Hearing aid invoice

$3,000 for one year of service is a very bad joke. $3,000 for three years might make sense for a novice user, but this is truly ridiculous. Having said that, the price for the hearing aids themselves is quite low (probably near the audiologist’s cost); still, if he can charge $3K for one year, what will he charge for future years? The whole thing sounds bad to me…

I have not purchased, but was quoted ~$6400.00 a pair for Starkey or Widex high ends aids from the audiologist I visited. They share the same office as the ENT who diagnosed and coordinated my cancer treatment. I paid $60 for the initial evaluation and consultation, got a 2 day and a 5 day demo of two different aids. (They have since offered a discount on some "in stock’ aids that were ordered but not picked up by another patient. I’m skeptical now.)

I asked about more info on pricing, and that $6400 is unbundled. After the 45 day trial I can try another brand for 45 days, but no more than two 45 day trials. I get adjustments for the 45 days of the trial. After the trial, if I purchase, all visits or adjustments will be billed at $30 to $90 per visit. I get one free cleaning a year. How many people get all the adjustments they need in 45 days?

The audiologist in this clinic is not in network, even though the ENT clinic is, and my ENT recommended the audi I saw. I mistakenly assumed they were in network as part of the same medical group. They are not and two separate businesses under one roof, and not very transparent about that fact. My Medicare HMO will pay $400 for aids every two years, but not at this out of network audi. The only in network audi is 30 miles away, I have no car and use public transportation that means 5-6 hours with transfers to get there, have an hour appointment and come home. Pricing unknown, they do have the ReSound LINX aids, and insurance coverage.

Now the Costco prices become more appealing daily, with a 180 day trial and no limit or charge on adjustments, even with no insurance from them.

My August 2017, BuyHear.com5 invoice: abbreviated
Order summary: Includes 120 Batteries/ Wax Guards $0.00
ReSound LiNX 3D 961 - Light Blonde, Pair TOTAL $3,000.00
With 3-year Mfg Warranty, 3-year Loss and Damage ($250/ one-time replacement per unit). Remote, in-home adjustment.
Totally satisfied and would repeat.

@yarrowgordon said:

The two you mention cost your audiologist no more than $2000 (and probably no more than $1500).

No, this is not true. That price up there for one Linx 3D does look like the manufacturer cost to me, too. Although this late at night it’s hard for me to think about USD to CAD conversion rates. Different clinics get different deals from the manufacturer depending on the number of that manufacturer’s units they sell, and different sales are on all the time, but for a small independent clinic a high end hearing aid will regularly cost well over $1k.

@Neville said:

That price up there for one Linx 3D does look like the manufacturer cost to me, too.

That’s what I thought. My point is that they’ve stated how much the aids cost and how much their services cost. That’s what I mean by transparency. This is near the end of the process, but before you pay, so the customer could still say “wait, I don’t want to pay so much for a year of your services”. I’m not saying this is the best price, or a good price (though I think it’s decent for full-service), or that no one here can get the same thing for less. My question is, is this how a bill for hearing aids is typically broken down?

In the area I’m in, it’s all bundled in, which I find disingenuous. I’m not aware of anyone close to me who regularly unbundles, though I understand that it USED to be unbundled in this area and market pressure pushed towards bundling. Maybe someone who has been purchasing hearing aids for 30 years can speak to that. I hear unbundling is becoming a bit more common in the US again, or at least partial unbundling. I’m waiting for someone to list their prices as: $X hearing aid, $Y prescription and fitting and follow-up costs, $Z partial cost of all the free hearing tests and demos provided to others that has to be covered somehow.

Go elsewhere! One year of “professional services” for #3,000 is a ridiculous amount! If you see him 5 times during the first year, you will be paying him $600 for each visit, 6 times+ $500, even at 10 times you will be forking over $300 for each visit! My audiologist charges $100 for each visit once the contracted price expires. Does this audiologist who quoted you these prices also walk on water? For the prices quoted he should! As Ken said, 3 years for $3000 would be more like it. If a Costco is close enough go there, you will get a decent HA at a decent price and all services will be covered for the life of the HA’s.

I will after Aug. 11, that is the soonest I could get an appointment two weeks ago, I’ll post as soon as I can. Costco HA departments are busy, they put me on the wait list if there is a cancellation to get in sooner.