The Democrats’ pieces of legislation would force hearing amplifying devices created for hunters or recreational bird watchers, for example, to be regulated by the federal government, so sound amplification products (PSAP) for recreational purposes would have to be regulated like present medically prescribed hearing devices.Understand that what these things are is nothing more than a microphone, a set of protective earmuffs, and a speaker wired to the microphone through a rheostat that allows you to boost sound to levels you find helpful. The headset typically already controls maximum volume because these things double as hearing protection for hunters. Thus, there's no danger of hearing loss -- certainly less from a stereo system for music. The high-decibel gunshot will be tamped down to the same levels as everything else.
There is no reason why the government or any doctor needs to be in between you and your ability to buy any of this technology. It's just part of that impulse to regulate everything we do.
There's way too much of this that goes on. People with sleep apnea have to pay thousands of dollars to get a diagnosis so that they can buy breathing machines that are nothing more than a plastic tube/mask assembly, a fan, a filter, and a control board. In the old days you might have built one out of parts from Radio Shack plus a medical supply store. Now it's Rx-only, which means it's expensive and unavailable to many who could benefit from it.
And then we hear that "health care is too expensive!", so we need -- of course -- more government regulation!
No more of this nonsense.
! agree 100% on this issue.
ReplyDeleteLess Government regulations
Less Nanny State.
-Mississippi
As a C-Pap user, I will confirm that what you say is absolutely true. Most of the sophisticated parts of the machine are to record how often you use it and for how long, so that the insurance company and medical supply company can have more control over you.
ReplyDeleteThere was a recent story in the local newspaper that hearing aids, which are available by prescription only, run 500-3,000 each. The article said there is a need for something cheaper, and that "personal amplifiers" might be useful.
ReplyDeleteApple headphones can be had for $10, and yet hearing aids are a grand a pair?
The problem is that some people have a corner on the market.
This is obscene.
Valerie
Yeah, the headsets I'm thinking of -- Walkers Alpha is the brand -- start at around thirty bucks. The really expensive upgraded ones are around a hundred. That's an order of magnitude cheaper.
ReplyDeleteMore precious than hearing, it seems to me, is seeing. In contrast to those hearing aid prescriptions and costs, reading glasses are available in discount stores and drug stores for ten bucks a pair. Most near vision--reading--needs are for larger print, and those OTC reading glasses are magnifying glasses; a user just buys a pair with the desired magnification.
ReplyDeleteMore care (but not necessarily prescription-level care) would be needed for hearing aids, though; it's possible to do damage at comfortable levels of sound.
Eric Hines
"More care (but not necessarily prescription-level care) would be needed for hearing aids, though; it's possible to do damage at comfortable levels of sound."
ReplyDeleteIsn't the same true if you turn up the volume control too high on the television or the music player?
"More care (but not necessarily prescription-level care) would be needed for hearing aids, though; it's possible to do damage at comfortable levels of sound."
ReplyDeleteIsn't the same true if you turn up the volume control too high on the television or the music player?
Absolutely. However, hearing aids--and headsets--inject the sound directly down the aural canal onto the eardrum. It's easier to do damage at lower sound levels that way than with the more diffused sound coming across the room from an external device.
Eric Hines
So long as Americans bend their knee towards DC and worship at the Altar of their King, they will continue to approve and maintain the system of regulation and tyranny. The System always wins out over individuals, especially since the leaders are not human.
ReplyDeleteProblem with hearing magnification is that firecrackers and gunshots start being painful.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with that is there are people who have naturally amplified hearing that can't turn it off, and need to use earplugs.
Someone needs to challenge the hearing aid industry in the way that Uber has successfully challenged the taxicab industry.
ReplyDeleteThe guild exists to protect the guild. It's part of why I never got licensed to practice architecture. Curiously, most people don't care, and hire us anyway.
ReplyDeleteI think there are many regulatory fields that we should do away with- cosmetology for instance.