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Bottom Line - OTC aids have hurt the Hearing Aid Industy

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Edited

Simply because you get what you pay for. It’s common knowledge that the return rates on aids are reportedly as high as 70%. Then you have to wonder how many clueless folks with a mid-range hearing loss (plus) that go the OTC route and then get burned because cheap aids lack power or programming range. Lastly, skipping a hearing test when buying OTC aids to me is a major red flag, because you’re not going to get an accurate match between aid capabilities and the user’s actual hearing loss.

In my opinion, then OTC hearing aids have been a step back, by not only tarnishing the general image of hearing aids but also allowing future aid buyers to bypass a professional hearing aid service, audiologist, doctor, etc., when buying new aids.

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I think there is a common misconception that hearing aids are like glasses. Go so the doc. One and done. Nope. In my experience the best results come from visiting a professional (one who cares) and stepping your hearing aids towards the target. I guess all this is possible with , but maybe much harder?

Ridiculous. No, it’s the corrupt tragicomically evil state-protected oligopoly that’s hurt the industry. Oticon’s software is pure garbage, yet I’ve paid so much for one of the most prestigious brands. We DON’T get what we paid for.

Edited

Sadly, you never know where the “bar” is set in the hearing aid industry. It can vary every couple of years, and certainly, company takeovers impact future products. I had hoped would have lowered the price of ’s offered through licensed dispensers and audiologists, but that hasn’t happened. Seems we have way more hearing aids on the market now, yet no price reduction for expensive aids, and ongoing quality issues from brand to brand.

Being in a rural area, I have had a lot of ranchers as patients. One of the them who had been wearing hearing aid for years told me this: “Buying hearing aids is just like buying oats. If you want good clean quality oats you pay a fair market price. If you want cheaper oats, you can get them once they have been through the horse already.” There is a lot of truth in that statement.

In reply to @secondarytrefoil

@secondarytrefoil said:

Oticon’s software is pure garbage, yet I’ve paid so much for one of the most prestigious brands.

Well this is your opinion, Genie2 software isn’t that bad, but not as good as others, Oticon - most prestigious brand, well that is very subjective, I think some of us do understand the the frustrations with how things are run by the cartel!

@testing123 said:

Seems we have way more hearing aids on the market now, yet no price reduction for expensive aids

Agree, I too would of thought that some stability or reduction with pricing, but just goes to show how powerful the cartel are, I guess only the startups could make a real difference.

@gorgeguy said:

One of the them who had been wearing hearing aid for years told me this:

It’s nonsense of course, believing that if you pay more, you then get “better” quality. One of life’s lessons after getting burnt..

Back in 2012, I purchased the Widex Super 440 power aids. One dealer who had six different offices in and around my area wanted $6,700 for two. I always get multiple price quotes before I buy any hearing aid, and I found the same aids for $5,300. No insurance involved - all out of pocket. Now you tell me why the price difference, other than the first HA dealer commission gouging.

Well it’s true that some ask more, sometimes a LOT more then others, so this is the beauty of being able to shop around, Costco is the only place worthwhile if price alone is your top consideration (which it should be)

Have you every followed Dr Cliff on YouTube. Plus my audiologist is a professor of audiology at the State Medical College, I have taken a few audiology courses.

In reply to @cvkemp

@cvkemp said:

Most individuals that buy OTC aids end up with real hearing aids at some point.

I haven’t seen data on this (perhaps “most” is exaggerated, also thinking of Airpods as ) but this seems plausible. People realize what they have been missing out and then decide to spend more and adopt genuine HAs. The threshold for the first step is lowered.

In reply to @cvkemp

Cvkemp, OK. Two audiologists have said so. I was hoping for more than opinion from vested interests. It is not my intention to be annoyingly and pointlessly provocative. I have found that some in the audiology profession, like any other, can sometimes be guilty of a “ circle the wagons” defense in the face of criticism or competition. If there has been a market study of buyers who turned to prescription devices, I would love to know of it.

Some background: As you may know, the Big Five hearing aid manufacturers lobbied furiously against the legislation that allowed approved OTC hearing aids in the first place. Senators Grassley and Warren spearheaded the legislation which passed overwhelmingly in the senate against the money and lobbying.

Do you think the Big Five would have fought so hard if they considered OTC’s to be in their own interests?

The Marketrak data was showing that users were predominantly returning the devices or going to an audiologist for professional fitting support with many finding prescription hearing aids performed better for the same or similar prices. OTCs ended up being gateway devices. They have done the opposite of hurt the market but they haven’t delivered on the promise of affordable hearing aids because it is the professional services and associated fitting procedures that are responsible for the greatest proportion of success with hearing aids for the average user.

OTC’s are difficult to make cheaply in part because of the long-term support that medical devices require vs consumer electronics.

Jabra were following a similar parts replacement policy for their in-ear wireless earbuds and ended up withdrawing from the market. I don’t know of any other manufacturer that would sell you replacement earbuds and charging cases. Most would make you buy the whole retail package again. It’s not surprising they exited the market because they weren’t profitable enough.

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