Posted by Alex on September 24, 2010 under Ask The Audiologist Q&A | 
Sharon B. Writes:
I have just received a hearing test that shows that I am missing tones in the conversation level in my right ear. ( the beginning and ending of words and high tones like birds chirping and very soft tones) I have a hard time on that side understanding conversation in a crowded room and often miss what my family is saying unless I am really paying attention or turned toward them. I am 46 years old. My left ear is very good. I lost this hearing due to too many ear infections as a child and adult and a plane ride in which I developed an inner ear infection ( which was treated promptly) and tinnitus. I am wondering which type of hearing aid I should use and approximate prices( should I shop around). The audiologist suggested an over the ear clear tube style. Apox $ 2,600.00 but I am not sure if I should go with this or shop around. Could you offer any advice?
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Hi Sharon -
Thank you for taking the time to write in. Your questions and concerns are usually forefront on the mind of every person who is in need of amplification. The advice I would offer for your particular situation is very simply this:
1. Get a thorough evaluation from a certified professional who can review the findings in depth with you.
2. Be picky. As for which hearing aid is best for you – I recommend to get the best technology that you need–not the best, most advanced hearing aids available…but the best that you need. Again, the audiologist or licensed professional should be able to review your lifestyle, needs, and abilities to narrow down what specific hearing aids are appropriate for your loss. Hearing aids are the most miniature, highly specialized, computers that we have available. As such, they are adjusted to your specific needs, hearing, and comfort levels. Much like snowflakes, no two individuals will be set for the same. Your audiologist should make you very comfortable with the expectations as well as the limitations of certain types of technology. A good relationship with the professional is as pivotal to the outcome as the hearing aid itself. Since these are the only ears you have, you have the right to be picky, knowledgeable, and comfortable. Please know that most states provide a mandatory trial period for you to adjust and acclimate to any hearing aid.
3. Pricing - Shopping for hearing aid pricing can be a daunting task. For far too long, there has been a discontinuity between different privders and similar products. To give you a ball park figure, the average cost of a hearing aid in the US is $1500. The good news is, while expensive, this has been the same price since 1980. Do you remember the price of gas in 1980? It had just hit $1.00/gallon for the first time. While hearing aids still vary in price considerably, a number of discount programs and reputable accreditted hearing care providers, have taken accountability to ensure quality hearing aids for any budget. So, while this price is still an average, there are many services which offer quality, digital hearing aids for anywhere from several hundred dollars less. While the cost has remained the same, the technology now available is light-years ahead.
It sounds like you have established a good step by having a thorough hearing evaluation. I would encourage you to find someone that you communicate well with, and trust, and put yourself in their capable hands. Through this, they can guide you to the most optimal hearing experience possible.
If you would like a second opinion, call 1-800-698-6767
Please don’t hesitate to ask anymore questions!
Tags: advise, aid, alex, around, ask, audiologist, comparison, conversation, cost, ear, hearing, price, prices, question, shop, tinnitus, tones
Posted by jonathan on September 15, 2010 under Hearing Aids, Product Reviews |
Have you ever considered purchasing hearing aids on the internet? Ever wondered if you could use someone else’s hearing aids? Are you uncomfortable asking your hearing professional these questions? You are not alone.
Know that these are fair and valid question that you should feel comfortable at the very least asking, and that any rational human being would be silly not to explore or at the least consider. The problem is our fault. As hearing healthcare professionals, we have done a lousy job of inviting these questions or at the very least opening them up for debate. The same taboo questions can make hearing care professionals and patients alike feel equally uncomfortable.
Throughout this series, I hope to provide some practical advice to the questions you might have been afraid to ask:
- Should I buy my hearing aids from the internet?
- Can I use someone else’s hearing aids?
- Why can’t I program my own hearing aids?
- Why do hearing aids cost so much?
- What is the best hearing aid?
- Why can’t I use Q-tips and Ear Candling?
Part 1: Should I buy my hearing aids from the internet?
We live in a world where information and technology are truly at our fingertips. The internet and ecommerce has made the availability of almost everything incredibly accessible. We buy contacts, prescriptions, and other health-related products online. So why not hearing aids? It makes sense. I am a huge proponent of internet shopping, and believe that it is often easier and more cost-effective. But, I strongly urge anyone who might be considering the purchase of hearing aids from the internet to use extreme caution. Here is why:
Hearing aids are prescriptive, individually programmed digital devices that require not only consistent qualified professional care, but also guidance through the process of rehabilitation for your auditory system. Not quite the same as buying vitamins, right? The investment of hearing aids is equally a service and the product for which you are paying. The initial purchase is bundled, meaning that the cost typically includes the product in addition to the fees for office visits, adjustments, fitting, and follow-up care.
So, you’ve had a hearing test performed by an audiologist, and received a recommendation for a specific hearing aid model. You’ve researched this model and found it much for much less online. Why is there such a price discrepancy?
The proper hearing aid fitting and programming requires direct interaction between you and the healthcare provider, which all too often is unavailable from the purchase of hearing aids on the internet.
Posted by Alex on September 13, 2010 under Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss |
Understanding your hearing benefits is not easy. Less than 1 out of every 5 Americans has insurance coverage for hearing aids*. Consider for a second, that hearing loss is more common than the loss of vision. Yet, only 14% of physicians in the US routinely screen patients for hearing. In fact, hearing loss affects 1 out of every 10 persons in this county, 1 in 3 people over the age of 60 and one-half of individuals over the age of 85.
Often an insurance plan will pay for a person to have a hearing test, but even if hearing loss is diagnosed, treatment and hearing aids might be excluded from the contract. This does not mean that you do not need help for your hearing. It is a mistake to let benefits be the sole criteria to determine what you want to do with your hearing loss. Without good hearing, it’s hard to understand and follow a doctor’s advice, drive safely and respond to warnings, hear doorbells, or even enjoy talking with friends and family.
Some insurance carriers claim hearing aids to be cosmetic and not a medical necessity. We know from the National Council on Aging in 1999 this to be the contrary. This landmark study documented the impact of untreated hearing loss on the quality of life. The study further proved the negative social, psychological, cognitive and health effects of untreated hearing loss not only on the individual suffering from hearing loss, but also similar effects upon significant others**.
This study also demonstrated for the first time that individuals with even a mild hearing loss can experience dramatic improvements in their quality of life if treated with hearing aids. In other words, you need not wait until retirement to receive the benefits of enhanced hearing. If you are one of those people with a mild, moderate or severe hearing loss, who is sitting on the fence, consider all the benefits of hearing aids. Hearing aids hold such great potential to positively change so many lives. Despite these findings, Congress has been in no hurry to add the coverage to Medicare. It is, however, considering the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act. If signed into law, it would provide a $500 tax credit every five years for hearing aids purchased for someone under 18 or over 55.
Remember with your particular plan, it is important to know that each contract might vary. HearUSA works with more insurance companies than any other national hearing healthcare organization to ensure that hearing aids are affordable and accessible for everyone with hearing loss. Many people don’t even realize there is some type of coverage. Whether your plan provides a benefit or a discount for hearing aids, any type of financial assistance is good, every bit helps. HearUSA is also the exclusive hearing healthcare provider for most Medicare Advantage plans and the network provider for AARP members.
* Dispenser Survey 2006, Hearing Review
** The Impact of Treated Hearing Loss on Quality of Life, Sergei Kochkin, Ph.D. – Better Hearing Institute, Washington, DC
Tags: AARP, Better Hearing Institute, coverage, doctor, healthcare, hearing, Hearing Aids, HearUSA, Insurance, loss, physician, plans
