The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

>I now just buy contacts online from Europe or New Zealand.

I would love to do that, could you share which vendors you use?

Having worn hearing aids a long time (don't turn sh*t up to 11), I should point out that they require setting per-ear and one can have multiple programs (voice, music, ...). My fear of rechargeable aids is that with serious+ loss they'd burn through batteries in a (very) short time and if they're not replaceable it makes the aids disposable. Fitting is helpful as it's also done for mid-high earphones.

This will have to be paid for somehow, and somebody has to do the tests to know what to set. Same as glasses. So we should be able to get the raw aids at a lower cost and then deal with the extras. Costco sells reduced priced aids, so there's a little flexibility in the industry.

For my last set pre-covid, there were behind-ear (big), in ear (small) and in ear canal (very small). If you saw True Lies, their "radios" were probably dummy in-ear-canal aids. As I'm not blessed with a 15+ dex and like other posters I don't mind being see so the behind ears are ok. They can be hidden as dangly earrings with a sheath to make it interesting if you'd like. Otherwise, it's a bloody conservative industry re: colors. I wanted blue and red so it matched stereo wires :-).

And my attempt at bluetooth connectivity for phone calls failed as the things could not stay sync'd during conversations. Better to just use a headset.

This is just a general thing I've learned from working adjacent to US healthcare... It's annoying to work with and there are all kinds of little rules because of how inefficient the system is.

First, always have a list of all relevant phone numbers (at a minimum, but other information is helpful too) to any healthcare entity you need to work with. Your primary care doctor, your pharmacy, your hospital, your preferred lab, any specialists. Also have all your insurance information on that same list - especially the different numbers for different departments (e.g. provider lines, authorization lines, etc). Just assume they don't have any of your information on file or their information is inaccurate and needs to be updated.

Always get a paper copy if possible (I think some things have to be electronic in certain states, but just strongly emphasize getting a paper copy for anything else). Pharmacies, labs, other offices always say whatever you need wasn't sent (even if you watch them send the request and it says it successfully went through). And yes make sure it has the doctor's signature on it! I'm not sure if it's specific to insurance companies or just certain medications, but they sometimes require diagnosis codes in some states. Find out prescribing rules in your state... I think it has to do with narcotics, so make sure you know the rules in your state for narcotic prescription.

Always know, ahead of time, the exact lab you're going to and hound the doctor's office about using the right paper work and ensuring diagnosis codes are present (there is apparently no universal lab paper work, so knowing ahead of time is important). Get a paper version of the signed referral. It needs to have the diagnosis codes and whatever other codes are required for billing (honestly not sure why medical offices aren't doing this by default, but whatever). Make sure one of "with contrast" or "without contrast" is selected if you see those options on the request sheet for radiology. Assume you won't be able to contact the doctor after this visit to have the lab order sent again. Also assume that even if you can reach the doctor, that the lab won't accept the order without a written copy.

Always get confirmation from the doctor if the prescription is covered by insurance. There are apps like Coverage Search[0] that can give you some information about whether it will be covered or not.

And of course there are a bunch of other annoying little rules that I just haven't encountered yet.

On top of the ridiculous costs, it's your responsibility to make sure things go smoothly ;) gotta love US healthcare

[0]: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/coverage-search/id834992816

I don't think this is true, but the hearing aids this might be possible on will not be over the counter anyway -

> The agency proposed a rule to establish a new category of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. When finalized, the rule would allow hearing aids within this category to be sold directly to consumers in stores or online without a medical exam or a fitting by an audiologist.

> I don't know why these things are $6k pair when they share a lot of tech with modern in ear options from bose/apple/ect.

It's because they can only be sold with a prescription which means a lot of overhead and the expectation of large margins for everybody.

Get rid of that requirement and those will be be $600 hearing aids.