Untreated Hearing Loss Can Be Costly for Seniors

Two Johns Hopkins studies published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery suggest seniors with untreated hearing loss could rack up bigger medical bills and fall prey to other medical problems, reports Health 24 . One study of 77,000 U.S. seniors with untreated age-related hearing loss, compared with healthy individuals, determined the former averaged total healthcare costs that were 46 percent higher over a decade. That amounted to more than $22,000 per person, with about $20,000 covered by a health plan and $2,000 in out-of-pocket costs; approximately $600 was due solely to hearing loss-related care. Moreover, subjects with untreated hearing loss had 50 percent more hospital stays, a 44 percent greater risk for rehospitalization within 30 days, a 17 higher likelihood of visiting an emergency department visit, and 52 more outpatient visits. The second study found over 10 years, persons with untreated hearing loss had a 50 percent greater risk of dementia, a 40 percent higher risk of depression, and a nearly 30 percent higher risk for falls versus healthy persons. Neither study proved that hearing loss causes other health problems.