Best Hearing Aid Manufacturer?

Hearing Aids
81

See this is your first mistake. Here’s a study published on Fox News that claims that in fact the U.S. trails many other countries in service and satisfaction with health care.

Fact is, most Americans aren’t that knowledgeable about the flaws in their health care system until they get seriously ill, then find that they are either bankrupted by the system or the coverage was nothing close to what they thought it would/should be.

And yet the evidence would suggest otherwise. In the most recent WHO measure of health care quality by country (where we ranked 37th) the countries beating us were spending less per person and achieving better results with a universal health care system. Are you not at least curious to find out how we are getting our asses kicked by smaller poorer countries who are spending less money on their systems?

Blindly chanting we’re number one, nothing can be improved, is a sure fire way of getting left behind.

I speak about this not because I want to thumb my nose at America or try to claim the UK is better (it is in fact only marginally better; many European countries have far better systems). I just want America’s system to be fair, and the best it can be. In fact considering what we pay for it, it should be top 10 in the world by just about any measure.

Well in all fairness you’d need to cite me an actual study, not something Um Bongo once posted. But don’t you see the magic of that, even if it is true?

Let me lay it out for you:

For every hard of hearing citizen in the UK who goes and gets FREE hearing aids paid for by the government, 25% of them, which is tens of thousands of people, presumably achieve results that make them happy. My own grandmother was among them. Wore hearing aids for decades and never even paid for a battery.

And those people who have money, just like in the US can buy privately. And private prices are driven down because the competition (the NHS) is giving away their product for free.

Back when I worked over there, people who went private would have free home visits, free service calls in their home. They got a pretty sweet deal. And the poor didn’t have to go begging to some charity, they would just go see their doctor for free, get referred on to a hospital where they could see an audiologist and maybe ENT doctor for free, and pick up their free hearing aids.

The whole beauty of a single payer system is that the poor still get helped. And the rich can still buy what they want.

82

One thing you have to bear in mind though is that first off Canadian’s pay significantly less per person than Americans do for their health care.

It’s actually about double what Canadian’s spend. So comparing Canadian’s system to America’s is like me rolling up in a $30,000 car and laughing at your $15,000 because mine is better. Well duh, I paid double for mine.

The other thing that’s also important to consider is that nothing is stopping your friend flying anywhere in the world to buy the best treatment in the world. Equally, nothing is stopping him from buying private health insurance coverage. Odds are this would still be cheaper that what the average person in America spends on health care (even including the tax burden that pays for the health care system up north).

Most Americans when arguing against universal health care don’t seem to get the reality that having universal health care does not stop people from having private coverage of their choosing.

The last job I had in the UK gave me free health insurance. If I had needed medical treatment, and the wait time on the National Health Service had not been to my liking, I’d just make a call and go private.

Universal health care provides a great safety net for the poor. It provides great care for those in the middle. It ensures people are not driven into bankruptcy as they are here in America. But it does not stop the rich, or professionals from buying private coverage.

Yep, the current system literally allows for insurance companies to decide who lives or dies. Opponents to government run health care systems talk about bureaucrats and death panels, but that’s exactly what we have now. The only difference is these people have a vested financial interest in denying as many claims as possible to provide more profits for shareholders and investors.

With a government system you get three choices to get treatment, the free government system, the private sector via insurance, or the private sector via personally paying for it.

With the current American system it’s generally insurance, personal wealth, or begging to a charity or ending up bankrupt.

83

The system that Obama got passed is still rum by the insurance companies. He proposed a government-run option and the lobbyists convinced him to drop that piece.

Other than health insurance costs increasing, and fines for those who do not get insurance, there is not much change from the current system That’s the way the health insurance providers like it.

84

I know, it’s terrible. But I’ll give him credit, he tried, he got something accomplished. I sincerely wish it was way more, a government option etc. But Obama had to bend over backwards just to get this done.

At least now millions more kids and students are covered than were before. It’s a little harder to exclude people for pre-existing conditions.

Health care in America is very entrenched, and those with a vested interest in keeping it profitable as opposed to effective are very powerful.

Perhaps the Democrats (because let’s face it, Republicans aren’t going to do this), can push the issue a little further towards the center next time around.

85

Exactly. It’s also important to remember another distinction, which maybe people have considered: We have private insurance through my husband’s employer, which covers things not included in the provincial health-care program (Canada’s universal health-care system is actually administered by the provinces). Things like prescription drugs, registered massage therapy, dental treatments and hearing aids are not covered by the health-care plans we had in Ontario or Nova Scotia, so that is picked up by our private health insurance. But not everyone has the financial means to buy access to that kind of private plan.

86

Yeah, but keep in mind that on average an American is spending $7538 per year on health care (according to 2008 numbers I posted the link to earlier).

In Canada the average spend is $4079. So a Canadian could choose to budget an additional $3500 per year on private insurance just to be at a similar spend to the average American. In a two person household that’s almost $600 a month, which I’m guessing can buy a pretty decent policy.

I’m guessing that the Canadian health care system, combined with a $600 a month private insurance policy, could buy some pretty decent health care.

And those that just can’t afford anything more than what they already pay in taxes, still get the ‘free’ Canadian health care, which still beats Americas according to most measurable indicators.

Conversely, a poor American will either get nothing/basic ER care, or bankrupt themselves trying to manage a serious health crisis.

87

You have to understand the the Commonwealth Fund survey was conducted by people with an agenda and biased so as to support that agenda. They are universal healthcare proponents. The study draws conclusions that are not warranted by the data; fails to consider other, more plausible) explanations; and uses flawed methodologies.

The survey assesses health care quality with subjective questions, not hard data such as “Did you receive reminders for preventive and/or followup care?” and “Do you believe a medical mistake was made in your treatment or care in the past 2 years?”

While most Americans still defer to their doctor, they are famously more demanding than other countries. If they suspect mistake, they are far more likely to sue.

The survey does not adjust for age and other demographics such as ethnic diversity and culture and diet. We are fat, lazy and out of shape as life is good here and we eat it to the fullest.

Take infant mortality for instance. Even to the extent that hard statistics are used, the data is not adjusted for the fact that the US counts as a live birth any baby that shows any signs of life regardless of prematurity or size or lenght of pregnancy. Other countries only count those weighing over a pound or 12 inches long. In some countries any “born” with less than 26 weeks pregnancy are considered stillborn and do not go into the statistics.

Obama may have bent over backwards to ruin the world’s best health care system, but he also bent (broke) the constitution to do it and he also forced it down our throats. The American people oppose(d) Obamacare and want it repealed.

We could cut the cost of our healthcare, but we would have to give up or limit the option to sue and most Americans want to retain that right. In addition to reducing litigation costs it would eliminate the cost of a bunch of CYA medical tests.

88

Don’t you think that’s an exaggeration / lie? Obama ran on a platform of change and stated over and over again that he was going to reform health care. It was probably in the top three of the things he mentioned the most. Then he was elected. Do you really think that if Obama’s health care plan was so unpopular he could have been elected? He was already fighting racism, claims he was Muslim or not American. Add a major policy that most American’s don’t agree with, how could have have been elected?

The litigation thing is a complete right wing fantasy. I’ve never seen any credible article putting that exact figure at any more than 2% of the issue. The cost problem in America comes from the fact that unlike most countries health care is seen as just another way to make money. There are investors to pay, share holders, rich CEOs. The money American’s spend on health care doesn’t get spent on health care, it is siphoned off from the system by various corporations. How else do you explain the tens of millions without access? If other countries can give 100% access on 1/4th the investment, how are we running so short on cash?

89

We have derailed this thread sufficiently. Time to let it get back on track.

If you want to continue, start another thread. Although I think that would be pointless as you are not going to convince me and I am not going to convince you.

90

My reasons for coming to the US are not really relevant.
why aren’t they? when all you do is bitch about how terrible things are here particularly compared to the UK and Canada?

Are you saying that as an immigrant
you seen to mention that in about every other reply exactly what is your immigration status? do you even vote? I would think your standard of living is at or above most of the folks on this forum. So, if you spent 10 years in the UK and 10 here where did you spent the other years? frankly if I moved to the UK and thought everything was so much greater back here I would be looking to get my butt back here.

please get your meds refilled…

91

I am looking for a hearing aid with all the technology they have to offer. I currently have a Phonak Nadia which is supposed to be water resistant. I have had the Phonak for almost 2 years and has been in the shop for repairs twice (under warranty) due to my excessive sweating. I work in hot harsh dirty noisy environments.
Is there a good high powered hearing aid that can handle my job, especially my excessive sweating.
Phonak is a great hearing aid, only disadvantage is it’s not water resistant as they claim and the only way to turn off the aid is to slightly open the battery compartment (huge disadvantage) as like anything else any excessive opening and closing causes wear and tear.
Yes, I have used hearing aid dryers, socks, etc. Still no luck.
Please let me know if someone out there has a great solution.
Thank You in advance.
Ron

92

There is a water resistant Naida now on the Phonak Website, the Naida-s:

93

Simply put, I don’t feel the need to share every aspect of my personal life with strangers on the Internet.

As for negatively comparing America to the UK or Canada, all I did was write some PROs and CONs (a similar number of each in fact), and state that for what we pay for health care, we should expect more. Excuse me for wanting the country I call home to strive for self improvement.

I’ve posted 1500+ posts on this forum, and have mentioned being from the UK a handful of times that have been relevant to the dispensing of hearing aids. I have certainly not discussed my immigration status at length and certainly not every other post, which would be about 750 mentions. Exaggerate much do we?

You are quite right, I earn well above the national average in America, and have a comfortable life. That doesn’t mean I cannot be concerned about those less fortunate nor does it mean that I cannot want to see America do even better.

I find it so sad that people like you are so easily offended when talking about the need to improve America in some areas. It is that need to improve that created the iPhone, that put a man on the moon, that invented the Internet. But some people would rather simply keep assuming that America is always number one at everything and doesn’t need to strive for this position.

The world is changing. We can choose to be honest and self reflective, or we can just pretend we are number one without any effort while other countries pass us by.

While I have lived in America, the quality of life index in the UK exceeded that of America for the first time since World War II. That’s what complacency does. America is only great while people push it to be that way.

Anyway, this discussion is over. You have hijacked this thread to attack me unreasonably for daring to have an opinion without citizenship, you want to have an honest debate, PM me. You want to make ethnocentric remarks, keep them to yourself, or find a KKK forum somewhere.

Lastly, stop with the ‘meds’ comment. It’s an unnecessary ad hominem and is disrespectful to those who have mental health issues. Oddly enough it is possible to disagree with you without having a mental illness. Once you start to believe that only those with a mental health issue can disagree with you, it may be you who is delusional.

94

you posting things that need improved isn’t the problem… (again to catch up with UK) but it’s more your attitude of being high and mighty and talking down to everyone. 1500+ post, I wonder does Starkey pay you for every post promoting the Starkey aids? you have a nice afternoon and watch out for those evil Republicans.

95

I don’t think any aid can handle too much humidity over time. The rubber “gaskets” and grease coating in Naida will often keep moisture out longer than a ha not claiming any degree of resistancy.
If you like Phonak I know they have the H2O series which actually has an IP rating (IP 67 i believe), which means it should be able to handle moisture and dust above average. mic filters(/hook filter) is exposed as before, so you should keep some spare.

96

For what my opinion is worth, I find ZCT’s honesty refreshing.

As for his “advertizing” the Starkey band " So what ? ZCT is passionate about the brand that serves him and his patients well.

Not a bad thing.

97

I agree with that. Without ZCT’s promotion of Starkey I might have overlooked it as none of the five audis I met with suggested it until two days ago, yet it has features that seemingly fit my hearing needs.

As for the other, while I disagree with ZCT on health care and insurance he certainly has the right to offer his opinion. The only problem is that this tends to “stimulate” counter-opinions that can derail threads and this is not the appropriate forum as this one is to help people with hearing problems within their existing system rather than to fight city hall.

98

I think discussing politics on hearing aid forum is of very poor taste!!! There are other forums better suited for exchange of political opinions. This forum is set up to help HOH community with better understanding and solutions to our problems. Most of us on this forum are not interested in comparing US political system and political parties to other countries by ZCT and others. All we have to do is turn on the TV.

99

for those with HAs said to be waterproof that also have RICs, have people been having problems with water and the receivers?

100

Many HoH individuals raise questions about FDA regulation, the cost of hearing aids, health insurance, audiological qualifications and licensure, Medicare etc. All of this is directly related to politics and our health care system.

I do agree though, specific political questions and their relation to the hearing aid industry and audiology should be in the general questions section, as opposed to hearing aids.