Unlike reading glasses, which are easy to buy at most drugstores, hearing aids have traditionally been difficult, and expensive, to acquire. One challenge has been the federal requirement of a medical evaluation before you can purchase hearing aids. But in an effort to open up the manufacturing market, and save consumers potentially thousands of dollars, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued new guidance, effective immediately, that it will no longer require this medical evaluation for those over 18 who want hearing aids. For the 30 million Americans who suffer from hearing loss, the goal is to stimulate a wider array of hearing aid options in the marketplace, at lower costs- an especially welcome development given that Medicare doesn’t pay for these essential devices. Read the FDA press release Here. For a more in-depth discussion of hearing loss and hearing aids from the FDA, Read Here.