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  "path": "/t/hearing-aids-and-privacy/35988#post_3",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-10T14:46:25.000Z",
  "site": "https://discuss.privacyguides.net",
  "tags": [
    "AI is pretty good at interpreting medical tests if you don’t mind de-HIPAAing the info"
  ],
  "textContent": "Thanks! I figured it meant no one knew more than me due to it being a specialized topic. Maybe I should try to learn more about the different brands and such and make another post. Someone else will be likely to wonder about this eventually.\n\nThe reason why they use an AI is because there can be feedback and distortion in the hearing aids. I haven’t used older hearing aids, but I remember from when I was younger that a lot of people with severe hearing loss would refuse to use older models. Without bluetooth, which started to be used around 2005, it would be harder to configure the hearing aids. They are small, located where you can’t see while wearing them, and there is a bacteria risk of handling your ears in public spaces. Better bluetooth and pairing management would help a lot here.\n\nAnother factor with this is that, if you’re going through insurance, you get an audiologist who helps you. They look at your tests or do new ones. They consider the different types of hearing aids, the different type of receivers, and make a mold of one or both ears if needed. Once assembled, they configure the assembled hearing using a computer program. It automatically probes your hearing while you wear the hearing aids. The audiologist provide parts needed for maintenance and readjusts as your situation changes. This is a very different experience than going on ebay and getting an ancient model.\n\nSince I have medicaid, there is exactly one local place where I can go for this. They provide exactly one brand, while I pay $0. Other people may have more options. For instance, there is an analog one still being made called Phonak Lyric. It is too small for Bluetooth, but without insurance you would be paying around $1500 more every year.\n\nThere are some OTC or less mainstream models, which I don’t know much about, but are available more cheaply. You lose the technicians expertise, but they look like they would work well in some contexts. AI is pretty good at interpreting medical tests if you don’t mind de-HIPAAing the info. You can instruct the website not to use your info in AI training using privacy settings and then delete the convo from your logs. That could help someone to understand if OTC fits their situation and to make a choice if they are okay with that privacy trade off.\n\nOverall this is a very complex topic I didn’t need to know anything about until recently. There should be a word for when you feel very fortunate and unfortunate about your situation at the same time.",
  "title": "Hearing Aids and Privacy"
}