New to HA and researching my best options. Hoping to find a great independent audiologist in the north Dallas area but also want to consider Costco for cost, the locations (everywhere) and especially the longer 6 month return period. IF I go with Costco, does anyone know the real world differences between their current (April 2022) Phonak Brio and their Kirkland 10 that they told me is also made by Phonak? Would also love a recommendation for a great audiologist in the north Texas area (Dallas, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Prosper).
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@TGW Brio and Kirkland 10 are for different hearing loss categories.
Brio is for severe to profound hearing loss, this might not be need by everyone.
Could you post your audiogram?
The best thing is check with Costco, after having done an evaluation.
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I will be getting the audiogram on April 15th and post here. Just trying to think ahead and research a bit beforehand on the limited (5) options available at Costco. What are the most comparable branded Phonak models (i.e., not from Costco) to the Costco Kirkland10 and Brio? Baltazard, are you saying that the only difference between them is that one is for moderate vs severe hearing loss and there are not different features/options available on one vs the other that might be worth considering?
Really, if you fit more into one need “class” or the other, that should be your primary consideration if those were the only two you were considering. If you are on the cusp, maybe go for the Brio for future-proofing? There are two models of Brio 5, one with rechargeable and one with disposable batteries. If you NEED Brio class amplification, don’t consider KS-10. And if your audiogram fits in the KS-10 curves, then the Brio will not make you happy.
WH
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If these will be your first hearing aids, the KS10 are most likely suitable and the Brio would not be, but you need an audiogram to really know.
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Have you done an online hearing test to get a general idea of what your hearing loss is?
To select hearing aids a proper hearing test is needed. This will enable you to decide which type (in the ear, receiver in the ear, behind the ear, etc) of hearing aid you need. Then decisions need to be made about Bluetooth and phone compatibility.
Selecting hearing aids is a process. Not only for the fitter but the person wearing hearing aids. It usually takes time to get used to hearing aids.
Good luck on your new aids.
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I’m not sure, but I think that from this statement, you aren’t yet familiar with how shopping for hearing aids works.
Buying hearing aids is like buying a car. You go in and the place offers one line. Most audiologists have negotiated a contract and trained with 2 (possibly 3) brands. And that is all they offer. They may or may not offer every model offered by that brand. They work on commission, and sometimes have a better rate with one brand than another.
By going to Costco, you have a choice from 5, which is more than you will find elsewhere. They tend to be top brands on offer. Costco pays a working wage, their fitters are not on commission.
I went to an independent audiologist who offered 2 brands, and offered me a trial with one. She gave me the demos to try there in the office. As we chatted, I asked if she had any others. “Oh, I have another brand somewhere for people who don’t like this one, but I always start off with this one.” Um, not what I was looking for. I went to Costco.
Another reason to go to Costco is price. You won’t find the same hearing aids at that price, any other place.
Don’t forget to ask about adjustment visits. I believe they are still unlimited and included, at Costco. Some places offer 3, or 5 visits, and then charge you after that.
There are other differences, but those are the ones that come to me just now.
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Wondering if OP has went to a doctor yet for an eval? Many Costco’s will not fit you with aids if your loss is severe/profound or you have unequal loss, or other issues like odd bone conductivity readings, without a Dr evaluation. The only way they fit me was showing them my evaluation from Kaiser. Just another issue to consider. Also, Costco offers other aids than what you mentioned. They offer Phillip’s at $2k and Jabra’s at $1900 and Rexton’s at $2k.
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My audiologist offers five different brands. they also are far easier to get in to see than my local Costco. No appointment needed for cleanings. Knowledgeable audis. The most current models with full features.
Not all independent shops are the same.
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Yes, we sell all hearing aids from all 8 major manufacturers and do not work on commission. Not all independent shops are the same.
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I will second what @mr.smithster said about needing a doctor note. My loss was unequal as it was from a neuroma. Costco wanted a note from the doc stating that I am OK for hearing aids. They would certainly have done the test, but if the loss looks to be abnormal in any way they may ask for something from a doc. It’s more a cya from Costco than anything else…
I think, as was noted, get a hearing test, see what kind of loss you have and what aids are appropriate for it, then so some research… At least costco is not a hard sell so that’s a plus.
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I just went through the process to get my first hearing aids. Initially I went to an audiologist recommended by my primary care doctor and had my hearing checked. She referred me to an ENT since there was a 20db difference between my right and left ear, who then sent me for an MRI. The MRI didn’t find any problems so back to the audiologist, who gave me a choice of tier 1, tier 2, tier 3 or tier 4 hearing aids, with the top tier 4 hearing aids priced at $5K. Didn’t discuss features, or even what brand they were (turns out they were Resound, which is all they offered). So I tried the Costco route - waited 3 weeks to get an appointment and had my hearing checked again. The test conducted by the Costco tech (not an audiologist) was every bit as through as the test done by the audiologist, and the two audiograms matched almost exactly. I had the choice of 5 different brands of hearing aids, tried three of them in the store and settled on the Kirkland KS10’s. I just picked them up yesterday, the fitting and training was very thorough and included a Real Ear Measurement test. The tech re-ran the REM test several times making tweeks to the programming until the REM showed a very close match to the audiogram. I paid $1400 for two hearing aids, and that includes unlimited in-store and remote visits to address any issues as well as cleaning. I can return or exchange them for different hearing aids for 6 months and they come with a 3 year warranty. Costco really does offer good hearing aids at attractive prices plus the added benefit of the extended return privilege and after sale support. The only issue with Costco is the competence of the technician. In my case I got a highly competent tech and that led to a good experience, but others haven’t been so lucky. If I was to do it all over again I wouldn’t hesitate to go to Costco again and, if I ended up with a tech that wasn’t quite up to snuff I would try another Costco or another tech at the same Costco.
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It is reasonable to go to Costco for an eval without seeing a doctor first. It is true that if they discover something concerning that they will refer you, but if you have a routine, run of the mill loss, they will fit you with hearing aids. I do think they ask you to sign some sort of a waiver.
I completely agree with MDB. I was totally naive about how to go about getting hearing aids. I asked my Dr, he said go here. It wasn’t until after my first meeting with the audiologist that I figured there had to be a better way and started researching. When the audiologist laid out her very limited and expensive options I knew a visit to Costco was in my future. The benefit I got by going to an audiologist first was they identified the hearing loss discrepancy between my right and left ears and I got the ENT and MRI referral. I took the MRI report with me to the Costco appointment and the tech said if I hadn’t already seen an ENT they would have sent me there before fitting hearing aids. Either way I would have ended up in the same place.
I am still 2 weeks out from getting my hearing aids so I can’t speak to the fitting process yet but my evaluation was great. The last evaluation I had done at my ENT’s audiologist, I left completely unsatisfied. Speech clarity is a huge problem for me and she just didn’t seem to address that. Sure, I had great results with word recognition in a sound- proof booth with words being enunciated carefully and loudly in my headphones but nobody actually speaks that way in real life! I passed on the $$$ aids and just got some internet ones. Then I heard about Costco. I went for my evaluation there and it was so much more comprehensive and took into account the word recognition aspect so much better. The specialist was amazing in her knowledge and manner. I am anxiously awaiting my KS10s!
It’s interesting to see how different everyone’s experiences are. My doctor is the one who recommended Costco to me 6 years ago after I mentioned not being able to afford what the private audi I saw wanted to sell me. Last time I saw him he told me he was going there himself soon. He said of his hearing aid patients, the ones who went to Costco reported the most satisfaction.
Just today at a neighborhood coffee group one of the women was talking about her son’s aids and how they had to be so careful with him so he doesn’t lose them because of the expense to replace. She was astonished to hear that Costco replaced my aids at no cost to me last year when my puppy ate them.
And most of the newer aids include a “find” feature that can help locate a lost aid using the aid app
Just to clarify for my own edification and so as not to lead readers astray, I think the “Find” feature is just in “Made for iPhone” hearing aids so that would indeed be most hearing aids including Resound, Oticon, Signia, Widex , Starkey and related hearing aids (but not Phonak) and only with iPhones.
I have Signia Ax7 aids and an iphone. How do I find the “find” function on my app? (I need a second find function apparently).
I don’t think it’s part of the app. I think it’s in iPhone settings under accessibility. However, I don’t know iPhones. Hopefully somebody who does can offer better help.