Sorry, I am not trying to argue with you or persuade you to like rechargeables lol. I just wasn’t sure if you were aware that some companies are still making disposables at the highest tier. I know Oticon is, and I am pretty sure that Starkey was a year and a half ago when I looked (but they have come out with new ones since then that I haven’t looked into).
It really sounds like a lot of the issue is poor communication. Providers either not knowing or just assuming somebody wants rechargeables and patients not knowing enough to ask. There are lots of options out there.
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@MDB Or deliberate to schcrew consumer and keep them on a leash (like John Deere), and bump their company’s fake “green agenda”, own nothing and be happy, their master schwab said:
“You vill ovn nothing and be happy”
I won’t respond but that doesn’t mean I agree.
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Oticon is a bit behind on the BTE power level devices. Xceed is OLD. Oticon released the Xceed platform in August 2019.
There are a few new power BTEs out there like the recent lumity naida devices @kevels55 is loving, but it does seem like an issue.
And I don’t have a dog in the fight - I use rechargeables and like them, but I think you should be able to get what you need.
WH
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Here’s my response to a similar statement a couple of months ago:
Thanks for the info. My insurance only supports Hear USA. I found one Hear USA HIS who knows how to work with another hearing aid other than Hear USA rechargeable Signia’s. The paperwork for Phonak is taking forever (almost 6 months so far). Unfortunately the disposable battery Phonak is an older one. I am happy to know that Oticon still has disposable battery hearing aids. I love the one I have now. It’s almost 6 years old and working well. With this information, I think I will go with another company who sells Oticon and just pay the full amount for the hearing aids.
I’m not familiar with Starkey.
Thanks
I had a similar reaction recently when I was told in person, in the woods, to enjoy it now because the UN has imminent plans to herd us all into cities and force us to ride bicycles. Just goes to show how readily available this type of insider knowledge can be.
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Thanks for the information. The information online seems to push the rechargeable hearing aids. Unfortunately my health insurance only supports Hear USA. Now it is difficult to find any HIS in Hear USA who is willing to learn the other brands. I did find one HIS who knows Phonak. Sadly I have been waiting months to get the Paradise hearing aid. I may have to just go outside of Hear USA.
Thanks again.
Thanks for explaining that. It didn’t occur to me, obvious as it is in hindsight, that the choices listed online aren’t necessarily available to everyone. Could be for reasons other than insurance restrictions too. Like, a paucity of providers in a geographical area. Sales statistics may not reflect what people would want if they were given a choice, and an informed choice.
Well said. That’s the main reason I chose not to stick with Phonak any more after 7 years because I share your concerns. Going Rechargeable exclusively is the worst ever idea I could think of about making a hearing aid. Phonak is definitely not the only one who made this blunder.
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If only Phonak weren’t still selling RICs in 312 and 13 versions and BTEs in 312, 13 and 675. Then this whole thread would make sense.
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Another visit to my provider, whom I have used for 20 years or more - but a 2 hour drive to get there now as I moved to a retirement community outside of the Toronto area, My prior Naida used the X2 receiver which wont work with the new Naida and Roger ON, So a new compatible receiver is on order and the provider lent me his compatible receiver. The new setup did not seem loud enough in my new unit and then wouldn’t connect. Provider gave me email instructions to get up and running. Had to disconnect Bluetooth on my phone in order for the Roger ON to connect properly. Then he sent me a pdf with instructions to boost up the default volume with the new receiver. I chose to bump it up by 6.5 dB and will see how this goes. Our family gathering for Christmas is in a few days so I am glad we are functional now. This will be a healthy trial.
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But the Lumity 90s only have the rechargeable version. It depends on the model
They have a 675 and a 312 will be out in the spring. The 13 is on the paradise line, which despite the Kool aid isn’t that different.
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That’s kind of the crux of this “issue.” One can’t always get what one wants. It comes off to some of us like walking into an ice cream place with 31 flavors and complaining that they don’t have banana pistachio flavor.
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If it must be an ice cream analogy, here’s a more apropos one that also trivializes people’s hearing concerns a bit less: It’s like an ice cream shop boasting a menu with 31 flavors in a cone or a cup, except that when you ask for chocolate in a cup you’re told “If you want a cup then pick another flavor. We serve chocolate only in a cone.”
That’s a poor analogy. The cup is right there. The ice cream shop does not have to design, develop and manufacture them.
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I remember reading that Paradise and Lumity use the same processor. If so, how much design and development could a Lumity 312 take when there’s already a Paradise 312?
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Also, there are many rural improvised areas where hearing aids are solar powered because even buying batteries is not an option. There are several organizations providing solar power hearing aids for children and adults who need them but can’t afford them.