When you purchase a hearing aid, you are purchasing a personal hearing care system. That includes the hearing aid device and the professional services that are critical for individual maximum benefit from the device.
According to the Hearing Industries Association (HIA), one reason hearing aids are expensive is because of the tremendous amount of research and development that goes in to their creation. Hearing aids are a medical device with a complex set of performance challenges including providing amplification, programmability, and the ability to withstand the hostel environment of the ear. The hearing aids being sold today reflect the investment made in research and development, and the hearing impaired are benefiting from this investment.
Finally, hearing aids are a custom manufactured device and, in the realm of electronic equipment, sold in relatively small volumes of units on an annual basis. In addition, there are incorporated fees for professional services, evaluation, training and after care, which are as important as the device. Both HIA and research by Sergei Kochkin, PhD, has indicated a direct correlation between patient satisfaction with hearing aids and the evaluation and counseling time by a professional.