of respondents were audiologists (38% AuD,
19% MS, and 6% PhD), and 44% were either hearing instrument specialists
(38%) or audioprosthologists (6%). (Totals do not equal 100% due to multiple
answers.) One-fifth (20%) of the practices indicated having both
audiologists and hearing instrument specialists on staff.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 2011
We hear a lot lately about the aging of the Baby
Boom generation, usually in the context of the strain all those old boomers
are putting on Social Security and Medicare. But the rapid aging of the
American population is good news for lots of industries, including those who
make wheelchairs, bifocals and hearing aids. While not everyone falls into a
wheelchair when they hit their 60s, even the healthiest older adults are
likely to experience at least some hearing loss, especially those who spent
too much time at rock concerts or at the race track in their youth.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 2011
Most people think of AARP, the senior citizen
advocacy group, as a way to get discounts on everything from dining and
entertainment to insurance. What is not well-known is that the nonprofit
formerly called the American Association of Retired Persons makes more than
$650 million a year in royalties for delivering its 40 million members to
businesses, according to a congressional report issued in March. In almost
every case, the agreements are secret. But a May bankruptcy of a retail
hearing aid company based in West Palm Beach opened the door to just how
lucrative these deals are for AARP. According to documents obtained by The
Palm Beach Post, in 2008 HearUSA agreed to pay $7.6 million a year to become
the sole provider of hearing aids to AARP's members. After further
negotiations, that provision was eliminated and replaced with a requirement
that it pay a $55 royalty fee on each hearing aid sold. That has amounted to
more than $660,000.
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 2011
HearUSA, Inc. voluntarily filed for chapter 11
protection today in the Southern District of Florida bankruptcy court in
order to effectuate a proposed sale of substantially all of its assets to an
affiliate of William Demant Holdings A/S. HearUSA (AMEX: EAR) operates a
network of approximately 1,800 "hearing care provider locations," 134 of
which are company-owned. In its most recent annual report, HearUSA reported
a net loss of $7.7 million on approximately $84 million in annual revenues
and $81 million in assets against $60 million in liabilities.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 2011
The Hearing Journal wondered if this same positive
outlook would match up with current members of the profession, and so in our
annual survey with Audiology Online we asked, what is your current level of
job satisfaction? Overall, respondents indicated that they are very
satisfied with their careers. A total of 523 individuals completed the
survey which was sent electronically to Audiology Online's email database
and to members of the International Hearing Society. Differences regarding
the factors that affect job satisfaction were seen between audiologists
versus hearing instrument specialists (HIs) and males versus females;
however just slight variations in response were observed when looking at
professionals' level of experience and workplace.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Locaputo-Donnellon, Amy E. AuD; Clark, John Greer PhD
As part of a recent AuD Capstone project at the
University of Cincinnati, a 15-minute instructional DVD was created to
provide supplemental information regarding expectations of hearing aid
performance and the use and care of hearing instruments. A male speaker
narrated the DVD as images, video, and captions reinforced the important
aspects related to hearing instrumentation.
Topics selected for coverage were those that
comprise the standard instruction for hearing aid orientation as described
in audiologic literature, and included appropriate expectations for hearing
aids, device components, battery replacement, precautions, troubleshooting,
expected and inappropriate acoustic feedback, telephone use, and hearing aid
insertion, removal, care, and maintenance. Demonstration for all types of
ear-level instruments was included for these latter items.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 2011
Verification and validation are clinical tools to
ensure functionality of hearing aids as well as individual patient benefit.
However, they are not always employed by clinicians, even though they have
been found to be correlated with user satisfaction. Rationale and research
into the benefits of verification and validation measures are discussed, in
addition to ways to implement them into clinical practice.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2011
Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids represented less
than 20% of hearing aid sales prior to 2000 and appeared to be on the
decline as a style of hearing aid choice by consumers. With the introduction
of open-fit hearing aids and receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aids
however, BTEs now represent 63% of all hearing aid sales.
In looking
at the resurgence of BTE hearing aids, we wanted to answer two key
questions:
* Did mini-BTE
hearing aids result in market expansion?
* Do mini-BTEs
improve the consumer's experience with hearing aids?
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 2010
As the nation's economy heads into the fourth year
of what is sometimes referred to as the Great Recession, many of the numbers
used to measure economic health are distressing. Despite some job growth in
2010, the unemployment rate remains stuck around 9.5%, the highest since the
early 1980s. Housing values have tumbled, leaving many owners owing more on
their home than its market value; millions of families have already lost
their homes or are facing the threat of foreclosure. While the gross
domestic product (GDP) is no longer shrinking, it is growing very
slowly-about 2% in each of the past two quarters. It is no wonder, then,
that the Consumer Confidence Index reported by the Conference Board was only
50.2 at the end of October, less than half what it was when the recession
began. Now, contrast that with what's happening in the hearing aid market,
as reported by the Hearing Industries Association (HIA) statistical reports.
While during the financial crisis of 2008, unit sales did fall 2.4% in the
second half compared to the same period of 2007, they quickly rebounded in
2009 to increase by 8.4% over 2008. That essentially offset the slump in the
last 6 months of 2008. For 2008 and 2009 together, hearing aid sales rose by
7.7%, which is close to the 4% a year historical norm for the industry.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 2010
When new hearing aid companies enter the market,
they usually promise revolutionary new technology housed in smaller, more
advanced, and more effective hearing instruments than the world has ever
seen. However, that's not the message from Sona, a new company-albeit part
of the long-established Sonova Group, which also owns Phonak and Unitron.
Sona Hearing, LLC, which was launched in the U.S. this summer, is wooing
hearing healthcare providers with a different message: "Simplify your life."
"We're talking about a paradigm shift," said Barry Hylas, Sona's managing
director for North America, in a recent interview with The Hearing Journal.
Sona is offering a whole new business model, said Hylas, who previously
worked with other medical product companies. The company, which entered the
market in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands earlier in 2010, has
developed an approach intended to meet certain fundamental needs of hearing
professionals and their clients.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 2010
We've all seen the ads featuring Lee Majors, as well
as ads about devices that look exactly like hearing aids but are billed
instead as "hearing helpers." How many people buy these devices, how many
purchasers would be candidates for custom hearing aids, and how many would
actually purchase custom aids if PSAPs and mail-order aids were not
available? Here are some estimates.
Within the last 2 years, we have seen an increased
proliferation of one-size-fits-all hearing aids and personal sound amplifier
products (PSAPs) advertised on television and by direct mail. They can be
purchased over the Internet and through the mail, as well as from
eBay,Amazon.com, most pharmacies, hardware stores, Radio Shack, and Sears.
In Google searches, many of these products come up on the first couple of
search pages when you search on "hearing aids" and are sponsored links under
the search term "hearing loss." Most of these products clearly state that
they are not intended to compensate for hearing loss; but it is clear from
their advertising that they target people with hearing loss . . .
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 2010
When Consumer Reports (CR) published a long and
largely critical article last summer on the state of the U.S. hearing aid
delivery system, hearing care providers reacted strongly. Many questioned
the fairness of a key finding that two-thirds of the 48 hearing aids fitted
on 12 consumers who cooperated with CR on the article were misfitted. On the
other hand, many in the dispensing community felt that the article drew
attention to some legitimate problems and should serve as a wake-up call. In
the 2010 Hearing Journal/Audiology Online dispenser survey, we decided to
give audiologists and hearing instrument specialists the chance to comment
on some of the important and controversial issues raised by CR. Questions
about that article, as well as on many other topics of professional
significance, were e-mailed in early February to Audiology Online's e-mail
address list and to the members of the International Hearing Society. A
total of 640 people responded, including 535 who dispense hearing aids
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 2010
New York could take a step this year in expanding
access to hearing aids for a growing number of people with hearing
impairment, says The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck
Surgery (AAO-HNS). State Assemblymen Jeffrey Dinowitz of the Bronx and Micah
Kellner of New York recently introduced a bill that, should the New York
Legislature adopt it, would open up physicians' offices as an additional
point of access to hearing aid services. "Physicians' offices are a key
access point for patients entering the hearing health system," said Dinowitz
in a statement released by AAO-HNS. "With only one in four people adopting
hearing aids who could benefit from them and the number of hearing-impaired
on the rise, we need to provide those in need of hearing aids every
opportunity to get them.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 2010
Souped-up ultramodern miniature sound amplification
systems made up of computers, directional microphones and speaker modules
that are driven by software and carry high price tags ---- yes, hearing aids
have come a long way since the days of the "ear horn." At "Audiology Now!"
the recent conference of the American Academy of Audiology, more than 7,000
hearing health care professionals descended upon the San Diego Convention
Center for four days last week. The largest gathering of its kind, the
conference was also the scene of many new product debuts. Companies such as
Phonak, Oticon, Starkey, Siemens, Widex, Unitron, and AudioSync are among
those competing for the $5.2 billion hearing aids and audio devices market.
That market has been projected to grow to more than $7 billion by 2016 as
the population ages, according to iData Research, Inc., an international
market research company. The evolution of digital technology has had a
sweeping effect on the dynamics of the industry, making it possible for
manufacturers to use advanced technologies such as built-in wireless
capabilities, remote controls, feedback suppression, directional mikes,
digital speech enhancement and multiple memories that can be adjusted to
suit different listening environments.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2010
Do you know what, if any, laws are in place to
protect you when you purchase a hearing aid? Do you know your rights as a
hearing aid purchaser? Rights afforded to purchasers of hearing aids depend
upon the state where you live and make the purchase. This system has
resulted in a patchwork of laws and regulations across the country. By our
count, only 30 states mandate a trial period during which you can decide if
the hearing aid you purchased is the right one for you. In those states that
require trial periods, you have the right to return the hearing aid and
obtain a refund. The amount of the refund varies from state to state and, in
a few cases, within the same state.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 2009
Nine companies, the most in more than a decade, were
recently awarded contracts by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to
provide it with hearing aids to fit on America's veterans. The contracts,
which were announced in August, will take effect on November 1 and run for a
1-year base period ending next October 31. After that, the VA will have the
option of extending the contracts for four additional 1-year periods.
Typically, the agency does so, though it can choose not to exercise the
option if, for example, a company fails to perform satisfactorily or if
there is a lack of funding or need for the hearing aids when the contract
comes up for renewal. These contracts stipulate firm fixed prices for the
hearing aids supplied
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 2009
In July, Consumer Reports released a detailed
article on the state of hearing care titled "Hear well in a noisy world."
The report, which found mixed results in terms of consumers' satisfaction
with their hearing aids, which was quite high, versus the percentage of
devices that were described as misfit-two-thirds-created quite a stir among
hearing aid professionals. While many in the field welcomed the report as a
useful wake-up call, others expressed concern over a lack of emphasis on the
unique benefits audiologists provide in hearing care. At the request of The
Ear Hears (EH), Tobie Stanger, senior editor of the report, and Ed Kippel,
Consumer Reports senior program leader, discussed the controversial study,
which they'd been wanting to do for 10 years and took almost 2 years to
complete. They also talked about the response from the hearing care field,
and their plans for the data in the future.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 2009
As FDA Clinical Deputy Director, Dr. Eric Mann
advised HIA at its February Annual Meeting, the Agency has issued "Guidance
for Industry and FDA Staff: Regulatory Requirements for Hearing Aid Devices
and Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs)." A guidance document
"represents the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA's) current thinking on
this topic," and does not bind either FDA or the public to the approach. Dr.
Mann outlined the likely approach to HIA members, and the document reflects
what he described at the meeting. Basically, if the amplifier advertising
does not state that it is intended to compensate for impaired hearing but
says it will help when a person hunts or eavesdrops on a neighbor; it is a
PSAP due to its intended use.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 2009
Mesa, AZ-based Zounds, Inc. filed chapter 11
bankruptcy on Mar. 30, 2009 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of
Arizona. The company operates a chain of Zounds Hearing Aid Centers in AZ,
DE, FL, MA, MO, MI, NJ, OR, PA, TX and WA. The company listed between $10
million and $50 million in assets and liabilities on its petition. According
to Hoovers, the company reported $15.5 million in 2007 sales.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 2009
As with many other areas of health care, high
hearing aid prices can be attributed to monopolistic pricing and regulations
that discourage competition. A hearing aid consists of a small microphone
that amplifies weak sounds through a small speaker. Unlike the routine price
decreases that we've come to expect from other electronic devices like cell
phones, computers and televisions, the price of hearing aids have actually
increased. Surprisingly, its own industry trade association has concluded
that hearing aid manufacturers could help more people, sell many more
hearing aids and make more profit if prices were reduced. There are some
hearing aid-type devices that like reading glasses, don't require a
prescription and offer benefit at substantial savings. These devices are
made by companies including Maxisound, Nexear and Songbird. Prices for these
types of aids range from $80 to $500 each. They can generally only be
purchased online, but all are sold with money-back guarantees. So for mild
to moderate hearing loss, they're worth a try and may be a good bet for your
money. Here's an interesting tidbit that can help you understand the
hearing aid industry better. A study conducted and reported on in a recent
issue of the American Journal of Audiology concluded that these
over-the-counter type hearing aids "don't work well and could potentially
damage a persons hearing". The kicker is that study was funded by the Oticon
Foundation, manufacturer for Oticon brand hearing aids. We suspect the
eyeglass industry said many of these same things about reading glasses when
they first began to be sold over the counter.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2009
A former hearing aid salesman pleaded guilty today
to bilking 13 elderly clients out of more than $30,000 by selling them
low-quality hearing devices he falsely claimed were higher-quality models.
Brett R. Mayers, 35, of Cherrywood Lane, Lockport, was told by State Supreme
Court Justice Christopher J. Burns he likely faces probation on his guilty
plea to grand larceny, scheming to defraud and falsifying business records.
The judge said he was considering probation so that Mayers could repay his
elderly victims. Sentencing was scheduled for May 26. Mayers declined
comment as he left the judge's Buffalo courtroom. Prosecutor Paul J.
Williams III said Mayers was fired by Beltone Hearing Center of New York in
January 2008 after a grand jury investigation conducted by the Erie County
District Attorney's office and Amherst police confirmed his two-year-long
sales scam.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2009
I expected this article (written by the folks who
did the "clinical fittings") to trash the entire online purchasing process.
I thought they were harder on issues with the online process than they were
with issues with their clinical fittings, but it wasn't totally one-sided.
If you've been considering an online hearing aid purchase, this article
might be helpful as long as you keep in mind the natural biases of the
authors.
Full Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2009
A Groton man said he was hoping to hear clearly
again, but instead found himself out thousands of dollars. Leonard Kimes
said he purchased a hearing aid that didn't work and that he now can't get
his money refunded. Beltone New England, which sold the hearing aid, does
have a refund policy, which Kimes claims he followed. Kimes said he's
suffered from a hearing problem for years and hoped that the Beltone hearing
aid would help. He said he spent more than $5,000 and can't hear any better.
He claims the company won't take the hearing aid back.
Full Story
