Hearing Aid Practitioner employed at Costco…Ask Me Anything!

@fuhgettaboutit

With my hearing loss (please refer to my signature) what hearing aid would you recommend? Currently, I am using Phonak Solana SP on my right ear in combination with CROS H20 on my left ear. Sometimes I use a Naida V UP on my left if CROS H20 is not beneficial especially n noisy environment. I would like to try the binaural stream technology so please advise. Currently, I am considering the Brio but I am not sure which model fits my loss as I could not find any info regarding the fitting range of the various models of Brio. Will CROS H20 and Roger Pen work with the Brio?

I will truly appreciate if you can enlighten me :slight_smile: Thanks

Can you define “REM”?

What is the cost to the audi for a pair of Oticon Alta Pro’s?

Thanks.

:slight_smile:

Seriously?

Hi! Yours is a tough audiogram to tackle. If you were a new patient of mine, I would not start with a CROS system. I would do a trial with premium binaural Power BTEs; the Phonak Brio UP is an excellent option, with great performance in noise, $2799.99 for the set w/ earmolds. I would want to see your results with a properly set (REM’d) set of premium power BTEs. As far as I know, the Binaural stream option is only available in the phone mode, but could be experimented as additional program for you.

It is much lower than you would expect. considering their retail price. Different clinics get different discounts from the manufacturers based on how many units they sell from them. Some are paying around $1000 for a single Alta Pro and selling it for $4000.

— Updated —

Is he not allowed to ask this question? I am confused. Why can’t there be clarity here?

Thanks fuhgettaboutit for your advice and fresh perspective on the hearing aid industry.

Don’t worry about the sniping. Some of us have been called worse.

fuhgettaboutit, Thanks for participating in this forum. Quick question - in a recent response, you said “Costco’s Phonak and Rexton (Siemens) line is the same technology as the Audeo V90s and Pures”. As to the Phonaks, did I miss the announcement? I don’t believe it was a finger check as the “Q” and the “V” aren’t very close on the keyboard. Is this wishful thinking? Insider information? When can we expect Costco to move to the latest platform?

Sorry, but as far as I am concerned, the ability to hit prescriptive gain targets along with automatically and correctly applying polar plots in different listening situations is really all the “technology” that is needed for a successful hearing aid fitting using REM in 99% of cases. Whether you like it or not, hearing aid technology has plateaued since 2010. For the consumer, this “manufacturer” speak and “cutting edge technology” that has come out every year since 2010 is severely misleading and detrimental to this industry and to the consumer’s wallets. But perhaps I am wrong, tell me, just how much better are the “new platforms”? Do you have peer-reviewed studies to prove that they are worth another $6000-$8000? I have fit hundreds of premium hearing aids over the last 3 years with 1-2% return rates. Also, a VERY small amount of re-test/reprograms/adjustments. Enlighten me, please. What am I missing? Also, what do I have to gain by sharing this information to hearing aid consumers? I certainly do not need my clinic to be any busier…

I believe the Costco’s Phonak Brio is the same as the Phonak Audeo Q 90 minus the tinnitus feature and EchoBlock. Both are one generation back from the Phonak Audeo V90 which has a new platform/chip with twice the processing power and up to 30% less battery consumption. But aside from the speed and power consumption I don’t see any different features. Thus the “Q” and the “V” occupy the exact same place on the keyboard (so to speak), you just use fewer batteries with “V”.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

Yeah, that’s what I’ve gathered. Are you using $4000 less of batteries? You can get 40 batteries for $9.99……………

What if you don’t get along with the Costco Audiologist/Model and want to get your aid adjusted elsewhere?

Thanks for the advise :slight_smile: So will the Roger Pen work with Brio?

One other difference between Phonaks Q and V is that V no longer require you to have a Compilot hanging around the neck to stream an that you can control your HAs from your iPhone. Maybe not a quality of sound difference, but certainly something I am looking forward to. And I hope Costco will offer that version at some point.

The contracts between Costco and various manufacturers seem to be complex. I learned recently that in the case of the Phonak Brio, you can have them programmed somewhere else. See this >> (http://www.hearingaidforums.com/showthread.php?17786-Can-Costco-Phonak-Brio-HA-s-be-adjusted-with-a-Hi-Pro-USB-amp-Phonak-Target-4-0-software)<<. The Brios are not locked to Costco-only-fitting-software like the Kirkland Signature 5s are locked. Though you will likely have to pay if you go elsewhere.

Thanks, I mistakenly glossed over that difference. I am guessing that Costco Phonak products will always be a little less than the latest/greatest model. So (in this case) you have to think about whether you want/need the direct streaming feature, iPhone control, the tinnitus feature, and EchoBlock.

Don’t worry about Doc Jake, he often will post a brief “cryptic” response, that is hard to make sense of.

:slight_smile:

[quote=fuhgettaboutit;117075]It is much lower than you would expect. considering their retail price. Different clinics get different discounts from the manufacturers based on how many units they sell from them. Some are paying around $1000 for a single Alta Pro and selling it for $4000.

— Updated —

Thanks, let’s say just to be conservative, my independent audi paid 1500 each since they may not be a high volume seller. I paid $6200 for the pair. 15% is a VERY NICE profit margin (before taxes) for a small business = $450.

So 6200 - 3000 - 450 = $2750 worth of batteries/domes/wax guards and incompetent programming is what I will get over the next year.

Or in reality I was gouged to the tune of $2000 to 2500. The fair value of the parts & programming is more like 500 bucks MAYBE and since my programmer is so bad I’d assign a value of zero for her services.

And I didn’t get dinner & a movie either.

What this industry needs is more competition like Costco and more transparency. Thanks for this forum for providing some of that. And thank you for joining!

2 cents.

:slight_smile:

Workers Comp just paid for my phonack V90 (unilateral hearing loss). I’m glad to get it but my Audi does not have the real-ear measurement tool or many years of experience. They do try very hard but my appointments never seem to last long enough to get what I need done. I’m stuck with the service level I’m getting. I wish workers comp could have sent me to CostCo and saved money for them while making my experience better.

Thank you for posting this thread!
I am a 54 month dual ear Lyric wearer.
Recently I have just had a lyric in my right ear and have tried various Phonak ITC and BTE including Phonak Bolero Q and most recently Phonak Audéo V .
My dilemma is this 90% of time 1 lyric in my right year is all I need exceptions being watching TV ( and a backup aid if lyric dies) I love the TV link feature and with this setup I am very happy.
But 3200.00 for 1 Bolero and 3500.00 for 1 Audeo V with TV link seems very high.
looking at my #'s what would you suggest at Costco?

Just so you know with both aids in Lyric and any BTE I have zero confusion hearing in laymans terms I hear more from lyric side with BTE adding stuff like dripping water or floors creaking and wind noise in car. to be honest I only wear BTE to watch TV and going on trips just in case Lyric fails
Thanks Nick

Really not cryptic at all. It’s none of your business what a company or private AuD pays for their products.

Did someone hold a gun to your head and make you buy where you did?