8/02/2019
Journalist Katherine Gregory announced this morning on ABC Radio that she believes commission structures for hearing aids sales are unethical or unfair. She say’s “more needs to be done to regulate the industry.” Also “the hearing aid industry has been put on notice for hiking up prices and misleading consumers about the effectiveness of some devices.”
The ACCC has been overseeing investigations into some Australian firms for a couple of years now. Katherine explained how ACCC action “has fined Australian Hearing $40,000 for breaking consumer law” with misleading advertising. There were also fines for a major hearing aid manufacturing company that owns many Australian chains close to 2.5 million dollars for misleading conduct.
The article reinforces the benefit of seeking an independent hearing clinic and Audiologist. Independent meaning that the hearing clinic is not owned by a particular hearing aid manufacturer. They do not operate as the retail arm of a specific manufacturer. Audiologists working in Independent clinics can therefore source products from a range of suppliers/ hearing aid manufacturers and a generally freer to act in the best interests of their patients. They are less pressured and incentivised by commissions.
You can click on the following link to hear the radio broadcast.
http://The hearing aid industry has been put on notice for hiking up prices and misleading consumers about the effectiveness of some devices.