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Do Phonak aids bought thru Nations Hearing have code protection?

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On this forum’s webpage Hearing Aid Fitting - School (Hearing Aid Fitting DIY School and Fitting Software) a PDF can be downloaded that’s called “02 How to Program Your Hearing Aids.” I says:

Healthcare Insurance providers such as as EPIC Hearing Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare/Relate(*), TruHearing, Amplifon, may use code protection whereby hearing aids cannot be programmed without the code.

I recently bought a pair of Phonak entry level Marvel G30 aids through Nations Hearing (my first ), and have been frustrated by the number of audi visits so far needed to “begin” to fit them. After downloading the Phonak Target software (kudos to this forum!!), today I ordered a Noahlink Wireless device.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find the information quoted about until I’d already placed the order, and am now worried that I won’t be able to program my Marvels if Nations Hearing has put code protection on them!

Does anyone know whether Nations Hearing does this? And if they do this, is there a way to bypass their coding so I can program the aids myself? Otherwise, I may need to return the Noahlink Wireless I just ordered! :<(

Many thanks!

3 people in this conversation8 min readJump to latest

Don’t worry about it, as it doesn’t matter now, your Noahlink wireless is on its way so you’ll know 100% in a few days,the good thing about the NW is it’s good for so many now, being the industry standard for programming device,let us know how you get on, will be interesting.

Thanks, tenkan, for the morale-boost! I guess I’ll wait to find out with fingers crossed, as you recommend. I’ll report back.

My experience so far with these entry level Marvel G30s has been really poor (partly or wholly due to the only audi in my city whom I can see through my insurance). I’m starting to think of buying better aids in January.

If it turns out that Nations Hearing (NH) does not put code protection on the G30s that I got (which didn’t cost me anything out-of-pocket after my insurance benefit), then I’m thinking of getting Phonak Paradise or Lumity aids, maybe also through NH.

NH has an annual insurance benefit of $1,250 per ear (usable only if I purchase through NH), but they apply this to what seem to me to be artificially elevated retail prices. L-70s they quote as having a retail price of $6,000 per pair, so I’d have $3,500 to shell out. Maybe I’d still save some money at this price going through NH, but I haven’t researched this yet.

Yeah the thing is, a lot of people will say that the audiologist is the most important for a successful fitting, and some others will say “didn’t help” at all, and then there’s us folks, you can of course have the best of both worlds, DIY and a helpful audiologist, so nothing wrong with a set up like that, especially with very few to choose from as you say.
As for prices a lot of places “crank up the price” for insurance and government subsidies, as it sure does sound quite high at 6k for L70s, but you get them for 3.5k which is a much better deal in the end (depending on ones insurance costs if course) shopping around online will save a few ks, but with returns/warrantys, you’ll need to buy from the right people, so if NH don’t lock the then it makes sense to stick with them for now, plus you’ll be able to DIY anytime you want.

Edited

@Owl1 Some pieces of information for you:

  • School is not this forum’s webpage. It’s a collection of PDF files in cloud storage. Also, there is a newer version now, DIY School - (v2.0)
  • You will never hear about DIY School from our forum Answerbots.

Phonak newly released models require careful scrutiny. The juicy new/additional features of the Phonak Lumity platform (if you want to call it a platform?) is only available in the Premium/L90 model. See this link. Otherwise you will be getting very similar to the previous platform/Paradise. Sssh; Don’t tell everyone. I’m J/K about that last/Sssh part :wink:

Here’s a clip from another DIY School PDF file named (Recent Platforms-Chips of the Big Five);

c1

Sorry for the Buzz Kill. It’s just reality.

Yeah so thats no good, so whatever models @Owl1 goes for is going to be a saving for them thanks to the insurance, you do know Phonak has done something similar before like this, seems it’s their MO.

In reply to @pvc

PVC, many thanks for what I take as a wise warning that Paradice and Lumity may not be hugely different. – I mentioned my Nations Hearing insurance coverage for the L70s only to give an example of their pricing. In contrast, for a Paradice P50 they quote a retail price of $5,000 – so minus my insurance benefit of $2,500, a pair of P50s would cost me $2,500 instead of $3,500 for an L70 (or L90, same insurance price).

In another thread about Lumity, twilkins10 commented that the L90s he had on trial worked well for him when he plays acoustic guitar (https://forum.hearingtracker.com/t/phonak-unveils-lumity-hearing-aid-platform/70343/322?u=owl1. I also play acoustic guitar. So I’d like to get that have a good sound for acoustic musical instruments.

Given their many similar features, do you think P50s would likely perform as well as the L90s for this purpose? I’d rather save 1K!

Before I stop typing, I want to compliment and thank you for the immense contributions you make to this forum. Although I’m new here, I’ve already read dozens of your helpful postings. Just a few words of appreciation…

In reply to @tenkan

tenkan, a multitude of thanks for your helpful thoughts. I’ve sent a prayer skyward to the Great that my insurance doesn’t code-lock their aids!

Once the Noahlink Wireless I ordered arrives in about a week, I should get an answer. If my Marvel G30s turn out to be locked and my audi won’t give me the code, I’ll start shopping elsewhere since I want HAs that I can program myself.

I want to thank you for the huge amount of effort and thought you devote to helping others on this forum!! It amazes me in how many different areas relating to HAs you are well-informed.

Edited

In reply to @Owl1

@Owl1 said:

Given their many similar features, do you think P50s would likely perform as well as the L90s for this purpose? I’d rather save 1K!

For your stated purposes, (No, likely not) because the new Music software enhancement is only available for L90 and L70. It was left as unclear what twilkins10 was seeking. He was concerned that scaling back to the L50 would drop the Music software enhancement. Perhaps your question at the end of that thread may clear things up?

Aside from the new Music software enhancement I only see two new software enhancements that the L90 has over the L70;

  • Speech Sensor
  • Speech Enhancer

These differences also, (but even less important) as related to your guitar;

  • Comfort in Echo
  • Speech in Car
  • Speech in Loud Noise
  • Comfort in Echo
  • EchoBlock

Here’s what some say about the L90 and L70 new Music software enhancement.

Phonak Lumity Life "Music" feature ROCKS!
OK. WEEKS of home-related insanity kept me off the board here, while MEANWHLE, I had ordered a 2nd pair of Lumity Life aids. So now I have two of these rechargeable pairs to rotate throughout the day. But that’s a whole 'nuther story… I got to thinking about how I could improve the quality of ambient music when heard through my aids. There are lots of posts from musicians and other audiophiles about the need for GOOD-sounding music, whether you’re a performer, sound engineer or a listener like …

PVC - I don’t know how you do it! Continuing to say “thanks” is only an understatement. I appreciate your distinguishing the differences between the L90 and L70, very helpful. And thank you for the link to the thread by musicians, where there was some helpful info.

$-factors will unfortunately play a major part in what I buy. If primarily software changes are responsible for the price difference between Lumity and Paradise aids (Phonak unveils Lumity hearing aid platform - #276 by tenkan), I’m hoping my audi can let me try both to see what perceptible difference Lumity would make when I play guitar.

Given my strong hope to be among you fitters, what options are available to me is also going to depend on whether Nations Hearing locks their ! With fingers crossed, I’m waiting for the delivery of the Noahlink Wireless I ordered – admittedly a very small gamble in relation to the $-costs of dealing with hearing loss.

@Owl1 said:

If primarily software changes are responsible for the price difference between Lumity and Paradise aids

Software changes can be important too. But you have to consider each new enhancement and whether it helps you. There is one new Lumity hardware change. Though (only for one new model in the bunch) the Audéo Lumity Life model has inductive charging (a.k.a. wireless charging). Also, the Life-model claims to be waterproof. Though, the waterproof claim appears to be a joke.

Many thanks for sending me this link. Your earlier post (Do Phonak aids bought thru Nations Hearing have code protection? - #10 by pvc) took me to MusicianHearingAids.org where I’d already downloaded “Starting Out with a Music Program” as you suggest. They have a Hearing Aids for Music (HAFM) project underway that also offers a more detailed guide for audiologists, “Music Counselling and Fitting: A Guide for Audiologists” (https://musicandhearingaids.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/Music-counselling-and-fitting-a-guide-for-audiologists-Version-1.0-24-Sept-2018.pdf2) that looks helpful. I’ll print out sections of this to take to my audi. Hope she’s open to input!

I really appreciate your thoughtfulness! Wishing you the best New Year!

HMm; Careful, because you might inadvertently offend your Audi. She likely studied long and hard to become a professional, and a multi-page document for her to read may be unwelcomed. A gentle approach (such as asking about a music program) might produce better results. At least, it will give you an idea about what she thinks about setting up hearing aids for music.

Valid point. I’m careful about these kinds of things – if and when a visit with my audi gets to actual music-related settings. As of now I’ve had my insurance’s allowed 3 free fitting visits, no programming so far to try to take into account my hearing loss, no yet. So if the turn out not to be locked, I may move to soon, and then the suggestions in the fitting guide for musicians may give me something to go on.

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