PHOENIX — More than a quarter of seniors experience hearing loss, yet health insurance coverage varies, making crucial tools like hearing aids inaccessible to many.
The Miracle-Ear Foundation aims to bridge the gap, helping patients save money, while restoring something priceless.
"I used to say, ‘What?’ Well, I couldn't hear, and it was very frustrating, frustrating,” Regina Harris said.
Two Valley women know the isolation of hearing loss.
"I've been trying to get hearing aids, because I lost my hearing in both ears from cancer treatment,” Sheree Woolsey said.
Woolsey and Harris say cost made getting help feel impossible.
“I knew I could not afford hearing aids,” Harris said. "I could not afford them at all. So I kept thinking, you know, I just will never hear.”
Prescription hearing aids can cost $2,000 to $7,000, according to GoodRX. Nearly a quarter of people over 65, and half of those over age 75, have disabling hearing loss, GoodRX reports. Yet insurance coverage varies; original Medicare does not cover hearing aids.
"Insurance does not cover hearing aids, or if it does, it covers very little,” Woolsey said. "And hearing aids, quality ones, are in the thousands of dollars. So it was a big barrier for me.”
This weekend, though, the barrier came down.
"I got new hearing aids today, and I'm so excited!” Harris said.
Both women got free hearing aids thanks to The Miracle-Ear Foundation.
"It's sound overload right now, but I'm so glad to hear the sound. I's just amazing,” Woolsey said.
More than 140 eligible people attended a Miracle Mission event in Phoenix on Saturday, getting free screenings and leaving with new hearing aids. They are among 28,000 helped by the foundation over the years, not only with hearing, but also cognitive abilities.
"Uncorrected hearing loss will lead to faster decline and a higher risk of the of cognitive decline,” Rob Hickman, Miracle-Ear Southwest Area Vice President, said. "So it's just really important that they get their hearing needs addressed as early as possible to make a difference for them and for their future.”
These resources are not just available at events. Miracle-Ear offers free evaluations for those who are eligible year-round at 26 stores across Arizona, plus a free online hearing test.
“Miracle-Ear has hearing aids for every lifestyle and budget, including free hearing aids from the foundation. So this is a great way for people who don't have access to hearing health care, or who can't afford hearing health care, to get it through the foundation,” Hickman said.
It’s a valuable resource for people like Harris and Woolsey.
"You just don't believe it until it actually happens. It's a miracle,” Harris said.
Putting costly, but life-changing medical advancements, within reach.
"This means the world to me. I'm just blessed to be alive from the cancer,” Woolsey said. "But the hearing itself, I can't wait to be around my grandkids and hear them, see them laugh.”