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Veterans, will they provide Auracast capable hearing aids if I request?

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Edited

Asking for thoughts from fellow users. I have VA supplied Oticon OPN S1 for two years now, and I understand the VA only replaces every 3 years. My new TV’s have but the OPN S1 is not capable. The newer Oticon Intent has this capability. Will the VA supply me with the newer tech Aids if I request, even if outside the time window?

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They will give you the top tier of what they have on contract. The issue is that the doesn’t always have the latest firmware updates available due to the way the VA contracts work and due to the VA IT security protocol is. I have the INTENT1 aids and I don’t have the latest firmware due to the above considerations. I have been getting aids from the VA for 20 years and I have had wonderfully awesome experience. But I have also had to accept that the VA doesn’t get the latest as fast as the public does. But I have never had firmware failures like the public has had either.

@Ed_R1 OPN S1 is old enough technology that I would be stunned if the wouldn’t allow you to upgrade to the Intents or whatever else you need. Wasn’t the Oticon OPN S1 released at least 6-8 years ago. I’m shocked the VA would have issued S1’s when the More was already a mature release two years ago???

“I Believe” the VA will allow updates earlier than 3 years when the patient has an issue or concern which they may address.

Contact the VA…nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Good Luck

David

Edited

It depends a lot on the clinic location. And if the veteran has service related hearing loss or just hearing loss. It also depends on the audiologist. When I was in Texas, I have service related hearing loss, and 50% disabled due to my hearing loss. But in Texas I go hearing aids every 4 years. I am now in Arkansas in a Community VA clinical system. And I have gotten aids every 2 years on average. Why I am not sure. But my audiologist has taken an interest in my hearing loss and issues. I have moved from not wanting to be around family or friends due to not understanding what was being said to enjoying being with friends and family. I also go to lectures, reunions, concerts, and even take classes and college courses again. My audiologist has listened to my complaints and suggestions. That didn’t happen in Texas clinics. My audiologist, for the last 7 years is a professor of audiology at the University Medical school, he is the director of audiology for the VA here in the state. I have been a case study for his classes. I do my own research and keep a jounal and email my experience good and bad ahead of my appointments. I have at least an appointment every 6 months.

Thank you for the response, which I can certainly identify with. I have a 70% rating from profound loss/tinnitus. You are lucky to have an Audiologist that takes such an interest. I have been researching all morning, and it appears that for my loss only the Oticon OPN S1 or Oticon Exceed are proper solutions, yet neither is capable. I suspect I will have to wait awhile until technology catches up with the High-Power models. How often do you go in for actual Hearing Tests? This might be my only way to get in and keep up with latest advancements.

I don’t know about where you live, but here I don’t expect to see available anytime soon for venues in this area and the number of individuals that wear hearing aids is a big percentage of the population. I will be getting the Phonak Spheres the first Friday of December. I depend on streaming od my call to my hearing aids and I listen to audiobooks. But the venues here don’t even offer loops anymore. And if you ask about auracast they have never heard of it.

@Ed_R1 said:

. I have VA supplied Oticon OPN S1 for two years now, and I understand the VA only replaces every 3 years. My new TV’s have Auracast but the OPN S1 is not capable.

Like @berettadm1 said, that is a 3 generation old .

Make an appointment for a , and inform the audi you need to keep you OPN S as backups to a new set of aids.

Chuck @cvkemp was right about Oticon firmware not being ready from the , yet, so they probably won’t even be able to enable auracast for the Intents until May.

I get my HAs from the VA, but I , so I updated mine at home. If you want to stay with Oticon, perhaps you can request community care, and get a Oticon authorized clinic to do it for you, or look into Resound, which already has auracast.

Or you could join the Oticonian DIY cult :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

You should definitely be due for new aids. My audiologist stays on top of things and I’ve progressed from the S1 to More 1 and now the Intents. Not sure when or if we will seeauracast though.

In reply to @cvkemp

Hi Chuck, I felt the need to comment on the Audiology dept here here in Kansas City. I’ve been going to the for my hearing needs since 2017. Before that I went to the private sector for my hearing needs. I’ve worn Phonak hearing aids since about 2010. About 2014 I started wearing Phonak Naida’s very powerful. I do not have a Service related hearing disability. Since starting my hearing loss journey with the VA I’ve had a different audi every time I went in for my hearing exam up until 2022. When I went in for my annual hearing exam I met a sympathetic audi who was new to the VA clinic. I like her she listen to me because I have some experience and a need to understand my hearing loss more than most people with hearing loss. I have profound hearing loss and very poor word recognition. I commend you for your ability to stay focused on you hearing needs. And also that you have an audi that is personally concerned with your hearing. Here at Kansas City we have one of the largest audiology departments but I really don’t know if we do or not. The point I’m making about Kansas City VA is that I cannot email my audi they have a relay system here. My favorite audi only does the hearing tests now and makes recommendations which for me is always cochlear implants which as long as I can hear okay with my present hearing aids P90 up I’m going to stay with them. If I have any adjustments or cleaning of the ha then I have to see another audi for those adjustment. I like my P90s so I will probably stay with them for as long as they hold up. Phonak has not come out with a new Naida as of yet and I’m not into with hearing aids. My batteries last anywhere from two to three weeks so I’m good. From what I have read is the new Spheres the batteries even with the latest upgrade don’t even last a day. My quandary today is dealing with different audis in making adjustments. Don’t get me wrong my favorite audi gets back to me when I have any requests. Although she is limited to what she can go. She did get me some word recognition software which I cause me a lot of anxiety with the work involved. Appreciate your input on the forum Chuck. Hope I did not get too far off the topic here

thanks

That is the issue with the large clinics. I hope to the VA vlinic in Hot Springs, there are 2 or three audiologists, my audiologist taught the others in the clinic. I have seen one of the other audiologist once while my audiologist was out of town. I really like my audiologist as he has a similar hearing loss as I do just not as severe. I am totally convinced that the right audiologist is way more important than the aids. I have been wearing rechargeable hearing aids for about 6 years with no issues. I stream all of my calls and also audiobooks. On average about 4 hours a day. My aids are always connected to my Samsung phone. I also at times stream the TV audio to my aids. I haven’t had any time that I ran out of battery life during the day. My average day is 14 hours. I at all times have a backup set of aids. I can hear sounds without my aids but I can’t understand what is said without my aids. I never realized how much I depended on reading lips until covid. I trust my audiologist completely and if he told me I needed an implant I wouldn’t think twice about it I would say yes.

I was at the clinic here in Arkansas and they haven’t gotten the updates yet for my INTENT1 aids or my Phonak Spheres. My audiologist said that IT hasn’t made the rounds yet. I am on a call back when available

I was at he Long Beach CA .. They updated the firmware to 1.3.0 on my Oticon Intent 1s… I believe it will now allow me to use ..

Butch

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