UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH), the largest
U.S. health insurer by revenue, said it will sell a line of low-
cost hearing aids to at least 36 million Americans with hearing
loss in the first such program offered by an insurer.
The devices will be available to UnitedHealth customers
through Medicare managed care and prescription drug plans for no
out-of-pocket cost to some consumers and a co-pay of up to $649
for others depending on their plan, the company said in a
statement. Hearing aids typically sell for from $2,000 to
$4,000. The insurer provides Medicare benefits to almost 7 million
consumers, making it the biggest provider under the U.S. health
plan for the elderly and disabled.