This has been going on for a long time. I was training to be an audiologist in 1977. The teacher explained the cartel setup, and admitted that the prices were 10x what they could be. I decided not to go into that part of the field, and ended up doing software and courseware.
"the manufacturing costs are between $40 to $80 for hearing aids, though it’s important to note that production costs are only one part of the process of selling a hearing aid"
There are probably hidden costs we don't know about like buying a new fleet of yachts every few months. Every smartphone has a microphone (which can be used in speakerphone mode to pick up sounds in a room) and can have ear buds connected to it. I'd like to see a phone app that takes microphone sounds and processes them if necessary (attenuates and amplifies certain frequencies if necessary like a stereo equalizer) and then routs them into the earbuds - a poor quality but cheap substitute for a hearing aid. A hearing aid hack might be one way to solve the problem (of old people remaining deaf because of monopolies) until effective anti-trust actions kick in. disclaimer: I don't know if it would be legal or possible .... it would be important to check first or suffer the wrath of the corporatized "justice" system.
This has been going on for a long time. I was training to be an audiologist in 1977. The teacher explained the cartel setup, and admitted that the prices were 10x what they could be. I decided not to go into that part of the field, and ended up doing software and courseware.
"the manufacturing costs are between $40 to $80 for hearing aids, though it’s important to note that production costs are only one part of the process of selling a hearing aid"
There are probably hidden costs we don't know about like buying a new fleet of yachts every few months. Every smartphone has a microphone (which can be used in speakerphone mode to pick up sounds in a room) and can have ear buds connected to it. I'd like to see a phone app that takes microphone sounds and processes them if necessary (attenuates and amplifies certain frequencies if necessary like a stereo equalizer) and then routs them into the earbuds - a poor quality but cheap substitute for a hearing aid. A hearing aid hack might be one way to solve the problem (of old people remaining deaf because of monopolies) until effective anti-trust actions kick in. disclaimer: I don't know if it would be legal or possible .... it would be important to check first or suffer the wrath of the corporatized "justice" system.