Are the hearing tests as good at Costco?

There is a range of testing possible. Costco does the same or more than some ENT ottices or audiologists and less than others. If one is new to hearing loss it is not a bad idea to get further testing and screenings if one has decent health coverage or anything concerning going on. If one already checked a broader range of things Costco does a thorough enough job. Figuring all this out is not easy as you may not know what to ask for and the non-Costco provider may take shortcuts at the visit.

My Costco did not do tympanometry or acoustic reflex testing even though there is a section for these on my report. They may have also not measured OAEs. They focus on pure tone testing. Their conductive loss testing was less thorough than some but they may adjust to patient need. They do test UCL which many audiologists seem to skip. Currently Costco and most other places cannot measure ACT which I think it still used only by Oticon.

Overall Costco is a good hearing test but not a thorough audiology evaluation. Many non-Costco places are also skipping things which which is why Costco seemed more thorough to some here.

How do the pros think folks should place Costco testing into their possible patient needs and seeking best care?

Ditto for me. Very impressed with Costco.

@user990

Thank you, @user990 I don’t have hearing aid insurance. It’s too bad that my attempt to get HAs covered when I had coverage didn’t work out, but it didn’t. It was the fault of an Audi who was running 5 different offices, and someone she hired under her. A long story, but she ended up charging my insurance $5,050 when I had no aids—bad news!

Anyhoo, now I am going through Costco. They are so much better, except I had to sleuth out who is good where and move to a different Costco to get someone experienced with molds. And she is only in on Monday mornings, and is very booked up!! And both Costcos are a major trip to get to. Ah, well . . . at least I found her and another fitter at the new (to me) Costco.

What I have found is this. The testing at Costco seems to be the same as my ent. Having said that, that is where it stops. If I schedule a follow up at Costco it is for 15 minutes, not nearly the time needed to re assess why my Philips 9050 are not working correctly.

I would not recommend Costco.

I’ve actually received better treatment while traveling at other Costco. So yes, like many companies, it all depends on who is helping you.

Of the outside hearing tests I see from chains (Costco, Sam’s Club, Miracle Ear, Beltone, etc.), I have found results from Costco tests to be most consistent with ours.

This is exactly my experience. Furthermore, Costco did REM, while the clinic did not.

@LarsRR

Thank you, everyone, for your feedback. I think that I will try going back to my ENT and his office, since I can get there more easily. But I have to check about the cost with Medicare. But this year, I chose a high deductible supplement plan, so the costs add up!

Yes, I was concerned about the fact that the visits are scheduled for 15 minutes in terms of the hearing test.

@Blue_Pearl Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids so the suppmental plans (Medigap) will not make any difference.

@raylock1

No, I know, of course, that Medicare doesn’t cover HAs, but I don’t know if it covers hearing tests. I had one last year, so I presume that it does, as I don’t remember being billed for it. But I have to ask.

The Department of Vocational Rehab paid for all repairs, cleanings and replaced the hearing aids when needed. For me, it was every five years. They paid for the top of the line hearing aids and partnered with Audiologists from a medical center. I highly recommend going through them if it is available for you. It was simply a matter of making an appointment, being employed and taking a copy of my hearing test which showed that I needed hearing aids to function on my job.

@montieth

Wow, that sounds like it was really a great resource! And now you have Costco, which is also good.

I do think for us, in the future after these aids, due to the transportation issues that we have to the various Costco’s, a university hospital system might be a good plan. I tried to look into that before I went with Costco, but didn’t really get anywhere, so it may not work here after all. For now, we are in the weeds with Costco, so we will continue with that. I hope that when I get new molds made and pick them up in July that that will resolve the continual problems that I’ve had. We shall see. I’ll eventually start another thread for the mold issues I’m dealing with—-arghhh, it’s always something! (That was a line that Rosanna Anna Danna, the Gilda Radner character would say on Saturday Night Live long ago).

I wouldn’t want to go to Costco if they were really far because there is the issue of getting them maintained. I go every two months to get the molds vacuumed out. The hospital audiology department will also do that for me for a $10 fee per aid so that might be an option for you if you live really far from the Costco.

@montieth Amazon sells vacuums for hearing aids if you want to do it yourself for convivence. Many here use the Jodi.