The FDA proposal, if approved, would allow greater competition in the hearing aid market and lower prices as a result.
The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) on Tuesday announced a proposal that would permit people to buy hearing aids without a prescription and lower costs for the usually pricey devices, the Associated Press reported. If approved, the proposed rule would remove several barriers to millions of Americans who need to access the devices. It would allow patients with mild to moderate hearing issues to bypass the hearing exams and prescriptions now required to get hearing aids, the FDA said. The proposal would also allow people to buy hearing aids either online or over the counter at pharmacies and other stores, the AP reported. The cost of getting a hearing aid is a big deterrent to would-be users. Americans can pay up to $5,000 to get fitted for and purchase the device, while insurance coverage and Medicare aid are limited to nonexistent. Medicare pays only for diagnostic tests and not the devices themselves. The FDA proposal, if approved, would allow greater competition and lower prices as a result, U.S. officials said Tuesday. For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.
