"The option she showed me cost $7,000. The sticker shock hit harder than the diagnosis. In the US, insurance typically won't cover hearing aids, which meant I was on the hook for the full cost, out-of-pocket. I found a compromise at Costco: the Jabra Enhance Pro 20s for $1,600. I spent the next month acclimating to their digital processing until it finally sounded normal."
"Today, there's another option: Apple's AirPods Pro 3. At $249, they promise to help the 28.8 million Americans who need hearing assistance but for reasons of cost, stigma or just plain stubbornness, are not using any. The FDA first approved their predecessor, the AirPods Pro 2, for use as over-the-counter hearing aids in September 2024, but the newer version are supposed to boast even better fidelity."
Years of exposure to explosions caused moderate high-frequency hearing loss requiring hearing aids. Traditional clinical hearing aids often cost between $2,000 and $7,000, and insurance typically does not cover them, leaving many to pay out-of-pocket. Lower-cost retail solutions exist, for example the Jabra Enhance Pro 20s at Costco for about $1,600. Apple’s AirPods Pro 3, priced at $249 and following an FDA-approved predecessor, offer over-the-counter hearing-assistance functionality and aim to reach millions who need help but avoid traditional hearing aids. Untreated hearing loss raises unemployment odds, lowers earnings, and increases dementia risk.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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