The reasons hearing aids cost so much are:

1.      They are sold in relatively low volume compared to other kinds of electronic technology, such as computers and televisions.  Less than two million hearing aids are sold per year in the United States.  This contributes to high manufacturing costs per unit. 

2.      The amount of time and money spent by manufacturers on research and development is considerable. One manufacturer claims to have spent over twenty million dollars developing one of their advanced hearing aid circuits.

3.      Hearing aids are custom-made devices.  This means that a hearing healthcare professional has to physically examine your ear, safely take an ear impression and then ship the impression to the manufacturer.  The manufacturer then assembles the device so that it fits your ear exactly.

4.      The amount of time spent by an audiologist with a patient is very significant. This professional service component is included with the price of the hearing aid. An audiologist spends an average of five direct contact hours with a patient during the first year of hearing aid use. This time is critical for new users, particularly to assist during the acclimatization process and make fine tuning adjustments to the hearing aid.   

Audiologists, like consumers, are concerned about keeping the cost of hearing aids affordable. The reality is, communication is one of the most important skills humans have. So if wearing hearing aids allows you to resume normal activities and communicate with loved ones, the cost becomes a lot more justifiable.