What if you could get hearing aids without a prescription or visiting a specialist?
For many who struggle to pay for healthcare a recently approved change on the regulatory side of hearing aids could make a massive difference in quality of life.
Over-the-counter, prescription-free hearing aids are available for sale. Retailers like Best Buy, Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart have already started selling them.
“Ultimately we’re excited because it’s going to give a lot of people more access to hearing aids that may not have had otherwise,” Dr. Gregory Horton told News10NBC. He’s the director of Audiology at Rochester Hearing & Speech Center.
The FDA estimates that this will save patients as much as $3,000 per pair of hearing aids.
While they won’t be right for everyone – and will require some calibration to get right – experts say it’s a major step in the right direction.
Why did it take so long? Essentially, regulators were waiting for the technology to catch-up with production.
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