I went to an audiologist today and had a hearing test performed. The audiologist recommended hearing aids and tried to sell me on a 7,500 package that includes aids and visits for the next four years.
I’m 37 and already having to ask people to repeat themselves and have to listen with higher volume levels. Do I need aids? Will there be a noticable improvement in my quality of life? What are the downsides to not getting aids at this point? What else should I be considering given the report in my sig?
Apologies if I’m breaking any forum protocol, I’m new here and based on my browsing people seem friendly and willing to help.
From your I would say yes if you are having a hard time understanding what people are saying to you. You have somewhat of a cookie bite hearing loss, and it can be hard to fit and to adjust to the aids, I know that is the way my hearing loss started and is somewhat now. I have been wearing aids for about 16 years now and it hasn’t always been smooth sailing
$7500 seems a little high. I would suggest you get a second opinion without telling the practitioner about your previous test and recommendation. You will get alot of people on here chiming in about going to Costco to save money, but it can be a crap shoot whether you get someone who knows what they are really doing. If you decide to try ( and I would suggest trying) make sure it is on a trial basis, preferably a free trial. But if a fitting fee is charged for the trial, that can be fair and compensates the practitioner a little for their time. Make sure you feel comfortable with the practitioner and find out if they follow “Best Practices”.
Thanks for the helpful response and for setting realistic expectations about fitting and adjustment to the aids. The audiologist described the loss as cookie bite, so I’ve been reading up a little on that one.
You ask if hearing aids will make a noticeable improvement in the quality of your life. I guess the answer is how much does your difficulty in hearing detract from your quality of life? Generally hearing aids do enable someone to hear better, but for many of us even with hearing aids we don’t hear as well as we once did. My point being don’t put unrealistic expectations on hearing aids. Like their name, they aid our hearing, but not necessarily restore it to what it once was.
In my opinion, how satisfied someone is with hearing aids depends on how much that person from his/her side WANTS to hear better, not because someone else (spouse, children, etc.) thinks they “should” get hearing aids. YOU have to want to hear better, because hearing aids are expensive and a bit of a hassle. Speaking for myself, I wanted to hear better, so I was willing to incur the expense and hassle of hearing aids, and I am grateful to have them.
As you may or may not know, most hearing aids are available in different “levels” of technology, and the higher levels offer more features. But also the higher the level the higher the price. In my opinion, $7,500 is a REALLY high price even for the top level of technology (it would be useful if you posted what hearing aid and what level your audiologist is recommending). You may not need the highest level, although I don’t know anything about working with a cookie bite loss (BTW, cookie bite loss means a greater loss with mid frequencies vs. a more common higher frequency loss, knows as a ski slope loss). If I were you, I would definitely see other audiologists and see what they recommend. Also, there are many fans on this forum for Costco hearing aids, so you may want to do some searching in the forum for it. Good luck!
Thanks, super helpful and informative. If it’s helpful, this is in NYC, so I don’t know if that affects the cost in a meaningful way. I’ve been reading on medical sites and watched a youtuber I saw in threads here, so am learning some about best practices and how to navigate this sector. Also I’m starting to understand the pros/cons of Costco.
The audiologist who I spoke with today seemed perfectly knowledgeable and I feel good about their judgment so far. How frequently would I expect to meet with a practitioner and for how long? Thanks for offering your experience and advice.
Just to chime in here, i was one of those folks who waited a long time to get aids. I second the view that you have to want them. Also quality of life is not just for you but for those around you as hearing problems put stress on everyone involved.
For me, although my loss was more advanced than yours when I started, it made a huge difference in the quality of my life and my family.
I also needed them to be able to be effective at work so it was more than just being able to hear the TV. Given your stated age, i suspect this might help here also.
I also live in the New York area and $7500 is the going price for the top of the line stuff. You should shop around and consider options as others recommended.
Lastly, the features you need in a hearing aid often depend on your lifestyle. If you spend a lot of time in noisy places, restaurants, bars, etc, or if you expect to eventually spend time in large conference rooms in meetings with a lot of people you might need more noise management than if you live in a relatively noise-free environment.
I have cookie bite similar to yours and just got the past 3 weeks. I first had a hearing test 14 years ago which showed the cookie bite with mild loss in mid frequencies. Roll on to now, 14 years later and with COVID making everyone wear a mask, I really noticed how I have been compensating by lip reading and the masks have highlighted how I have adapted. So I went and got a test and it showed the same but more mild/severe border line, of course inherited from my Dad, who got it from his mother who was 80% deaf and her father was stone deaf. I have noticed in the crowd and noisy places that the HA really helps me understand and not have to ask can you say that again when ordering at Starbucks etc.
Buying hearing aids is - imo - very similar to buying a car. You go to an audiologist, who has contracted with (usually) 2 companies. So they offer those 2 brands. It is unlikely they offer every model offered by that manufacturer. One of those contracts is going to pay a higher commission than the other; so very often, that is the aid they push. If the person doesn’t like it, well, they have another one as backup, to offer. You go to a Toyota dealer and they talk to you about Toyota; they don’t have Chevy, Ford, Honda, etc.
Trial periods vary greatly. With some places it is as short as 2 weeks. With Costco, which seems to have the longest, it is 180 days. With some places you have to pay a small ‘restocking fee,’ so you do not get all your money back. The amount varies. With other places, you get all your money back - that is how Costco works. With a small few places, if you do not like the pair you trialed, you can switch to the other brand they carry, and get full credit; but you don’t get money back if you walk away.
Many audiologists offer fitting; a small few offer it for a fee. Costco offers it standard. Folks on this forum highly recommend you get REM fitting.
As I explained above, most audiologists work on commission. At Costco, they pay the fitters a salary. This is why their prices are much lower than anyplace else. I don’t know what you were quoted for those Resound pair, but at Costco you can buy a pair of good brand hearing aids for $1400 to $2500. That is for the PAIR. Costco typically carries 5 different brands, all well known. Their own label, Kirkland Signature (abbreviated KS on this forum) KS10’s are currently the Phonak Paradise, with a few features turned off.
As with buying a car, there are many features available, but not all brands all models offer all features. Investigating what features are out there and sorting out which ones you will use takes some time but helps you get the pair you will be happy with.
If it seems like I am pushing you to Costco, well. yes. The best deal, the best pricing, and good service. My Costco has 3 fitters, 1 is a waste of time, the others are great. If you don’t like the first person you meet with, switch to another person right there. Costco (in USA) does not accept insurance. So if you have insurance, you need to factor that in as you decide where to go. SOME insurance companies will allow you to submit your receipt and they will reimburse you; check before you to rely on that.
Ongoing, with hearing aids you will need domes, and batteries. Depending on the brand, make and model, you may have to replace every 3 to 4 weeks. Costco offers domes and wax guards free, and the pricing on their batteries can’t be beat.
So you get your hearing aids and head home. Now they are going to need adjusting. It takes some time for new users to get used to hearing again. Plus the aids need adjusting to fine tune them in to your specific hearing loss and lifestyle. Some places include a fixed number of adjustment visits. Costco has no limit. You may need programs set up - press a button and get the settings on the program for when you are (example) at the book club meeting at the local library. This can take a follow up visit or 2.
So you make a list with questions you want to ask, and features you want based on your lifestyel, and start checking with the places near you. What are the terms of their trial period? How long is it? How much is your fee if you have to return the aids? How many adjustment visits are included in the purchase price? What do they charge for adjustment visits after that? How much do they charge for domes? If the brand includes wax guards, how much do they charge for those? Note you can find domes and wax guards online, and save money that way. And batteries you can pick up in many, many places. Or just go to Costco and see what develops there.
Dr. Cliff has a series of videos on youtube which can be very helpful. Here is the one for first time hearing aid users, check his channel and watch a few of his vids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3ZYokEEhHo&t=237s9
Freedom, I beg to disagree with you. Most audiologists are not on commission, in fact, commission is a dirty word to most of them. Most are salaried, some may have performance bonuses. I personally feel the whole world should be on a commission basis so a person would get paid what they are worth. But that is not the case. The owner of a practice probably takes a salary but in reality, if they are not moving product there is no money for the salary. A good audiologist or hearing instrument specialist is going to recommend what will do the best job, not provide the highest “commission”. Many practices work with more than just two manufacturers, although I personally would want to go with the manufacturer they fit the most because they will do a better job fully understanding the software. Comparing an audiologist to a car dealer does a real disservice to a needed and noble profession. Granted you will find some “sleeze balls” in any profession but don’t use such a broad brush when you paint a profession. I am speaking from over 44 years in profession.
Hi,
Not a but I wonder if the cost was better explained up front as far as bundling if that would help reduce the negative opinions.
Some folks buy Chevys and others buy BMWs, they both get you where you want to go.
I’ve been wondering if things are getting progressively worse and my reading tells me that cookie-bite type might be progressive. I also came to recognize the gaps in my hearing through not being able to hear certain words through the mask. Thanks for sharing your experience, super helpful!
@Boglord: There’s good information here, IMO, especially wrt technology levels.
I’ve been wearing Oticon More3s since the beginning of March (see the in my profile), and I’ve been completely satisfied thus far with their performance.
… But - I’m a retired old codger who shuns restaurants and parties, so the demands I place on my machines are modest.
I would definitely agree with those who recommend shopping your hearing instruments, including Costco. If I did not get my hearing aids from our terrific VAC🇨🇦, that’s where I’d be going (with eyes wide open).
The members here are a very knowledgeable and helpful bunch - the more you participate in our community, the better-equipped you’ll be to make this big decision.
Yes – she provided a menu of costs while guiding me towards the Platinum package at 7595 a pair and that covers a device with 4 years of appointments and services, a warranty, 3 years of batteries/charger, LACE at-home aural rehab, , and telehealth audiology services. I can only guess what these are and do not know if I need them.
-The Advanced plan is 6k but only includes 3 years of appointments and 3 years warranty, but no other supplies.
-The Smart plan is 5k and covers 3 years of appointments and 2 years warranty.
-Finally, the essential plan is 3600 for a pair with 2 years of appointments/warranty.
I’m unsure if these tiers are all using the same technology, or if there is a lesser model included in each level. There are a bunch of photos in the leaflet she gave me, but none are labeled.
Please find out exactly what Brand and Models are included in each package. The prices you are quoted seems extremely high. Also it will be in your best interest to contact your insurance to see if you have any coverage. You may be surprised. Can any members here point Boglord to an audi in NYC or perhaps in NJ (if you are willing to cross the bridge or tunnel). Please don’t rush into it - finding the right person to work with long term for a reasonable cost will benefit you in the long run. Best Wishes
Boglord, here are some comments. Hopefully some will be helpful. As Waynetc said, find out the details on those various plan options. $7595 does sound expensive but office space, employee wages, etc. are going to be higher in NYC than elsewhere. Does the most expensive plan include yearly hearing tests? Or are those extra?
But $3600 sounds way too low for full-featured . I’m thinking these have got to be lower-level models without some of the premium features. However lower-level models might be all you need.
Free appointments for the next four years seems unnecessary to me. In my experience you get the HAs and go back for maybe two or three adjustment sessions to maximize the adjustments. After that, either you will be largely satisfied with the adjustments you have, or you will quickly reach a point where you will tell the audi that you still can’t hear well enough and the audi will throw up his/her hands and remind you that HAs do not restore normal hearing. In other words, “I have done all I can.”
IMHO, if you are having trouble hearing now it will only get worse later. So bite the bullet and join the world of the (fully-acknowledged) hearing impaired now. Your future self will probably thank you. Good luck.
I am about 15 min from the GWB.
I can recommend my Audi.
6000 was the price for Premium Aids, You may need less than Premium.
Most Major Brands, Oticon, Phonak etc.
Testing
3 yrs Warranty
5 Yrs service/Maint.
LMK if interested.
So for me my Aud suggested Oticon Ruby or the More, I am a tech dork so liked the More for its IPhone connectivity and Neural Network etc. My insurance is BCBSTX and they paid $1K per , so the total cost for the More3 was around $7K. I paid $4K for my share and the various items that came with it. I have been back 1 week after for the first follow up and back again in 3 weeks for the next follow up.
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
Oticonian/Disposablyte