The Time to Hear is Here Program Recap

Thank you to Ron Gottardi from the non-profit The Time to Hear is Here for his discussion on the prevalence of hearing loss in our country, especially among the elderly, and the different options available to individuals suffering from hearing loss.  Hearing loss can be a tough personal situation to acknowledge and seek help for, especially since Medicare alone does not cover hearing aids.  However, there are a variety of options to help in addressing hearing loss so let’s take a look and see what might be the best fit.

Some Numbers

There are new studies that have reshaped our understanding of the prevalence of hearing loss, especially among the elderly.  Traditionally, it was thought that about 50% of individuals aged 70+ suffered from some level of hearing loss, but a 2023 study by Johns Hopkins found that 67% of individuals aged 70+ are suffering from some level of hear loss.  Those numbers increase substantially with age, with 84% for those aged 80+ and 96% for those aged 90+.  However, only 29% of individuals with hearing loss aged 70+ are using hearing aids. So why is hearing loss so prevalent but hearing aid use is not?

Some factors that contribute to a lower use of hearing aids include:

• Income
• Education
• Race and ethnicity
• VANITY!

A study done by the National Council on Aging in 2018 found that 74% of people who needed hearing aids failed to use them because of their cost.   That same organization also found that hearing loss is connected to a multitude of other conditions, including:

• Isolation
• Stress
• Anger
• Depression and loneliness
• Memory loss and dementia
• Cognitive decline

Hearing Aids and Technology

The most important thing someone with hearing loss can do is get tested!  Medicare will cover hearing exams without a referral from your physician or other health care provider if the hearing issue has lasted longer than 12 months; for anything else, you will need a referral.  However, some places will give you free hearing tests (Costco) with no obligation to buy any hearing loss products.  If hearing aids are recommended, you can obtain a prescription or finally purchase over-the-counter hearing aids.  The major differences between prescription and over-the-counter hearing aids include:

• Cost – OTC can run from $100 – $1,000 while prescription ones are generally over $1,000
• Severity – OTC are used for mild to moderate while prescription is primarily for severe or profound hearing loss
• Features – can be limited in OTC ones and less likely to be compatible with mobile apps

There are two subclasses of OTC hearing aids – Preset and Self-Fitted.  Preset hearing aids are cheaper, but come with limited preset hearing settings, limited features like volume control, and usually not linked to a smartphone app.  Self-fitted hearing aids, while more expensive, allow you to program the device to fit your hearing loss, come with phone/online programming assistance, and offer software or smartphone apps.

There are other types of technology that can help individuals with hearing loss , including voice to text (Live Transcribe, Innocaption), sound recognition apps, captioning services, and sound amplifiers.  Some venues may offer assistive technology to help individuals who suffer from hearing loss, including headset/earphone systems, cell phone/wi-fi systems, telecoil loops, or a new feature from BlueTooth called Auracast.

Hearing Assistance Programs

There are a wide variety of organizations and government programs that can help individuals suffering from hearing loss.  Veterans who receive their benefits through the Veterans Administration can receive free hearing aids so long as the individual maintains their eligibility for care through the VA.  The NJ Department of Human Services, Division of Deaf and Hard of Hearing offers free refurbished hearing aids or a $500 reimbursement for new hearing aids.  They also provide safety and communications devices for free, such as amplified or captioned phones, visual smoke detectors, and baby cry alert systems.  The NJ Board of Public Utilities also provides telephones services through their NJ Relay service (standard landlines) or free captioned phones that are web-based and wireless.

Some Medicare advantage plans do offer partial coverage or discounts for hearing related devices, including hearing aids.  Help America Hear is a non-profit that will assist low-income individuals (less than $36,000) with new hearing aids for free; however, individuals must complete an application and pay a fee between $600 – $1,000.

More Information

If you would like more information on hearing loss and the options that are available to help, please visit The Time to Hear is Here.  You can also contact Ron Gottardi directly at ron.gottardi@thetimetohearishere.org.  You can download a handy resource guide at https://www.njstatelib.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Handout.pdf.