Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1452651
For scheduling, call 315-454-4810, Press 1 | For more information visit our website at MDRcny.com • Auburn Office • E. Syracuse – 5000 Brittonfield, Ste. A114* (Wide Bore Scanner) • Medical Center West – Camillus • North Office – Liverpool* • Northeast Office – Fayetteville* • Crouse POB – Syracuse* * MRI Breast Imaging Center P ROV I D I N G PAT I E N T- F R I E N D LY C A R E I N A C O M F O RT I N G E N V I RO N M E N T AT A L L S I X C O N V E N I E N T LO C AT I O N S MDR's caring and professional staff will put you at ease. I N 2 0 17, C O N G R E S S pa s s e d t he bipartisan Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act requiring the FDA to "categorize certain hearing aids as over-the-counter hea r i n g a id s a nd i ssue reg u lat ion s regarding those hearing aids." However, the regulations had stalled until fa ll 2021, when the FDA f ina lly proposed a new rule to allow for hearing aids without a prescription. Given that most hearing aids aren't covered by insurance, this action has long been welcomed by consumers. However, a recent survey by the American Speech- Language-Hearing Association shows that most consumers won't be ditching their ENTs or audiologists for testing or advice anytime soon. According to the resea rch, 87% of sur vey pa r ticipa nts — a ll adults over 40 — sa id they would wa nt to have a me d ic a l d i a g nosi s b efore buy i n g a hea ring aid, a nd 83% said they would want to find out which kind of hearing aid technolog y would be most appropriate for their hearing loss. These gaps in knowledge, combined w ith a li kely f lood of OTC products, mean physicians should expect a lot of questions in the coming months. n Are Now in the Budget BY CARI WADE GERVIN AF TER FOUR YE ARS OF INACTION, THE FDA IS FINALIZING A RULE TO ALLOW HE ARING AIDS WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION. OTC Hearing Aids

