Markets & Industry
Medline and MDHearing offer over-the-counter hearing aids
The collaboration focuses on offering affordable hearing aids which can be purchased through health insurance.
Medline has announced a new partnership with MDHearing to make it easier for people to purchase affordable hearing aids without a prescription.
MD Hearing is a direct-to-consumer hearing aid manufacturer and the collaboration marks Medline’s first entrance into the hearing aid market as a distributor.
Over half of people aged 70 and over in the United States suffer from mild or moderate hearing loss. Left untreated, it can greatly increase the risk of dementia.
Historically, neither Medicare nor most insurance policies have covered the cost of hearing aids, but a final ruling from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now allows consumers to purchase hearing aids online or in stores at lower costs and without a prescription.
Through this partnership, Medline is working with insurance providers to add the hearing aids as part of their over-the-counter (OTC) benefit offering for 2023.
The average cost for a pair of hearing aids bought at a clinic is $4,600, but MDHearing’s aids range from $300-$700.
The company, founded by a Chicago ENT in 2008, has sold over one million hearing aids and performs tens of thousands of remote hearing aid adjustments, video consultations, and hearing screening tests per year.
Doug Breaker, CEO of MDHearing, commented: “Prior to the final ruling from the FDA, health plan members have been on the hook for paying out of pocket for prescribed hearing aids.
“In partnering with Medline, we’re making it convenient and easy for health plan members to use their benefits dollars to purchase high quality hearing aids, saving them thousands of dollars, while still getting support from licensed hearing professionals.”
MDHearing’s lineup includes three hearing aids. Neo, an entry-level in the canal rechargeable aid that is one size fits most and is pre-programmed to fit age-related hearing loss; Volt, a behind the ear rechargeable aid that features dual microphones and four pre-set programs and Volt Max, a digital, behind the ear with adaptive directional microphones.
Users can program noise reduction, microphone direction and other settings from a mobile application.
MDHearing is the only hearing aid company that offers a phone hearing screening test, as well as an online test. The company staffs a US-based support team of licensed hearing professionals that help customers over the phone, email, SMS and fully HIPAA compliant video.
Katie Lavelle, director of business development, Insurance Benefits, Medline, said: “We are always looking at new partnerships to help meet patients’ evolving needs and make healthcare run better. Medline and MDHearing share a vision of going beyond transactional relationships and providing high quality customer service that makes it easier for patients to take care of themselves.
“Together, our goal is to help insurance providers continue to improve the member experience and reduce overall cost of care.”