Americans will be able to buy hearing aids later this year without seeing a doctor or receiving a medical examination. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new class of hearing aid devices. They do not require a medical exam or a prescription. The devices will be sold online and in stores. The devices are designed for adults with mild to moderate hearing problems. The FDA estimates that the hearing aids could help nearly 30 million adults in the United States. Only about one-fifth of people with hearing problems use the devices currently. “Today’s action by the FDA represents a significant milestone in making hearing aids more cost-effective and accessible,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, told reporters Tuesday. The FDA first proposed the rule change for hearing aids last year. The new rules will take effect in the middle of October. The move follows years of pressure from medical experts and others to make the devices less costly and easier to get. Cost is a barrier right now. Americans can pay more than $5,000 for hearing aids. The cost is for the device itself and fitting services. Private insurance coverage is also limited for the devices. And government insurance for older people, known as Medicare, does not pay for them. Medicare only pays for hearing tests.
Title: Americans Can Soon Get Hearing Aids Without Seeing a Doctor
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/A23.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Americans Can Soon Get Hearing Aids Without Seeing a Doctor' data-article-id='6199'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='12104'>Americans will be able to buy hearing aids later this year without seeing a doctor or receiving a medical examination.</span> <span data-start-time='12104' data-end-time='21208'>The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new class of hearing aid devices.</span> <span data-start-time='21208' data-end-time='27271'>They do not require a medical exam or a prescription. </span> <span data-start-time='27271' data-end-time='33813'>The devices will be sold online and in stores.</span> <span data-start-time='33813' data-end-time='41625'>The devices are designed for adults with mild to moderate hearing problems. </span> <span data-start-time='41625' data-end-time='51625'>The FDA estimates that the hearing aids could help nearly 30 million adults in the United States.</span> <span data-start-time='51625' data-end-time='60813'>Only about one-fifth of people with hearing problems use the devices currently.</span> <span data-start-time='60813' data-end-time='81667'>“Today’s action by the FDA represents a significant milestone in making hearing aids more cost-effective and accessible,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, told reporters Tuesday.</span> <span data-start-time='81667' data-end-time='89167'>The FDA first proposed the rule change for hearing aids last year. </span> <span data-start-time='89167' data-end-time='94500'>The new rules will take effect in the middle of October. </span> <span data-start-time='94500' data-end-time='106896'>The move follows years of pressure from medical experts and others to make the devices less costly and easier to get.</span> <span data-start-time='106896' data-end-time='110396'>Cost is a barrier right now. </span> <span data-start-time='110396' data-end-time='117104'>Americans can pay more than $5,000 for hearing aids. </span> <span data-start-time='117104' data-end-time='123313'>The cost is for the device itself and fitting services. </span> <span data-start-time='123313' data-end-time='130208'>Private insurance coverage is also limited for the devices. </span> <span data-start-time='130208' data-end-time='138708'>And government insurance for older people, known as Medicare, does not pay for them.</span> <span data-start-time='138708' data-end-time='143042'>Medicare only pays for hearing tests.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/A23.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=18833 data-hint-location='33813' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/which_of_the_following_is_a_definition_of_the_word_mild.wav'>Which of the following is a definition of the word mild?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='not severe, serious, or harsh'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/not_severe_serious_or_harsh.wav'><span>not severe, serious, or harsh</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/the_point_or_position_at_an_equal_distance_from_the_sides_edges_or_ends_of_something.wav'><span>the point or position at an equal distance from the sides, edges, or ends of something</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/a_young_human_being.wav'><span>a young human being</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/a_fungal_growth.wav'><span>a fungal growth</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=18834 data-hint-location='51625' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/approximately_how_many_people_with_hearing_problems_currently_use_hearing_aids.wav'>Approximately how many people with hearing problems currently use hearing aids?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='one-fifth'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/onefifth.wav'><span>one-fifth</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/onefiftieth.wav'><span>one-fiftieth</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/onehalf.wav'><span>one-half</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/onefourth.wav'><span>one-fourth</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=18835 data-hint-location='110396' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/americans_can__blank__more_than_5000_for_hearing_aids_.wav'>Americans can <span class='blank'>pay</span> more than $5,000 for hearing aids. </div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='pay'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/pay.wav'><span>pay</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/slay.wav'><span>slay</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/play.wav'><span>play</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5628/day.wav'><span>day</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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