Audiologists vs hearing aid stores

Hearing Aids
#1

This has probably been discussed before, and a search has got me full of dizzying results. I hope you all don’t mind a recap.

I need new hearing aids, and I’ve not been too happy with my audi. She has never explained options to me, pushes Oticon even though I have an android phone, and never even mentioned Phonak, which when I asked, she said they can provide.

So I’m thinking about a Hearing Aid center like HearUSA, Elite or other stores.

Can I expect good service from one? Or am I better off finding another audi? Is there a significant difference?

If there is no significant difference:

  1. Which hearing aid chains are to be trusted?

  2. Are there any to avoid?

I’m in St. Lucie county, Florida (if that makes a difference). There is no Costco here.

I’m googling ratings, but the local ratings are very lacking.

#2

I guess it depends on how bad your hearing loss is. As for myself I would not put my hearing loss in the hands of some storefront business. I depend upon n my audiologist, and ENT for my hearing loss issues.

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#3

My impression is that it’s a bit of a crapshoot. Do you know anybody locally who has a hearing aid provider they recommend? You could consider asking your doctor for a recommendation. The individual matters more than the degree. My biases are that I would avoid Miracle Ear and Beltone. If you find a hearing aid you like, but your phone doesn’t work well with it (and phone is important to you) I’d consider getting a different phone. IF cost is important to you, I’d consider taking the longer drive to Costco. I assume they’re some in Florida.
To reprise, unfortunately I don’t think you can “expect” good service from anybody.
I don’t know your audi and if you don’t like them, that’s fine, but I don’t know if I’d let the concerns you expressed make me want to try somebody else. Sometimes the “devil you know” has advantages.

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#4

Thanks cvkemp and MDB for your thoughtful responses.

#5

I am geographically challenged but it looks like there could be Costco’s that are south of you within say an hour’s drive.

If that is the case, and you have no limiting factor that is preventing you from getting to a Costco, you really should make that effort.

Once you go through the initial appointments they can do adjustments remotely. Stock up on supplies (domes, guards, batteries if necessary). Follow ups are free too. Bet they aren’t with your Audi (?)

Your current Audi does not appear to be giving you complete information and dodges your questions.

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#6

Thanks, japple.

That’s worth considering.

My present audi chages me for domes and wax filters, but replaced the in-ear speakers at not charge. She also takes my insurance, which will pay $2,000 towards the new speakers.

My own personal guess (I have zero evidence to back this up) is that she gets some kind of business incentive by selling Oticon. The hearing aids are nice, but they hardly work with Android phones at all.

I’ll have to check with Costco and see if they take my insurance, that’s a lot of money saved.

Do you know if Costco sells Phonak?

From the research I’ve done, it seems that will be the best bet for my level of hearing loss.

Plus, lots of Bluetooth connectivity and a focus on whoever is directly in front of me. In noisy situations like where I work, that could be a great benefit.

An hour’s drive means an hour back, and since it’ll take more than one trip, it multiplies. But if the deal is worth it, it’s doable.

Bob

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#7

Costco no longer carries Phonak.

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#8

In my area there are scores of “audiologists” (so advertised) that have only credentials of being in the business of selling hearing.

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#9

If you go to a “chain” location you will just be working with an employee and the results depend on the employee. Whether you go to an audiologist or a hearing instrument specialist, the degree of care or expertise is pretty much dependent on the person. Speaking as a person who was in private practice (and not an audiologist) for over 30 years and in the hearing aid industry for 46 years, I would personally rather work with the owner instead of an employee. There are both good and bad audiologists as well as good and bad hearing instrument specialists. I would make sure they use “Best Practices” and your “gut” may the be best indicator. It should be a person you want to work with and not one who is pushing you to a particular product without a good explanation as to why. Florida, do to the high senior population, has a full spectrum of “professionals”. I have seen some very good ones in Florida when I was consulting and I have seen some down there that I would not refer anyone to.

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#10

Thanks. I guess that’s out then.

Thanks.

Plenty here too, but looking at reviews on Yelp and as many others I can find, there are usually only a few reviews per audi. That makes it difficult for me to find a better one than I have, who also has just a few and is rated highly.

Thanks.

Good advice. As a self-employed person who has had a couple of employee type jobs, I see the logic in that.

The audi I’m working with shares an office with an ENT, so I don’t know if she is an employee or is renting the space.

So much to think about here. And at the price these things cost, I want to get it right. I find I could have done better than the last two Oticon pairs I had.

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#11

Costco have Phillips and Jabra HA. They are good as suggested by some of the forum members. Worth the time to travel. Check it out.

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#12

Not sure what your level of hearing loss is but mine is pretty terrible.

I got the Jabras and they work for me. They aren’t going to give me super hearing powers.

I paid $1700. My insurance gave me $600 back (after deductible and coinsurance) so they cost me $1100. Better than nothing from insurance and a lot cheaper than an Audi.

I would not rule out Costco. They dropped phonak for a reason (poor service that didn’t meet Costco standards from what I understand).

I drive close to an hour one way too.

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#13

Costco does not take insurance. Sorry.

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#14

You have to submit a claim through your insurance on your own.

Costco will provide the necessary paperwork that you can submit with the claim.

You have to pay Costco and then the insurance will send you a check.

Costco was out of network for my insurance so my deductible was $1000 instead of $500.

I don’t work for Costco

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#15

Thank you all for your insightful responses.

If Costco isn’t over $2,000 cheaper than a place that takes my insurance, and if it doesn’t carry Phonak, it’s got two strikes against it.

My insurance benefit is if I go to a preferred provider.

I’ve done countless hours of research and I’m as sure as a ‘lay person’ can be that Phonak will be the best for my hearing problem. Fortunately, there are a lot of sites that rate and compare hearing aids.

I’m checking out audiologist ratings in my area, and the one I have always comes out near the top or on top. However, 6 or 8 ratings isn’t enough of a sample group to get a good rating. Most of the audiologists listed don’t have any ratings at all, good or bad.

It seems nobody cares to rate audiologists around here.

Going to a new audi might be better, or might be worse. It’s a coin flip.

Going to a hearing aid store might get me an employee who just wants to get a paycheck, or someone really interested in helping. Again, a coin flip.

I’m starting to think about doing my research, going back to my old audi, and telling her what I want instead of relying on her knowledge. I would rather trust an expert in the field, but so far, that hasn’t been the best option for me.

Of course, as I gather more info, that can change.

Bob

#16

My HIS didn’t typically fit Phonaks but was willing to order for me as that is what I wanted to use Roger accessories. Excellent testing at Costco but they didn’t have what I needed. Excellent testing with her.
Not as thorough with one ENT’s audi in office

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#17

Mine says she can do Phonaks.

I’m disappointed because she never gave me a choice, just pushed Oticons, which are fine HAs but for my business, I need an Android phone, and Oticons don’t play well with Androids.

They need an additional ‘connect clip’ and within a couple of months, the battery in the clip won’t hold the charge all day. They won’t replace the battery, but want to sell you a new unit.

Plus even with the clip, the software isn’t very good, all it does is let you adjust the volume and answer the phone with your aids.

#18

Based on my experience for my profound loss, it is advisable to test the HA’s for a period of time rather jumping straight into buying it. Costco is providing a 6 months trial period for a fees which good enough. Our HA’s outlet here offer only 1 week with a fees.
Costco offer Phillip & Jabra HA. They are good HA.

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#19

I am a long time Android user. When I got hearing aids a year and a half ago, I tried a practice run by 5 Ph.D. Audiologists, a locally owned, small chain store front; and Costco. In those days Costco still sold the Phonak P90 generic (KS 10). All three of the providers I went to recommended the Phonak. Prices ranged fro $7200 down to $1500. The standard of care was best at the Ph.D. Audiologist run practice. Costco was a surprisingly close second, but they no longer do business with the Phonak parent company Synova. I will say that the true bluetooth connectivity of the P90 clones I have is really very good. They work well with my phone for everything except phone calls. I can hear fine, but the mic doesn’t pick up well. I wind up taking out my right hearing aid, turning it off and using my old bluetooth earpiece for phone calls. I don’t need that in the car, however. The P90 clones play very nicely with Android Auto.

I guess the long and the short of this is, it doesn’t hurt to try a few places. I only paid for one of the three hearing tests, and they took my insurance with a $40 co-pay.

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#20

I looked at Ziphearing.com and they looked interesting. They fix you up with local talent and for me, in Birmingham, it was actually a well known ent practice with a dozen audiologists, so i would have gone with them. Their price for a pair of phonak lumity L90 was $4500.

About then i decided to see if my medicare advantage plan had any benefit. They use Hearing Care Solutions, and their price was about $3700 for the Phonak Lumity L90. And, they used my current provider, the largest ent practice in Alabama. So i went with them. Waiting for the hearing aids and molds to be delivered.

Both companies include a 45 day return period, and one year of follow up adjustments. Warranty of course.

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