A new statement from a government-backed panel says there's not enough evidence to determine whether the test has benefits. Many doctors still think it makes sense for doctors to ask whether patients are having trouble hearing.
It's estimated that hearing loss affects between 20- percent and 40-percent of people 50 years old and older.
One of the problems with screening older adults is that there's no guarantee they'd wear hearing aids or seek treatment for hearing loss they didn't know they had.
Hearing aids can be costly and are often not covered by insurance.
