Hearing aids

I recently found out that I need them. I'm ok with this and actually welcome the prospect of having them but I'm not exactly ok with the prices I am finding on line for them. For some reason, I envision all the plants that I won't be buying this coming spring because I have to buy hearing aids and I am not a happy camper about this. Sheesh, I thought they were only going to cost a couple hundred a piece and I am finding all the behind the ear styles are considerably more than that. I guess I need to send all of my flunked hearing tests in along with a prescription and get hearing aids. I also need to send my ear molds in for a proper fit. Lemme see, what else... I allegedly have progressive hearing loss so I'm probably going to need to buy new ones every 5 year or so. Special.

I just had a long discussion with a friend who has a daughter who has had hearing aids since she was a little girl. Now I am confused. There are a dizzying number of manufacturers and styles out there. Exactly how does this work and what are all of my options. Our insurance won't cover the costs of hearing aids so we're on our own. The one thing I know is that I can't have the style that fits into the ear. I am prone to ear infections and that is going to knock me out of the more affordable hearing aids.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Everything is so high hearing aids what I bought over a thousand dollars something for one but worth it for me to hear it so the mold cost me over 50 bucks cuz that cost high, so maybe you can get use your credit card to pay every month for a hearing aid and a mold better than nothing if you really want bad enough to hear.

You are right, I need them and I already bit the bullet on the cost in my mind so it's just a matter of getting in and buying them but.... I can still cry in my spilt milk over the costs. I'm sure you didn't like spending a couple thousand dollars either. I doubt anyone does however I'm sure everyone likes to hear again. Sure would have been nice if our insurance would have picked up even 50% of the costs because the BTE style that I need seems to be the most expensive out there. Heck, the ear molds were $150. If you don't mind my asking, what do you pay for hearing aid batteries per month?

Thanks much for commenting. I really appreciate it. I am going to buy them.

Equil, I hate to be a pain.........but seriously, do yourself a favor and go to an actual ear nose and throat doctor with an audiologist and buy the hearing aid and the mold from them. You're also going to find that regardless of the type of hearing loss you have, you'll need new hearing aids every 5-7 years anyway. The earmolds don't last forever (maybe 1-2 years?) and it's much better to let the audiologist make them, order them and guarantee them for you. The tube should be changed every 6 months. You don't want to make this kind of investment over the internet. If it isn't programmed just right (by the audiologist in the first place), he can adjust it for you. If you buy one from the internet, who's going to check it for you? Who's going to fit it with new tubes? Who's going to stand behind their product? The audiologist can also recommend which hearing aid is the right one for you. Yes, they'll probably suggest a very expensive one, but tell him you want good, not the best.

The first is a customer brochure, so you can read all that I've already told you and more. Please read this.

http://www.sonici.com/naturapro/5000716.A-NaturaProPOP-web.pdf

This is the website for Sonic Hearing Aids.

http://www.sonici.com/products/consumer/home/consumerhome.php

As I was typing, you were typing also. I don't know of any insurance company that pays for hearing aids. If you buy an 8 pack of batteries, they should last you about 2 months at a cost of $8.

Hi MOM! I have an appointment next month with an audiologist right here at Lk Forest Hospital. I couldn't get in any sooner than that or I would have. I can still go to the ENT but he doesn't have an appointment until November.

I went in for a second and a third screening test. Nobody likes bad news and it's always nice to confirm you are flunking to be better able to stomach the next step. So far they are all saying I need BTE because of the allergies, sinus, and prior ear infections. The BTE's are the most expensive at around 5-6k a piece and I have found them online for around 3-3.5k a piece. That's a considerable amount of price difference so I need to check this out further. Is a guarantee and a proper fitting really worth an extra 5-6k? Maybe. The other possibility is that I come out your way to get away from the Chicagoland area where the price seems to be raised through the ceiling. Out your way, I might be able to shave off at least a thousand bucks on each hearing aid. I'm in the preliminary stages so I'll need to research all avenues but one thing is for sure... I am cheap. I don't need the best but I don't want to get the wrong type and end up with more hearing loss from getting more bacterial infections in my ears from having the in-the-ear styles of hearing aids. I must admit I am overwhelmed. I'll go read all your links and save them to my desktop.

Oh yaa, and one more thing! I wanted a good used pick up truck for myself so I don't trash another car. Looks as if I'll be wearing my new pick up truck in my ears. That sucks!

So far I do not need hearing aids, no doubt will in the future. My uncle is 81 and just got his hearing aids last year, the whole bill was $5,000.00. And I am NOT joking. But the really sad thing is he won't wear them. He has had them adjusted many times, I think he waited too long and now cannot adjust to them. So I think its good to get them so you are used to them, things are more difficult to adjust to when you are older, especially if you are used to hearing nothing. It must sound awful to hear everything blasting when you are used to quiet. I now need reading glasses at 54 and resent the fact. If you are used to glasses when you are younger it is easier to deal with. I am always looking for the things, I have a bunch of them and they are all over the house, I lose them so much.
Rebecca

Eq,

That's nasty news. Why didn't you just stay away from the Dr.??? You wouldn't need them then,,,, ;o} Well, at least you wouldn't Know it.

I'm going to d-mail this thread to a friend. Maybe she can give some pointers, tips, do's and/or dont's.

She's leaving on vacation so it may be a couple of weeks before she is able to pop in.

Kelly

This message was edited Aug 23, 2006 10:39 PM

Hey Kelly, could be worse.

Hey rebeccanne, I'm sure I'll get used to them because I'm not even 50 years old yet but it looks as if the style I need is going to be around 5k a piece. I could stomach 5 grand for both. The prices don't make me all that happy particularly when Terry just reiterated something I was already told which is that you need to buy new ones every 5-7 years. Great, there goes my used pick up truck this year and in the year 2011. By the time I'm done paying off my new "ears" from this round, I'll be pedaling around Pebbles and Bam Bam style with no money left to buy plants.

I've got the classic "arms not long enough to read small print" going on like most people my age so I do use reading glasses. Reading glasses are a pain in the rear because I am always misplacing mine too. I must have 10 pairs around here and can never find more than one pair if I'm lucky. Reading glasses are like scissors and socks in dryers, they disappear into the black hole that must exist in this house somewhere. If and when I find that black hole, I'm sure I will find enough missing socks, pacifiers, scissors, pens, reading glasses, battery rechargers to toys and tools, and reading glasses to fill a shopping cart. They're out there in my hole but so far no luck finding that hole. Anyway, I have some other vision issues that aren't able to be corrected. Something called macular degeneration. Needless to say I don't want to end up a Hellen Keller so I want the hearing aids.

Hey MOM, what about those ones for $50 a piece that I just found advertised in one of those gossip magazines? Would those do? Just kidding.

My total bill for Krista's 1 hearing aid 2 years ago this month, was $1900. It was sent in last winter, can't remember what the problem was, but it was still under guarantee and cost me nothing. Remember, if you expect a hearing aid to correct your hearing problem, you're in for a big let down. They do not correct, they amplify. And yes, you need that guarantee from someone you can trust. Our audiologist Bernie, very well knows our finacial situation, and doesn't suggest the very top of the line. The BMW of hearing aids. He offers what is a good hearing aid at a price he knows still hurts, but is doable. I would really suggest if you can, come down and see him. I'll even meet you there, that will help since I've known him for 23 years now and something like 9 hearing aids :)

Bernie it is. What the heck. I refuse to have 10-12 grand in my ears just because of this mess.

Just to chime in from another soon to be wearing them gal.....

Eq. 5000. each sounds very high... I am glad you are going to the audiologist. Not to mention just the upkeep. it will be way more convenient to run them down to your audiologist for a cleaning, or checkup, than to mail them back to the company

Good Luck..

I have a problem with the price tag too but I have talked to quite a few people who have BTE hearing aids in this price bracket. Makes ya wonder if they are platinum or something.

Twice tonight this dang computer has not responded, so it wants to send an error report to firefox and it closes it down. So I lose what I was posting, how annoying.

Are you sure the people who paid 6 grand didn't pay that for both? I have heard of hearing aids that are 3 grand, so 2 would be 6 grand. Never would I buy a hearing aid for 6 grand. Not only platinum, but lined with gold and adorned with diamonds?

I saw her receipt. I felt as if I needed smelling salts but a fainting couch would have sufficed.

OK...Most of you will holler...NO! But I have used Miracle for years....and I too can't afford the big bucks...and my audiologist understands this...after all she has been with me through 2 hearing aids that my puppy chewed up!

My dog didn't get the last one...I had put it in the pocket of my robe....threw the robe over a chair before going to bed....the wood on the chair and the hearing aid collided...broken in many parts. They tried to glue it back together to save me money....but she called me the other day and told me what I was waiting to hear....my type was going on sale half price...so I will get it for $500.00, instead of $1,000. It's the bottom of the line I guess...but works for me. They will be on sale during Sept...so I have an appointment next week!

I do suggest that you get the T-Coil in your hearing aid...mine will cost about $50.00 extra.

I'm trying to get my church to install the LOOP in the new building which we have slated to build later this year...I'll have to look for this info later.

More and more states are giving the hearing impaired a free clarity phone. I know Florida does....and I have one given to me by Arizona....actually the cost is on our phone bill each month...each of us pays a little towards this and the 9-1-1 number...sop it is not charity...and the phone is great!! They cost about $300.00 but we pay nothing.

Jo

I found the info on The Loop...Jo

http://www.hearingloop.org/

Why are the Miracle Ear hearing aids only 1k by you and 2.5k by me? This is a rip off. What is it with this area?

I had never heard of a Loop before you mentioned it.

I am calling my phone company tomorrow. If I'm already paying for it on my phone bills, I want one. Thanks for mentioning that too.

I'm paying close attention to this thread. Hearing loss runs rampant in my family and I have some loss already. As far as I know, Medicare still pays Zero for Hearing Aids.

I get so angry at Medicare....they'll pay for old men to have Viagra....but not for worthy things like dentures, glasses, and hearing aids....they will pay for glasses if you've had eye ssurgery.

For the free telephone, the telephone company may not have this info....I learned about it from my Audiologist (in Fla) and then here in AZ. Most of them you have to ask about it.

As to the price of Miracle Ear...in my area they START at $1,000 and go up.

Hearing aids are the most overpriced thing going........i would ope the goverment would do something about it.

Jo

I have to strongly disagree that hearing aids are the most overpriced thing going....I have a BIL in a wheelchair. Ever priced one of those? For that matter, anything for the physically disabled is outragous in price.

I know Miracle Ear works for some people, but I don't think it's right for every one. I know that it isn't the right aid for Krista. As long as your audiologist says it will work for you, then why not? But, I'd venture a guess that down in this area, Lauren, you can find a hearing aid close to that price.

That is what we are saying Equil... Shop around. There is no regulation & they can charge anything. Mom's aids & the same thing down the street were 6OO dollars difference. Good Luck

I just got off the phone with the phone company. Our Phone Companies don't have the program for free phones but they do contract with a company out of Burr Ridge Illinois called Hi-Tek that will sell us assitive products for hearing imparied at a reduced rate. There is some sort of a phone out there called a Clear Sounds CSC50 which is on sale right now for around $100. It sounds nice to me. Is anyone familiar with this particular phone?

As far as the pricing, I'm just going to wait and find out what brand and style is ultimately recommended. From there, I'm going to specifically ask what other brands they can suggest that might work for me that would be more affordable. Then, I'm jumping over the border into Wisconsin. I just found out that the audiologists up there have considerably more favorable pricing and the hearing aids that were originally suggested to me as being able to best meet my needs that were only $5980 a piece down here are only $4,100 a piece up there and they don't add tax up there. That's a little bit more than $600 a piece difference in pricing. I am in shock that the pricing on these are all over the board. You'd think there would be a little bit more consistency but I guess not. I would have never thought to check on any of this if Terry hadn't mentioned something to me that sent my radar up. I assumed that these would be competitively priced and they most certainly aren't.

Be sure to check with your audiologist about the Hearing Impaired free phone services. They may know something that the phone company is not up to date on.

Jo

$4,100? Please tell me the brand of hearing aid and anything else you know so I can call Bernie to find out what price he has.

Can I do another clarification? I always thought my daughter was hearing impaired. When she was in 4th grade, they wanted to take her out of the school she was in for the physically disabled and put her in a school for the hearing impaired. For a number of reasons, I was against it, my husband was against it, but we went to the school to sit in for a few hours. Imagine my surprise when the teacher referred to Krista as being hard of hearing. She told us that hearing impaired suggests total hearing loss, like every child in that class, except Krista. That's my understanding and what I was told anyway.

As for phones, I don't know what to tell you. There are some phones Krista can use and others that say they are hearing aid compatible, that simply aren't. My grandma had this phone, old rotary style phone, but it worked. It had a dial thingy on the side of it, that she was able to turn the volume up (it amplified just like the hearing aid) where she needed it. Also not hearing aid compatible, but she took off her glasses (her aid hooked to her glasses when she was still able to hear), and she was able to use the phone. Remember I told you some aids have a t setting? T for telephone? Not all phones will work, no matter what the claim. Don't purchase a phone till you have the aids and make sure they (phones) are returnable. Nothing worse than buying a phone that is supposed to work, only to find out it doesn't. Currently the phone that works best for her is the Pottery Barn phone that looks like an old rotary dial phone. She's hooked to a cord, but she can hear.

The phones that we get through the program here in AZ (same in Fl)...is called a Clarity phone...not all of us hear at the same level....I might hear well at a higher octave than some one else. So....a volume button doesn't do the trick for most of us...these phones have a slide that you set to best hear each individual person's voice.

I have a hard time hearing my oldest daughter...even with my hearing aid....it's the octave level her voice is in. Youngest daughter I hear much better......so both take a different setting on my phone.

It's funny but I have no trouble hearing on my cell phone...and it only has a volume button.

Terryr....The T you speak about...I think that is what I meants by the T-coil...and it will work well if we can ever get new buildings to have The Loop installed in them. Jo

My Great Aunt uses a speaker phone. She says it's great instead of holding a phone up to her ear, she doesn't have a problem with the hearing aides that way and can hear really well.

Kelly, I got a speaker phone for my mother after her stroke, and mounted it on the wall at her ear level. She did much better on it with her hearing aids.

The speaker phone is out for me. I can't use it at work any longer because it messes me up. Too much back ground noise and it muddies the waters for me to the extent I can't think straight. I haven't used the speaker phone in a few years. My cell phone seems to work for me if it is right up against my ear but I have to stick my finger in my other ear to plug out other sounds or I can't hear that well using the cell phone.

I think the Clear Sounds CSC50 was a Clarity Phone. I can't recall now.

Acuris is the brand of hearing aids that were recommended to me. I've been able to find them online for only around $3300 a piece (most places state to call for pricing on these) but everyone and their brother says buying online isn't the way to go so I need to defer to people who have gone down this road before me. My husband said to forget trying to buy them online because too much can go wrong. Maybe I could have bought them on line if I already had hearing aids and if I was just buying replacements or upgrading but the points you all raised about "If you buy one from the internet, who's going to check it for you? Who's going to fit it with new tubes? Who's going to stand behind their product? The audiologist can also recommend which hearing aid is the right one for you" are hitting home. These Acuris are allegedly programmable and they have digital circuitry with some sort of a personalized FM system that will be an additional fee over and above the cost of the hearing aids. What I am struggling with right now is how I got along so long without them? In other words, how do I justify that type of cost and exactly why wouldn't brands of hearing aids that are only 2k for both going to work for me? I've got problems with background noise and then there is the high frequency loss in both ears but I still get most of what people are saying. I don't know what my last test results mean but I can read that the last audiologist suspects my hearing loss to be neural/sensorineural and conductive. I suppose I should go look up what that means but the time element of dealing with all of this is really beginning to irk me and right about now I'd like to just throw money at it and make it go away. Patience was never one of my virtues. One ear is testing out at 58 dB and the other ear is testing out at 63 dB. I can't be that bad.

Right about now I'm sort of wishing I had never taken that first screening test with that audiologist. What did Kelly type above- "Why didn't you just stay away from the Dr.??? You wouldn't need them then,,,, ;o} Well, at least you wouldn't Know it".

{{{{{Equil}}}}

Go ahead Darius, spit it out. I can take it (lower lip quivering). I'm just frustrated with this whole situation. I wanted a new used pick up truck really bad and now I'm not going to get one and to add insult to injury, round about the time I could save up enough money to buy a pick up truck again I will have to use the money to buy replacement hearing aids. It is quite obvious I am never going to have money to buy a mechanically sound pick up truck.

I am going to chime in here.
I have worn a hearing aid all my life since I was 4 years old. And I am 50 years old now.
I was born hard of hearing.
Have worn a body aid all my life too. The behind the ear ones aren't strong enough for me now. So I can't help you with the actual hearing aid part but..........
Will say you can try out any hearing aid for at least 30 day trial period. Get a mold made for whatever type you will be wearing like the behind the ear and TRY IT FOR A MONTH!
You aren't obligated to buy it until you are absolutely sure you want it.
You will hear more background noise, that I will tell you. But you will be able to hear better tho.
As for the phone. I am using a CapTel phone now. It shows captions along with hearing the other person. I don't know if your state supports this system with the relay system and the CapTel phone. I just love my CapTel phone. I can read the captions if I miss a word someone says.
So just do a trial period and see if it is worth your time and money on the new aids.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Carol

I didn't know I could get a trial period of 30 days. That means I could start out with really cheap hearing aids.

Darius,
I have a few customers that use them with great success also. They really are nice for these people. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to use the phone at all. Bet your Mom was thrilled to have it.

Equil,
They have come out with much better speakerphones than they had years ago. Maybe one of the newer ones would work for you at least with the hearing aides. Don't listen to me with not knowing you would need them,,,,LOL God knows I sometimes like to bury my head in the sand when it comes to stuff like this,,,,,,,,, Just had a thought,,,,you could use Tinker as a stud,,,,the fees may pay for your hearing aides,,,,,roflmbo

daisy,
Your CapTel sounds cool.

Yes, here is the link for it.
http://www.captionedtelephone.com/

daisy,
They even have the USB Option for Large Print Captions. Those are both very cool.

Hum, never noticed that.
I can say I got the CapTel phone from the state of Oregon for free. I had the doctor sign a paper and sent it into the state office. So actually got something for all my tax dollars.

Wow,
That's good. Nice when a little something comes along to help a person out.

Way cool phone you've got there Carol!

Twinkletoes is neutered!

Aw,,,,there went that idea,,,,poor thing.