Half of all South Dakota residents age 75 cannot hear the laughter of their grandchildren, enjoy conversation at a busy restaurant or attend an outdoor summer concert because of hearing loss.  The Woodstock generation suffers too, with 25% of middle-aged men and women reporting socially-isolating hearing loss.  Fewer than two percent of all South Dakota residents, regardless of age, have any type of hearing healthcare.  

South Dakota Farm Bureau hopes to help restore the hearing of generations of South Dakota residents by offering exclusive savings to members on hearing health care services through ClearValue Hearing.  There are ClearValue Professional Hearing Healthcare Providers throughout the State of South Dakota.  Through this exclusive benefit, Farm Bureau members are automatically pre-approved into the ClearValue Hearing Health Care Benefits program at no cost.  Members will receive free hearing tests, free hearing aid maintenance and adjustments and up to 55% off the cost of hearing instruments manufactured by Siemens, the world’s largest and oldest hearing aid manufacturer.  On average, members can save $1,400 on one Siemens hearing aid alone - with a total savings of more than $2,150 per year over a four-year life of a single hearing instrument.

 “Hearing loss is a profound health problem that typically is not covered by traditional insurance plans,” said Michael Held, Farm Bureau Chief Executive Officer.  “We believe this new benefit for Farm Bureau members will help supplement our current health care benefit suite and bring long-overdue diagnostic help to the thousands who literally suffer in silence,” said Held.

Hearing loss is prevalent in our culture, caused not only by the natural effects of aging and acute exposure to environmental causes, but hearing loss can also be genetic.  Three out of every 1,000 babies are born with hearing loss.  Farm Bureau’s exclusive ClearValue Hearing Health Care benefit is now available to all Farm Bureau members and their families.  For more information about this program visit www.clearvaluehearing.com or call them toll-free at (888) 497-7447.  To learn how to be a South Dakota Farm Bureau member, visit http://sdfb.fb.org

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