'An absurd system': Ottawa woman sounds off on $5K hearing aids

"How much would you pay to be able to hear music?"

That was the opening line of an essay Sheila Nemcsokrecently posted on social mediaand for the partly deaf woman, the question wasn't philosophical.

"I knew what it was going to cost, but it was still a big sticker shock," she said.

She's not blaming the clinic thatsold them to her and she's not calling for an across-the-board increase to financial assistance for people who rely on hearing aids.

Since hearing aid technology has taken a giant leap forward in recent years,Nemcsokis finding herself more able to participate in social life than ever before, but shethinks the system should allow those who can demonstrate a financial need to geta greater portion of their hearing aids paid for.

'An absurd system'

A 2013 investigation byCBCNews found that a device sold by anaudiologistfor $2,000 would have been purchased from the manufacturer for $400 to $600.

Nemcsok's December invoice for two new middle-of-the line hearing aids along withdispensing fees came to an eye-watering $5,435.95.

I've just paid a small fortune in order be able to live as a socially and professionally-engaged citizen.- Sheila Nemcsok

Ontario'sAssistive Devices Programentitles her to $500 for each device, so she will get $1,000 back from the province. Her employer's benefits program will knock off another $1,000.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Caresaid the maximum subsidy available is$1,000 for two hearing aidsand thatthe program"does not exclude individuals based on income, age or employment status."

But for people who don't have her income, the current reality is "an absurd system which makes hearing shockingly unaffordable," Nemcsok said.

"I've just paid a small fortune in order be able to live as a socially-and-professionally-engaged citizen," she said."What price tag would you put on being able to listen to people at the dinner table?"

Not just a luxury

A human resources professional,Nemcsokis now finishing a law degree and preparing to begin what she calls her "second career." That means the electronic augmentation to her hearing isn't just a luxury: it'sessential for following courtroom testimony and speaking withlawyers and clients.

Where her old devices sometimes permitted her to hear just 20 per cent of courtroom conversation, she estimates she'snow hearing more than 90 per cent of what's being said.

There are other benefits, too:last weekend, the 40-year-oldwent to one of the first concerts of her life.

"I wasn't able to enjoy music in the way that other people could. It was ugly and messy to me and I thought people just liked that ugliness and messiness like you might like abstract art," she explained.

Now she'sable to hear and appreciate the clarity and richness of both recorded and live music and she'sturning to friends to help guide her through an art form she's mostly ignored.

"I've listened to everything from Pink Floyd to Green Day to Justin Bieber," Nemcsok laughs. "I haven't decided what my favourite type of music is yet!"

'I wish there were an easier way'

Shelling out thousands of dollars for new hearing aids isn't unusual, said Eric Olmstead, a professional audiologistfor nearly 40 years.

"I suppose that depends on the client, some would pay any price to have that experience," said Olmstead.

"It seems like a lot of money, and by God, it is a lot of money for many people. And I wish there were an easier way, but that's the system we have."

Olmstead said that for a hearing aid costing between$2,000 and $3,000, there isn't much profit for middlemen sellers like himself. Instead,profits come from the "dispensing fee," which can range from $800 to $1,000 per ear.

What will happen [is that]we will make the market bigger. Because we will attract people who will not go to the audiologist because it is so expensive.- Patrick Freuler, president ofAudicusInc.

Chantal Kealey, director of audiology for Speech Language and Audiology Canada, said dispensing fees ensure the device is properly fitted so it can be inserted and removed without difficulty.

Those fees, she said, also cover the programming of modern electronic hearing aids, which can be adjusted to enhance the sound of different acoustic environments.

"It certainly is an expensive proposition for many people," said Kealey, adding that her profession has watched as direct-to-consumer and online sales of hearing aids have taken a chunk out of their market.

A cheaper option

Patrick Freuler, the president of direct-to-consumer hearing aid retailer Audicus Inc., said that's because people who can't afford hearing aids through traditional channels are coming to him.

The cost to manufacture a single hearing aid not including fees fortesting and programming and other services is only $50 to $200, said Freuler.

"I think at some point, what will happen [is that]we will make the market bigger, because we will attract people who will not go to the audiologist because it is so expensive," Freuler said.

But Kealey said her association's position is that by eliminating the audiologist from the sale, both patient safety and satisfaction could be compromised.

She added that a $500 subsidy like the one Nemcsok receiveddoes little to make a $3,000 device affordable.

"We are really advocating for more community-based services for audiology, especially for seniors," she said.