Why are hearing aids so expensive? they are small.

My last pair of aids lasted maybe a year, and I'm getting ready to purchase my 3rd pair. On the other hand, my computer will last me 5+ years and cost much less. The cost of making an aid is maybe 2-300 bucks at the most. For the price I'm paying, they should supply a free blow job also.

We can buy a top notch computer with a 22 inch flat screen monitor, 500 gigabyte hard drive, 4 megs of ram, built-in WIFI and so much more for under $1,000.00. Why then should we be charged five to ten times that amount for a hearing aid no matter how complex they say they are. Audiologists say it is the exam and service that jacks up the price. They should sell the hearing aids separately and bill for the service they provide. The FDA is doing the public a disservice by keeping the hearing aid industry so regulated.

  At some point, I took notice of how expensive hearing aids were.  At the one place I saw them, I think the cheapest one was somewhere on the far side of $500, and they went up very sharply in price from that.

  I've decided that if the time comes that I need hearing aids, I'm going to make a trip to Radio Shack, for parts to build my own.  Mine would be crude and primitive, but they would get the job done, and I very much doubt that I'd spend nearly as much as $100 for the parts to build a pair of them.

what?

I work in the hearing aid industry, and I can tell you that the dealer's cost may not be as cheap as many people assume.

There are many hearing aids that have a wholesale price of just under $2000 dollar each. That's $4000 just for the hearing aid dealer to purchase the clients hearing aids, then they have all of their costs of operation, the fitting, adjustments, and so on, after which they still have to make some kind of profit to stay in business.

Granted, those are high end aid costs, and there are cheaper hearing aids, but it is rarely in the patients best interest to get the "cheapest" hearing aids. Even if they do choose to go with a less expensive hearing aid, the dealers cost is still nothing to scoff at.

Hearing is a very complex sense and there has been, and still is, an enormous amount of research and development going into all aspects of hearing (one reason for the high wholesale cost).

Unfortunately the demand for hearing aids has not been great enough to drive the cost down in the same manner as that of the personal computer. But there are organizations and programs out there to help those who need hearing aids, but can't afford them.

Texas for example has one of the best Medicaid plans for hearing aids. They just changed some rules and are now paying for 2 hearing aids, every 6 years. They also pay for repairs now.

And here is a link to a list of a couple dozen places that will assist low income situations:
http://www.betterhearing.org/resources/resource.cfm?resourceID=17

Another interesting program started in Texas, which will soon be going nation wide, is the "Hearing For Life" program (http://www.hearinghaven.com/hfl.html). Through it individuals can get a set of hearing aids with activation fees starting at $500. After that, a monthly fee of $97/mo gives the customer free batteries, repairs, and adjustments for the lifetime of enrollment. Every cycle (3-5 years, depending on the level chosen) the customer receives a new set of hearing aids with the latest technology. There is not another activation fee at that time, the customer just continues paying the $97/mo.

So, yes, hearing aids are expensive, but with all the foundations and programs out there, hearing aids are a practical option for nearly anyone, regardless of his or her financial situation.

One of the major reasons that hearing aids are expensive is that the market for them is not very large. All the research and development costs are rolled into the cost of the devices, and since fewer hearing aids are sold than say computers or ipods, the price per unit is more.

Also, traditionally the price of professional fees is rolled into the price of the aids. You can usually go back to your audiologist at no charge while under the warranty period.

Another factor is the 30 day return period. By law, the hearing aids can be returned within this period for a refund (less a small fee). Many aids are custom models which cannot be resold. The manufacturers must build this additional cost into their pricing structure.

All that being said, you do get what you pay for with hearing aids. I equate it to Sears...good, better, best. The most expensive aids will have better feedback control, better noise reduction, more flexibility, better directionality, etc. Most digital aids today boast quite impressive processing, similar to a computer but in a much smaller size.

You need to set your priorities when purchasing hearing aids. Is price, size, better hearing, or cosmetics more important for you? There is no one right answer for everyone.

I recommend shopping for a hearing professional versus shopping for a hearing aid, because a good audiologist can help you select the hearing aid that is right for your budget.

Think about the amount of technology and research that went into your pair of hearing aids. That should give you an idea of why they charge so much for them.

Also, I would say regaining almost the full use of one of your senses after years of not being able to use it is priceless. You get what you pay for. $5000 is not so big a price to be able to hear things clearly once again.

It is quite simple. To produce hearing aids is not that expensive (in terms of materials) but the technology involved has been very expensive and that is added to the price tag. Source: http://www.hca.dk/default_uk.aspx

Although very small, hearing aids are very expensive to make. Think about everything that goes into making them work, a little electronic device that actual improves human hearing. Hearing aids are still very new in technology, technically. For more information on hearing aid or hearing loss checks out this website Advice on Hearing Aids. Really great site, loads of great info.
hearing services

Even an ipod is small...why do u think its expensive????be smart

Think about it, you can't hear, wouldn't you be willing to pay big bucks for your hearing?

Just because "They are small" doesn't mean they can't be expensive. There has been a lot of research put into developing technology for hearing aids and that is why you pay such a hefty price on digital hearing aids. If you want cheaper hearing aids then you can take a look at several analog hearing aids models which usually cost much less that digital ones. You can read more on the topic on http://www.hearingaids123.com/ very useful hearing aids comparison website.