The way i see it, hearing health coverage in the USA has 2 classes: the haves and have nots. You either have the money to buy custom hearing aids (or have insurance coverage) or you have to go without amplification.
We physicians know that untreated hearing loss leads to depression, anxiety, and social isolation in the elderly, and a JAMA article has linked untreated hearing loss with Alzheimer’s type dementia.
As long as it is of reasonable quality, some form of amplification is better than none. In fact, Sergei Kochkin in a 2003 article in The Hearing Review points out that in numerous studies he found only a slight positive relationship between the cost of a hearing aid and the actual hearing benefit received by a consumer. So paying more does not guarantee that someone will hear noticeably better.
A reasonable analogy is that custom hearing aids are like a new Mercedes (not just in cost!) and the better one-size-fits-most hearing aids are like a used Toyota. You can still get around in the used Toyota, and you are better off than not having any car at all.
That is why i developed the Acoustitone PRO hearing aid. If you can’t afford traditional hearing aids and are looking for a reasonable option at a reasonable price, go to http://MDHearingAid.com. If it doesn’t work for you, you can return it for a risk-free experience. We have had over 95% patient satisfaction measured by surveys made after purchase and the very few number of returned hearing aids.