Visiting the Audiologist is like going to a car dealership?

My Audi placed a small cotton ball next to my ear drums before making the impressions. I haven’t had any issues, and my ITE hearing aids have always fit great, well all but the very first set of impressions, and I believe it hat was my fault,

I am not Remag, but Costco standard practice is to do a REM test with adjustments to the target prescription. They normally repeat the REM test and adjustment with each fitting parameter change such as different domes, sleeves, or molds.

You have a great provider, unfortunately I have found that not to be the case at every Costco.

True, but finding a great independent provider is also hard to find.

As someone who has worked in the industry over 10 years…you feel this way because you are absolutely right! Audiologists, Dispensers & the Big 5 Hearing Aid Manufacturers are in mutual cahoots to gain as much profit from the hearing impaired while providing the bare minimum in hearing healthcare. Sure there are some stragglers who truly care about the patient, but why do they continue marking their hearing aids up $5000?

I have no hard evidence, but my suspicion is that there is some kind of kickback scheme between the manufacturers and the insurance companies. I think that at the end of the day insurance companies are not paying as much for the hearing aids as the customer thinks they are. This gives the insurance holder the feeling they are getting great value out of their insurance, but they are really not. The people that are getting most hurt by it all are those without insurance and are paying out of their pocket. They get no kickback, and just pay a high inflated price.

Ran across this in doing my research. Certainly implies there are huge markups.

Unfortunately the majority of the market is the elderly on fixed incomes. I am sure that many don’t get hearing aids due to the hight cost even though they would benefit from the devices. My recent experience with a vendor was typical. The “dispensing, shipping and service” fees totaled 2500 dollars, the hearing aids totalled 4500. The bill came to 7000 dollars. All when the cost of the hearing aids themselves probably cost them around 1000. I am retired and that is a major expense for me. That is why I went to Costco where I paid a third of that cost. I suspect that that sort of competition will drive prices down eventually. I know there is costs involved for labor, equipment etc. I have no issue with these folks making a living, just be reasonable about it.

Since Costco operates on high volumes, they probably buy a million of the things at a time. Probably less than $500 for a pair. The private hearing aid dispensers probably pay somewhat more due to lower volumes. Interestingly a recent Consumer Reports article shows Costo at the top in customer satisfaction and after my recent experience with Costco and a private dispenser I can see why.

Yes, unfortunately the aids are expensive. Some companies cut a better deal on pricing to the dispensers depending on how many they sell, if they work with Medicaid, etc. It’s kind of crazy.

I agree with you completely. I’ve read that many clinics have a 400 to 500% markup on the instruments they sell. I believe that, when a brand I was looking at was listed at over $3,000.00 per instrument and an online “discounter” listed them at $760.00 for the pair!

What so many don’t take in to account is the cost of rent, utilities, office furniture, schooling, continuing education, computers and needed audio devices and other equipment. Then there is the time that is needed to read hearing aids, etc. And the fact few private Audiologists sale in volume. The cost nowadays is out of this world. And it seems as with everything else the more you buy the less per item you have to pay. So yes a Costco or some online stores get them cheaper, put that doesn’t mean a private Audi gets them for the same price. Even the VA doesn’t order our aids before they are needed, that is why it can take a month to get them.
So my point is this if you can get good service from a high volume place go for it. My one and only experience with buying aids only was a real flop. And I thank God I have the VA now.

Private Audiologists don’t sell in “volume” because they know just 1 or 2 sales per month will cover operating expenses. The rest is profit. Don’t let them fool you!

Not that true according to my Audi at the VA who joined the VA because he was not fully covering his expenses in private practice.