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Summer 2017
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SENIORS WANT CRACKDOWN ON
HEARING-HEALTH “HORROR” STORIES
JOHN McNAMEE REPORTS
National Seniors Australia Chief Advocate Ian Henschke...cracking down
on extortionate hearing aid costs.
ne senior Australian before needing replacement.
was forced to re- These are just two examples
Omortgage his house to of “horror’ stories outlined
buy $11,000 in hearing aids by National Seniors Chief
that were unsatisfactory and Advocate, Ian Henschke during
un-refundable. submissions to the hearing
Another described how health report, titled Still
they purchased products that Waiting To Be Heard which
cost as much as $15,000 and was released recently.
lasted only five to 10 years It calls on the Federal
www.GrannyFlatSolutions.com.au
Government to adopt the key campaign encouraging people their age, with those living
recommendations of the report experiencing hearing loss to on the Age Pension most
“without delay”. seek help; and a review of likely to say it was ‘extremely
Mr Henschke said after two hearing services provided to important’.
investigations of the industry residents of aged care facilities. And despite reports of
in a decade, the government Mr Henschke said National ‘endless horror stories’ about
needed to clean up problems Seniors agreed with the inquiry the My Aged Care website,
the ACCC had labelled scams. report that in many respects, more than half said they were
“Many vulnerable people Australia was a leader in satisfied with it, although this
are being exploited by the supporting those with a hearing might have been with assistance
unconscionable actions of loss. from family and friends.
retailers and sales people driven But it also agreed that much Prof McCallum said a
by commissions, rather than more could be done, especially recent National Seniors survey
public health considerations,” for older people who were often of 4,267 members had revealed
he said in a statement released on extremely limited incomes some problems with the new
shortly after the report was and more vulnerable to scams system, including lack of
tabled. and rip-offs. choice, high administration fees
He said one in six “Our members have told us and insufficient care packages.
Australians had hearing loss, they often feel pressured into It had also revealed 20 per
and the figure would rise to one purchasing expensive hearing cent of respondents had no
in four by 2050. aids without any understanding confidence of being able to
One of the key of the cost benefit of the product choose a provider to suit their
recommendations was to crack being sold,” he said. needs and another 35 per cent
down on use of commissions in Mr Henschke said National were unsure.
the hearing aid industry. Seniors agreed with the inquiry Prof McCallum said
As well as the examples of report that the time for action confidence was particularly
“horror stories” quoted above, was well overdue. low among residents of
Mr Henschke said National “We know there is a lot of regional communities, where
Seniors had been told of people frustration among those with the number of providers was
questioning a price and then hearing loss and in the medical low or non-existent.
having it suddenly drop by and support community. It’s Despite this, support for the
thousands. time the government got on with concept of consumer-directed
“At the same time, we fixing the situation,” he said. home care was high, with
also heard of people buying Meanwhile, National consumers wanting choice and
products that do the job at a Seniors also claims the Federal flexibility in aged care.
fraction of the price. Government’s consumer- Until February this year,
“We are very disappointed directed home care program Australian home care services
with the lack of competition has a risk of failing, despite were in packages awarded to
and price transparency in the almost universal support for it service providers.
market.” among older people. Now older consumers are
National Seniors also National Seniors Research assessed for funding, which
supported recommendations Director Professor John they can use to ‘purchase’
that hearing become a McCallum said recently 98 per services from providers of their
national health priority, with cent of its members believed choice.
a national strategy; greater choice of home care services The system is designed
education and an awareness was important, regardless of Continued on page 4
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