MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA — Amplifon Hearing Health Care, the leading independent provider of hearing benefit solutions in the U.S., recently launched Amplifon hearing aids and an accompanying app, its latest innovation in hearing health care, and exclusive to health plan members.
Members can take advantage of the app in a variety of ways, from personalized usage coaching to hearing health education to virtual visits for hearing-aid related issues from dedicated care advocates.
Health Plan Benefits
The Amplifon app is designed to benefit health plans in several ways:
- Positively impact star ratings and reduce medical expenses as members address their hearing loss to help reduce falls, cognitive decline, and other comorbidities associated with untreated hearing loss.
- Leverage hearing health analytics to provide deeper insights into hearing aid utilization, changes in usage, and compliance with evidence-based recommendations, empowering health plans to address emerging population health risks and gaps in care.
- Ensure greater member satisfaction through better hearing aid adoption, device utilization and long-term compliance.
“Health plans generally have very little visibility into whether and to what extent their members wear the hearing aids purchased through their hearing health benefits,” said Guillaume Bonniol, Senior Vice President of Amplifon Hearing Health Care.
“That lack of insight can be very costly. Hearing loss is the single largest indicator of fall risk in people over 65, with an average cost of $14,000 per fall. Now, for the first time, the Amplifon app enables health plans to track hearing aid usage while helping to minimize the impact of high-cost conditions such as falls and cognitive decline through ongoing coaching and support of members”.
Amplifon App Features
- Care team remotely monitors hearing aid usage data, anticipates member needs, and provides insightful feedback and support.
- In-app alerts triggered for members based on number of days wearing hearing aids less than the recommended usage, irregular use, declining trends, and other factors.
- On-demand virtual visits with care team to assist members with battery use, cleaning and maintenance of hearing aid, health plan benefits, and making provider appointments.
- Videos, tutorials, and articles educate members on hearing aid use.
Hearing Loss Facts
Hearing loss is the third most common chronic physical condition in the U.S. and is twice as prevalent as diabetes or cancer but is widely undiagnosed and untreated.1 Approximately 40 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss.2
Eighty-five percent of those wearing hearing aids at least 8 hours daily report higher satisfaction levels.3
Untreated hearing loss has negative physical, mental, and social consequences, including increased likelihood of developing dementia and depression, resulting in higher health care costs. Older adults with untreated hearing loss experience 46% higher health care costs.4
References
- Blackwell DL, Lucas JW, Clarke TC. Summary health statistics for US adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2012. Vital health statistics, series 10, no. 260. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Health Statistics, CDC; 2014.
- Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.
- EuroTrak UK 2018, BIHIMA.
- Reed NS, Altan A, Deal JA, Yeh C, Kravetz AD, Wallhagen M, Lin FR., Trends in health care costs and utilization associated with untreated hearing loss over 10 Years. JAMA Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg. 145 (1), 27–34, January 2019.
About Amplifon Hearing Health Care
Amplifon Hearing Health Care connects people and resources to improve the lives of people with hearing loss by partnering with health care organizations to administer hearing benefits. As an independently owned and operated organization, Amplifon’s turnkey products and services improve health, increase satisfaction and lower costs for health plan partners. Amplifon’s full-service model includes member advocacy, claims processing, eligibility management, and reporting. With a steadfast commitment to delivering an exceptional experience, Amplifon’s solutions make high-quality hearing health care affordable and accessible. Learn more at: amplifonusa.com.
Source: Amplifon
