http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025502901
Oh my.
NRaleighLiberal (35,257 posts) Mon Sep 8, 2014, 12:41 AM
Yes, I am a boomer. Played in a rock band. And - the hearing is starting to go. Why isn't hearing
loss covered by insurance? I've done some searching around on that one - seems like a handicap to me, and when you think about some other things that are covered, it surprises me that there isn't a bigger issue around it not being covered. It's one of those things you don't think about - until it happens to you.
Here's a pretty good read for why insurance companies don't cover the issue.
http://califmedicineman.blogspot.com/2007/12/why-insurance-companies-dont-pay-for.html
franksolich: ^^^recommended reading; it's good
It seemed to me that stem cell research is just the ticket for dealing with the underlying causes of hearing loss, so I googled around a bit and found that some major universities have programs dealing with this - this is one of the links I was reading
http://hearinghealthfoundation.org/curing_hearing_loss
At 58, I am facing the need soon for some hearing help for one ear at least (my patient wife walks on that side during our dog walks, and we've worked out the code for when I need her to speak up with out being a total pain about it!). My ear doc says part of it is genetic (both my grandparents were quite deaf), part of it was (is!) my love of loud music - including standing in front of the amp when I played the guitar in my 14 to 30 years. And attended lots of really loud concerts.
But I've also heard that they are really expensive and don't work all that well (the background noise issue and all).
Who is with me on this? Speak up, now! How are you dealing with it - esp. the great cost involved by actually doing something about it?
NYC_SKP (61,027 posts) Mon Sep 8, 2014, 12:55 AM
1. Not suffering yet as much as you, but might be before long.
I'm one year your junior, and am a bit hard of hearing. Also suffered ruptured ear drums as a child.
Don't know about the insurance part but fairly well versed on the hearing aid costs part of it.
In ear aids cost literally thousands. Some money can be saved at Costco and other discounters, but I'll bet a resourceful person can find them off the shelf for just a few hundred.
Eyeglasses have been getting out of hand too,* a different story, I had lenses made by a father daughter place in one day for about $70 bucks, Lens Crafters wanted several hundred.
It's a racket.
*so have salaries and fringe benefits for desk-sitting governmental bureaurcrats, so what's the big deal here?
blm (91,892 posts) Mon Sep 8, 2014, 04:22 PM
29. Used to work with music industry for years in LA-NY. Most everyone of our age
group there who worked in those days has hearing loss. Me, included.
I'm with you - it should definitely be covered by insurance.
<<<thinks the bowel movement primitive ^^^ should have to suffer for poor life-style choices.