Why captions are suddenly everywhere and how they got there

But today’s hearing aids can cost upward of $5,000, often aren’t covered by insurance and don’t work for everyone. The devices also don’t snap audible sound into focus the way glasses immediately correct vision. Instead, hearing aids and cochlear implants require the brain to interpret sound in a new way.

There is very little justification for those prices seeing the limited function of the aids and the cheap alternatives made possible by the current technology. People have been making their own limited aids with available parts for a small fraction of the price, so it is completely possible.

That's highway robbery, it's like being in the airport where they just charge whatever they want. No reason a hearing aid should cost more than $100 or so.