Many residents of the High Plains suffer from hearing loss. Experts say if the condition goes untreated, it can lead to social withdrawal, depression and anxiety, along with poor job performance. Yet, in many places, High Plains residents have found that the condition is not covered by their medical plans.
As Oklahoma Watch reports, traditional Medicare excludes hearing aids for Americans aged 65 and older. And Oklahoma’s medical program for the poor, known as Soonercare, only covers hearing aids for children.
Today’s advanced hearing aids can cost as much as $8,000. And that price can be prohibitive for those High Plains residents just trying to make ends meet.
Nationwide, 48 million people over the age of 12 are affected by hearing loss. In Oklahoma alone, there are 58,000 people who suffer from the problem.