New agreement makes hearing aids more accessible to New Benefits members.
VIRGINIA BEACH - December 7, 2020
Hearing Assist announces a partnership with New Benefits to offer discounts on hearing aids and accessories to tens of millions of benefit members. New Benefits is a leading provider of non-insurance medical benefits that are packaged and offered by employers, insurance companies and other network providers to tens of millions of American consumers. Hearing Assist will be the sole and exclusive provider of direct to consumer (DTC) hearing aids to New Benefits, and will provide participating members with access to discounts on Hearing Assist products.
“We believe this collaboration will allow New Benefit members even more access to affordable hearing loss solutions. Our hearing aids offer a high quality, cost-effective alternative to traditional hearing aids” said Nick Naylor, co-owner of HearingAssist. “We have hundreds of thousands of happy customers that demonstrate the impact our affordable hearing aids have had on lives. The emerging OTC market is one we are excited to lead. And now, we are able to extend this innovative technology to even more people”.
Learn more about New Benefits and all their discount programs by visiting newbenefits.com
About Hearing Assist
Hearing Assist has been working since 2008 to solve this singular problem: the high cost of available solutions for mild to moderate hearing loss. Why has this been such a problem historically? Traditional hearing aids are offered at gatekeeper’s prices; meaning, you must make an appointment and see an audiologist to have your hearing tested. Based on those results, a high cost hearing aid would be recommended. And why is this problematic? In addition to the inconvenience of having to go into an audiologist’s office, ⅔ of the price of the hearing aids goes towards the audiologist’s time and service. The average cost of these traditional hearing aids ranges $3000-$6000 for a pair. This is just not doable for many Americans. Further, the lack of coverage by Medicare and other insurances make these devices even less accessible.
For some, traditional hearing aids are necessary for severe hearing loss. But for many with mild to moderate hearing loss, there needs to be a better option. The risks of hearing loss are highly impactful on daily life and overall health. Research has shown that hearing loss can lead to social isolation and nervous system changes. In addition, studies have shown hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline showing anatomical brain changes on imaging studies. Researchers have posited that one of the best ways to prevent cognitive decline/dementia is to improve hearing loss.
In order to provide an effective and accessible solution to hearing loss, we began selling an innovative rechargeable hearing aid that was designed to amplify the frequencies most commonly associated with mild to moderate hearing loss (“one size fits most”), and launched via a popular television commercial featuring a well-known TV star. That product was known as the Lee Majors Rechargeable Bionic Hearing Aid (“Bionic Ear”), and was the first FDA-registered, rechargeable, direct to consumer hearing aid. Over the course of 10 years, we have sold hundreds of thousands of these and other quality hearing devices, without the high cost of middlemen or gatekeepers.
During this time, we invested heavily in research and development creating new models with advanced technology using the knowledge of experienced engineers and audiologists. We also developed a US based customer service team with compassion and the know-how in customer demographics and product selection.
We really listened to our customers and implemented their needs into our research. Based on these advancements in technology and customer feedback, we rolled out new products in 2018. These products feature improved product designs with longer battery life, better sound quality, more programs for use in various settings, and in general, better customer satisfaction. In August of 2017, Congress passed the Over the Counter Hearing Aid Act, Which determined that an official federal government-sanctioned over the counter hearing aid market will override the state laws that have helped to keep prices high across the country for years.
Hearing Assist is a business that sees an opportunity to improve people’s lives with great products at amazing prices, and with excellent customer service. We like to think we are playing a part in improving the cost and quality of healthcare offerings in the US. We hope you agree, and invite you to explore and try out the products that we stand behind. Please visit hearingassist.com to learn more.
