How does pricing work?

Your words are very soothing, much like those of the undertaker I was speaking with earlier this week.

Not a salesman just a comedian or so it seems. Without my aids I cannot understand people speaking to me-watching T.V. or doing my favorite thing listening to my audio system to music (about 20 grand worth of gear). So put a price on your hearing as I put one on mine. I for one like to hear again each to his own pleasures. PS there were no chuckles out me when I handed my credit card over to pay for my hearing aids. And that price included service which is also important to me.

I have a lot of money invested in audio equipment. A hobby of mine since 1974 and I like to sit down and listen to various genres of music. I was at wits end for so long with my Phonaks. I considered selling and getting out. Lucky for me my audiologist suggested the Vivia 9s which to me sound so natural again. BUT being a doubting Thomas I just had to try the Spheres (1000.00 more) On the way home the radio sounded just like my old Phonaks. And sure enough my system sounded the same. I even swapped back and forth the same signature hard digital sound. I could not wait until my 10 day trial was up to go back and reclaim my Vivia 9s. Hope your surgery goes well. My wife had both cataracts done and she is quiet happy. In modern medicine we are fortunate to be able to get relief/help for our medical maladies. And being able to hear the priest in church /my wife/ my music it makes a difference to me. PS still paying on the credit card bill. Best wishes Jim

I think you might use that as a strategy - calling the audiologists for their pricing. What I found out with the recent pair I purchased (Phonak Naida L50): I paid the insurance company and they in turn paid the audiologist. When I checked a second audiologist for a price on the same HA without going through insurance they would be a higher cost. I used the United Health Care Hearing program that is paired with AARP. It did cost me much more than going directly through my regular health insurance company but I got a much better HA in the bargain. I do not regret spending the extra money at all.

I really enjoy listening to my audio system and picking out the finer details and maybe on musician playing their instrument in the song just to hone in on their playing. For me the Vivia 9s just sound more natural and well that translate into more enjoyable wearing them. I do not notice I am wearing them vs the Phonak Spheres. I do think for older people with dexterity issues that might be a negative against them. The Spheres have more channels and more adjustability to them. To me after I played with them for several days it seemed more gimmicky than real world use and benefit to me. To each his own and like shoes everybody is different and so many brands and many models to work for you. Good luck and enjoy church. This world needs all the help it can get and men are not getting it done. Jim

Cost to different audiologists/accounts is not drastically different. First thing you need to do is find one that is not tied to some type of rebate, loan, trip or anything else that will create bias. Find one that has experience fitting most brands(they will likely be very good at fitting at least three of the top brands) and can give you their opinion on what would be the best for you based upon your needs. Never solely go on your research to determine the hearing aid brand you want. Marketing makes certain brands better than they are. Trial a couple different brands and then determine which one works the best. Good luck!

Be sure to compare the out-of-pocket cost for your insurance with the total price at Costco. Before I retired, it was cheaper to use Costco without insurance than to use the insurance at an in-network provider.

yep, dentist and eye doctors are always trying to up sale you on stuff you don’t need.

I hope your cousin specializes in diseases afflicting the very wealthy, then! I can imagine the difficulty of having self-pay patients who can actually afford to pay.

Actually her fees are affordable and she still takes Medicare for her older clients. She said she was seeing too many patients without having time to spend time with them – and that’s not what she wanted to do. I’ve seen some of the reimbursement rates from insurances and I was shocked to see how low some of them are for an office visit.

Heaven forbid people should be able to hear what’s going on!

So specific to a audiologist I went to, the Oticon Intent 1’s were $7300, the Intent 2’s were $5,700 and the Intent 3’s were $4,100. I will give them the benefit of the doubt and say that the audiologist are getting the Intent 1’s for $2,000, the Intent 2’s for $1500 and the intent 3’s for $1000. Why would there be such a big price swing between the 3 models? Is it more work to program the intent 1’s as compared to the Intent 2’s?

also, I see that the price is for 3 years of support. what is a ball park guess of how many times I will be going to the audiologist? if I get them set within 3 visits in the first 3 months is it likely I dont go back in the next 3 years?

***I am not buying from this audiologist, I am probably buying from Costco.

Because someone will pay. Programming might be harder on the lower level aids as there are fewer levers to adjust and it’s harder to fine tune.

Do these practices really allow unlimited visits or do they throw patients out if they come back too often?

@user490 said:

Do these practices really allow unlimited visits or do they throw patients out if they come back too often?

They get the old roll of the eyes “oh no not him again”..