why only 20 percent of those with hearing loss use hearing aids the new old agecreditdavid plunkertmarch 11 2016i know my television is too loudim asking people to repeat themselves more oftenim the restaurant patron asking the manager to please turn down the music so i can hear my friends across the tablealmost twothirds of americans older than 70 have meaningful hearing loss experts say and i probably will be among them i should do something about itone reason i havent is the average price for hearing aids roughly 2500 often more and most of us need two that helps explain why only 20 percent of those with hearing loss use hearing aidsmedicare declines to cover a number of products and services that older beneficiaries need dental care ranks high on my personal list of exclusions that make the least sense but the fact that the 1965 medicare law specifically prohibits the national insurance program from paying for hearing aids is also a strong contenderso its heartening to notice some recent developments that might lead to more rational policies and more affordable and accessible devices an october report by the presidents council of advisors on science and technology recommended federal actions to simultaneously decrease the cost of hearing aids spur technology innovation and increase consumer choice optionsthe council suggested for example that the food and drug administration permit a basic hearing aid for mild to moderate agerelated hearing loss to be sold over the counter something every state prohibitsthe report also urged the federal trade commission whose rulings enabled consumers to comparison shop for eyeglasses and contact lenses to treat hearing devices more like visual ones it should be like a prescription for eyeglasses said dr christine cassel a cochairwoman of the councils hearing technologies working groupthe hearing aid itself represents only about a third of what audiologists charge medicare does cover testing with a physicians referralafter an audiologist or physician provides an audiogram assessing your hearing dr cassel said you should be able to take it with you and shop around for the best prices on devices in june the institute of medicine will issue a report on hearing health that tackles key questions like federal regulation insurance and price a number of major players among them the centers for disease control and prevention the national institute on aging and the pentagon have sponsored the yearlong effort the fda acting on recommendations by the presidents council will host a public workshop next month to consider whether its hearing aid regulations may hinder innovation reduce competition and lead to increased cost and reduced usethe agency has also reopened public comments on proposed regulation of socalled personal sound amplification products and their marketingreports comments workshops we can be forgiven for rolling our eyes and wondering if anything useful will emerge still these actions represent a greater national focus on hearing loss and rehabilitation than we have seen in decadeswhats driving this interest apart from the demographic bulge that means the hearingimpaired