New study finds hearing aid use is low among older Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries despite widespread hearing loss

More than half of Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older had hearing loss in a new peer-reviewed study, but only a small share of those with hearing loss reported using hearing aids.

That is the practical takeaway from a study published November 6, 2025 in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery. For older adults and families, the findings matter because untreated hearing trouble can make everyday communication harder, add listening fatigue, and make it easier to miss parts of conversations, phone calls, and medical instructions.

What the new study found

The study was a cross-sectional analysis, which means it took a detailed snapshot of one point in time rather than following people over many years. Researchers used 2022 data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, a national survey of Medicare beneficiaries that oversampled older Hispanic adults. They analyzed hearing test results from 591 participants and used survey weighting to estimate what the results looked like for Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older living in the continental United States.

The main numbers were striking:

About 54.6% had hearing loss in the better-hearing ear.
That represented about 2.8 million people.
Among older Hispanic adults with hearing loss, only 8.3% reported using hearing aids.
Use increased with age, from 4.4% among adults ages 65 to 69 to 24.2% among adults 85 and older.

In other words, hearing loss was common in this study population, but hearing aid use was far less common.

What these numbers mean for older adults and families

These findings do not mean every older Hispanic adult has hearing loss, and they should not be generalized to all Hispanic adults or to all Medicare enrollees. The study focused on Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older in the continental United States.

Still, the gap between hearing loss and hearing aid use is important. Many families first notice the problem in small ways: a loved one asks for repeats, struggles to follow conversation in restaurants, turns the television up louder than everyone else wants, or says people seem to mumble.

National hearing-health guidance already shows that underuse of hearing aids is not unique to this group. Across U.S. adults who could benefit from hearing aids, only about one in four has ever used them. This new study suggests the gap may be especially large for the older Hispanic Medicare population it examined.

Why hearing aid use may stay low even when hearing loss is common

The study cannot tell us exactly why hearing aid use was low. Because it was cross-sectional, it can show prevalence and patterns, but it cannot prove cause and effect.

Even so, one practical issue is easy to see: hearing care and hearing devices are not covered the same way. A person may be able to get a diagnostic hearing evaluation, yet still face major out-of-pocket costs if they need hearing aids.

Other everyday barriers may also matter, such as difficulty getting hearing testing, uncertainty about what type of device to buy, or not realizing how much hearing loss is affecting daily life. But those reasons were not directly tested in this study, so they should be treated as possibilities rather than conclusions from the research.

What Original Medicare covers and does not cover

Original Medicare can help with some diagnostic hearing care, but it does not cover hearing aids themselves.

In plain language, Original Medicare Part B may cover diagnostic hearing and balance exams when a doctor or other health care professional orders them to find out whether medical treatment is needed. Medicare also allows one audiologist visit every 12 months without an order in limited situations involving non-acute hearing conditions or diagnostic services related to surgically implanted hearing devices.

But Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids or exams for fitting hearing aids. That means many people still face the full cost of the devices and fitting services.

For families trying to make decisions, that coverage gap matters. It helps explain why getting tested and getting treatment are not always the same thing financially.

Where OTC hearing aids may fit

Over-the-counter, or OTC, hearing aids may help some adults, but they are not the right tool for every hearing problem.

These devices are intended for adults age 18 and older who believe they have mild to moderate hearing loss. They are regulated medical devices, and they are not the same as personal sound amplification products, sometimes called PSAPs, which are meant for people without hearing loss who want help hearing certain sounds in specific situations.

OTC hearing aids are not meant for children. They are also not meant for adults who have more severe hearing loss or major trouble hearing even in quiet settings. In those situations, a professional evaluation is more appropriate.

For some adults with mild to moderate hearing trouble, OTC devices may offer a lower-barrier first step. But they should not be treated as a substitute for medical evaluation when warning signs suggest something more serious could be going on.

Signs it is time to get a hearing test

It is reasonable to consider a hearing test if you or a family member:

Has trouble hearing over the phone
Has trouble understanding speech in noisy places
Needs the TV volume louder than others prefer
Thinks other people always seem to mumble
Has trouble hearing high-pitched voices or sounds
Notices ringing or other unusual sounds in the ears

Testing often starts with a basic screening in primary care. If there is a concern, the next step may be a referral to an audiologist or an ear, nose, and throat doctor. A fuller hearing evaluation may include audiometry, which measures how well you hear tones at different pitches and volumes, and speech testing, which checks how well you understand spoken words.

When not to rely on OTC hearing aids alone

Some symptoms should push people toward professional care rather than self-treating with an OTC device. Seek medical evaluation promptly if there is:

Sudden hearing loss or hearing that is quickly getting worse
Hearing loss or tinnitus in only one ear
Vertigo or severe dizziness along with hearing loss
Ear pain or discomfort
Fluid, pus, or blood coming from the ear
Possible heavy earwax buildup or concern that something is in the ear canal
Hearing loss that has recently fluctuated, getting worse and then better

Those problems can point to conditions that need diagnosis or treatment, not just amplification.

A few important limits to keep in mind

This study adds useful national data, but it does have limits. It only covered Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older in the continental United States. It also was not designed to explain why hearing aid use was low. And not every Hispanic participant in the larger survey completed hearing testing, which could affect estimates.

So the study is best understood as a strong snapshot of how common hearing loss and hearing aid use were in this specific Medicare population in 2022, not as a complete explanation for every access problem older adults face.

What this means for readers

If you or someone you care about keeps asking for repeats, struggles in noisy places, or needs the TV louder than everyone else, a hearing test is a reasonable next step. The new study suggests that hearing loss may be common in older Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries even when hearing aids are not being used.

The bottom line is simple: getting checked matters, but so does understanding the path after the test. Original Medicare may help pay for diagnostic evaluation, yet hearing aids and fitting exams can still leave families with sizable out-of-pocket costs. OTC hearing aids may help some adults with mild to moderate hearing trouble, but sudden, one-sided, painful, or rapidly changing hearing problems need professional care first.

Sources

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Research findings can be early, limited, or subject to change as new evidence emerges. For personal guidance, diagnosis, or treatment, consult a licensed clinician. For current outbreak or public health guidance, follow your local health department, the CDC, or another relevant public health authority.