Eargo's OTC self-fitting hearing aids perform similarly to traditional hearing aids fit in person at a clinic1, but at half the cost.2 Our delivery model was built to improve access to hearing care anywhere in the U.S., all while managing member experience and utilization. Increase member satisfaction (by giving them a hearing aid they will actually want to wear!) while you save on costs.
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Research continues to validate the importance of hearing health on quality of life. Left untreated, hearing loss is associated with increased risk for a number of other illnesses.
Untreated hearing loss has been associated with a higher risk for dementia, while hearing aid use has been associated with lower incidence.4
Those with mild hearing loss are 3x more likely to have a history of falls.5 Hearing aids are associated with a reduced risk of a fall-related injury over three years.6
Wearing hearing aids may have a positive effect on cognitive decline.8
Wearing hearing aids reduces the risk of being diagnosed with depression.10
Untreated hearing loss is associated with higher healthcare costs at 2, 5, and 10 years following initial hearing loss diagnosis.12 This leads to hospital admissions, longer hospital stays, higher risk of readmission.
We partnered with the University of Minnesota to compare Eargo's Sound Match self-fitting feature to prescriptive fitting performed in a clinic.
Functional outcomes were assessed using common measures:
*Mean Real EAR comparisons between self-fit and AUD-fit (n=33).
The results were exciting. Clinical research shows that self-fitting using Eargo Sound Match provides a fit that is comparable to hearing aids fit in a clinic. Users who self-fit their hearing aids with Eargo’s Sound Match program achieved the same outcomes as those who were fit by licensed hearing professionals based on measures of appropriate gain, speech understanding, hearing aid benefit, speech in noise, and sound quality ratings.*
*Self-fitting is not intended to replace a medical evaluation. Eargo hearing aids are intended to for perceived mild to moderate hearing loss in individuals 18 years of age or older. Users should consult a medical professional for more severe cases of hearing loss or for any “red flag” conditions, such as pain or discomfort in the ear, heavy earwax buildup, or sudden changes in hearing.
We've strived to make the process of acquiring a hearing aid—and getting the support users need—as easy as can be. That's beneficial for you and your members alike.
We have a team of trained reps that can engage with your members and review their existing audiogram or understand their hearing challenges. Intake screening focuses on the FDA’s identifying markers of perceived mild to moderate loss and potential medical concerns. Our team is trained on when to suggest a member should seek medical care from a healthcare provider because of red flag medical conditions or if an OTC hearing aid may not be appropriate for their hearing loss. We can customize utilization management criteria to meet the needs of your individual plan benefit.
Eargos arrive at the user's door ready to use, with everything they need. Users can book time with an Eargo hearing professional to learn how to use devices, self-fit using Sound Match the app, review cleaning and maintenance, and set expectations for the critical first several weeks.
Every Eargo order comes with a 45-day trial period where they can return for any reason. Even after the trial period, your members continue to have access to support and hearing professionals for as long as they own the devices.
"The goal is to get more people who have untreated hearing loss to get treatment for hearing loss… And that will be huge for the hearing health of our nation. And each one of these people, because they have earlier intervention, will put them on the path to be better off in their emotional health, their mental health and their brain health."
—Dr. Victor Bray, MSC, PhD, FNAP
Associate Professor, Osborne College of Audiology
Past President, Academy of Doctors of Audiology
"OTC hearing aids and prescription hearing aids have far more in common than they do differences."
—Dr. Victor Bray, MSC, PHD, FNAP
Past President ADA
"It doesn't matter whether the device itself is an OTC product or a prescription product...third-party payers should be rewarding in terms of outcomes and not structuring their payment models in such a way that people are actually penalized for going one direction or another."
—Stephanie Czuhajewski
Executive Director ADA
Watch the video below of the ADA's thoughts on OTC hearing aids.
This information is based on multimedia content (“Video Content”) that was developed for information and educational purposes only does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Eargo, Inc. (“Eargo”). The production of the Video Content was paid for by Eargo but the interviewees were not compensated for their participation. This information is not intended to be as substituted for professional medical advice.
Learn about more hearing health topics in this series of blog posts and videos by Eargo in collaboration with the ADA.
Why don't more people who need hearing aids get them?
Hearing aids are stigmatized
Hearing aids can be costly
There can be high barriers to access
It's our mission to reduce each of these barriers. Our tiny, rechargeable devices designed to fit seamlessly into the wearer's life, with no in-office visits required to fit their hearing aids and ongoing professional support on their time, all at less than half the cost of traditional alternatives... it's a hearing aid your members might actually want to use–not simply stick in their drawer. And that's exactly the idea.
Our family of OTC self-fitting, completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aids are FDA-cleared and are intended for mild to moderate hearing loss. They are self-fit by the user using Sound Match on the app to customize the settings to the user's hearing needs. No traditional in-office clinic visits to fit devices and no hearing tests are necessary except to the extent required under applicable medical necessity policies. Prices are for a set of hearing aids (per pair).
Virtually invisible | Rechargeable | Comfortable | More natural sound
References
1 University of Minnesota. (2023). Validating a Self-fitting Hearing Aid. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05246904
2 White House. FDA Takes Action to Deliver Lower-Cost, Innovative Hearing Aids to Millions More Americans. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2016/12/07/fda-takes-action-deliver-lower-cost-innovative-hearing-aids-millions-more-americans
3 Lin FR, Metter EJ, O’Brien RJ, et al. (2011). Hearing Loss and Incident Dementia. Arch Neurol, 68(2): 214-220. doi:10.1001/archneurol.2010.362.
4 Livingston G, Sommerlad A, Orgeta V, et al. (2017). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care. The Lancet, 390: 2673-2734.
5 Lin F and Ferrucci L. (2012). Hearing loss and falls among older adults in the United States. Arch Intern Med, 172(4): 369-371. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.728.
6 Mahmoudi E, Basu T, Langa K, et al. (2019). Can hearing aids delay time to diagnosis of dementia, depression, or falls in older adults? J Am Geriatr Soc, 67:2362-2369. doi: 101111/jgs.16109.
7 Cosh S, Helmer C, Delcourt C, Robins TG, and Tully PJ. Depression in elderly patients with hearing loss: current perspectives. Clin Interv Aging. 2019; 14: 1471-1480.
8 Amieva H, Ouvrard C, Giulioli C, et al. (2015). Self-reported hearing loss, hearing aids, and cognitive decline in elderly adults: a 25-year study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 63(10):2099-104. doi:10.1111/jgs.13649.
9 Reed et al. (2019). Trends in health care costs and utilization associated with untreated hearing loss over 10 years. JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, 145(1), 27-34.
10 .Mahmoudi E, Basu T, Langa K, et al. (2019). Can hearing aids delay time to diagnosis of dementia, depression, or falls in older adults? J Am Geriatr Soc, 67:2362-2369. doi: 101111/jgs.16109.
11 Reed et al. (2019). Trends in health care costs and utilization associated with untreated hearing loss over 10 years. JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, 145(1), 27-34.
12 Huddle MG, Goman AM, Kernizan FC, et al. The economic impact of adult hearing loss. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017;143(10):1040-1048. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2017.1243
13 .Lin, F. R., Niparko, J. K., & Ferrucci, L. (2011). Hearing Loss Prevalence in the United States. Archives of Internal Medicine, 171(20), 1851– 1852; Prevalence of Hearing Loss by Severity in the United States, Adele M. Goman, PhD, and Frank R. Lin, MD, PhD, 2016; U.S. Census International Database https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/idb/#/country?COUNTRY_YEAR=2020&COUNTRY_YR_ANIM=2020
14 National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders. Hearing Loss and Hearing Aid Use. 2016. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/news/multimedia/hearing-loss-and-hearing-aid-use
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