Costco or Kaiser?

I suspect Kaiser expects the audiologist to be skilled enough that the hearing aid can be adjusted adequately no matter what band of hearing aid, and that the audiologist is skilled enough to get the brand that would work best for the degree of hearing loss.

Did you ever try to schedule a follow up adjustment appointment? Secondly, you have the right to ask for a different audiologist; did you ask?

What is a hearing aid deposit?

Just so people know there is no generic Kaiser with regard to hearing aids. It matters what region one is in. And even with region whether or not one has any hearing aid insurance benefit varies. Many plans do not offer any.

From what I understand some insurance companies can issue a check to your audiologist to help pay for your hearing aids. My audiologist gave me a price of about $5000 and I wish kaiser would assist.

Do you have a Phonak TV Connector for direct hearing of your TV into your HAs. I rejected the Sphere i70 because they did not work properly with my elderly TV Connector! The i70s were fine until sunced with the TV Connector. When synced, all sound (both TV and ambient) became deadened/muffled. Not lower in volume but loss of frequency range. I do not have this problem with my 6-7 year old Phonak Brio 3 (from Costco).

As near as I can tell, the two Kaiser centers with Audiology departments, convenient to me, have roughly 4 or 5 Audiologists plus assistants who are not allowed to make changes.

YES, after being told “you’ll get used to” very high volume (gain? MUCH higher, graphically, than specified by the device), after which she lied and denied having said that thus calling me a liar, I requested and was given a different Audiologist. At least one of the two others I’ve seen has a decade experience with hearing impaired children (actually very useful for assisting older patients).

I must admit that I was shocked when you told me that a 45 day trial period is within the normal range. My only previous HA experience was with Costco where I was spoiled by the 6 month period.

45, or even 30, days MIGHT be adequate only if, based on my experience:

1 - the period includes opportunity for at least 2 adjustments. A private Audiology practice might be able to assure that. Kaiser, in my area, at present cannot!

2 - the Audiologist knows what he or she is doing AND listens to the patient in addition to what you describe as “best practices.” I do realize that this must be a hell of a professional challenge given the number of brands, models and constant flow of new technology. When I was a practicing Pharmacist, constant learning was necessary to keep up with current information about existing and new treatments! This is part of any profession!

Remember, it takes time for the brain to adjust to new HAs even when they are perfectly adjusted!

I do not have phonak tv connector. I plan to get one prob from EBAY once I get the sphere’s. I currently use widex moment 440 but want to switch.

So many posts here are not seeing the forest for the trees. Yeah, we can compare Kaiser Permanente to Costco, but we’re comparing apples to oranges. Kaiser offers medical care across the board at reasonable prices. Furthermore, KP offers supplemental medicare coverage for very reasonable prices, for those 65 years and older. So many posts here read as if Kaiser just offers hearing aids and nothing else. HELLO. If I can get supplemental medicare coverage for say $65 a month with free glasses every two to three years, and $1000 off each hearing aid, as well as picking a primary physician, medication discounts, blah, blah, blah, why in the world would I want to buy a hearing aid at Costco? To save a few pennies? And I’m not here to pump KP, but just to point out Kaiser offers a lot more than just Kirkland Signature toilet paper, rotisserie chicken, and bulk groceries.

And when you were a pharmacist, how did you respond to people who said their medication didn’t work and wanted a refund? Did they get 6 months?

@Baileyhere said:

why in the world would I want to buy a hearing aid at Costco? To save a few pennies?

A pair of Phonak Spheres will run you about $4,500 a pair at Kaiser. So even with your $2,000 dollar benefit, you are still out of pocket for the balance. That more than a few pennies.

@user990 said:

Phonak Spheres

A couple of things. Costco no longer sells Phonak aids. Phonak Spheres may be less than $4,500 with Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage plans at Kaiser. Those plans provide a $1,000 allowance per ear (every 36 months) toward the purchase of hearing aids from Kaiser Permanente audiology centers. I’m not saying Kaiser can match or beat Costco’s aid prices. What I’m saying is that when you roll Kaiser’s health and medical benefits in with Kaiser’s hearing aid and glasses discount, there is no comparison. Silly to compare the bulk grocery store to a large U.S. healthcare provider and insurance organization. Don’t forget Costco charges $65 every year for membership.

@MDB said:

Just so people know there is no generic Kaiser with regard to hearing aids. It matters what region one is in. And even with region whether or not one has any hearing aid insurance benefit varies. Many plans do not offer any.

This is a reminder about Kaiser. It’s from earlier in this thread. So it’s not as simple as it sounds.

Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage plan in any state, where Kaiser health coverage is offered, for the most part, offers a $1000 allowance per hearing aid every three years. Unfortunately, Kaiser doesn’t offer rotisserie chicken.

I have Kaiser Medicare Advantage and I have NO hearing aid coverage. Many states do not have Kaiser. Kaiser “rules” depend on what region you’re in. In California we have two regions NCAL and SCAL. Besides the differences in the 2 different regions there are also a lot of different variations in coverage. The only way one is going to know how your coverage works is to read one’s insurance documents or talk to the Kaiser facility that one is dealing with.