@cecilie Thank you for the very detailed, clinical reasons why hearing loss is such an invisible but damaging medical issue that too many people don't pay attention to. When I do Outreach events for my local and state HLAA chapter, when I ask people who think their hearing has been deteriorating why they haven't pursued hearing aids, affordability is always one of the first excuses they give. Many of these people are retired, on Medicare, so even paying $500 per hearing aid is too much. So they continue to live in isolation, often forcing their significant other to live in a similar manner. Your blog above is the exact reason that Medicare and Insurance companies MUST start covering the cost of hearing aids. The reasoning for not paying that was stated in the 60's is outdated. It IS a serious medical condition and the cost of not having hearing aids, such as increased risk of depression, dementia, alzheimer's and the associated costs of these diseases, has been recently researched by many, and shown to exceed covering the cost of hearing aids. Everyone needs to take the time and get the motivation to write their Representatives to seriously address this lack of coverage. My understanding is that there are bills working their way thru Congress that are starting to address it. Thanks again for your powerful (and yes, it was a bit depressing!) blog.