I recently went to an audiologist, before going I called to ask the price of have my hearing checked. The woman at the office could not tell me the price and connected me to other woman who said it would be covered by my insurance. I got the same exact test at costco for free, but latter recieved a bill of $209 from the Audiologist they said my insurance would not cover. I would like to know what is a fair price for an exam from audiologist is.
Thanks Bob
I also had tests done at several locations. The only one that had any costs involved was the one at the ENT office. Done by Audi who works as an independant at his office. ENT’s office billed insurance 273.00 for Audi exam and after deductable I was lucky, my provider as this was a in network ENT paid the rest after adjustment to network values. That said I feel for the time spent amount paid was a bit much. I know they have expences and bills to pay I own a business myself and site and lights are not free. But the amount was excessive and if I had been on the hook for all the money we would have had a discussion as it is excessive. Was tested four other times at no fee. I assume the no fee exam is a way to get foot traffic to their business. And they hope to create warm and fuzzies with walk-in and trust builds and so does a sale. So the free exams are a way to get business. As a business owner I do proposals at my expence and hope that client accepts and we do business, if we do not I am not chasing them for expense to prepare proposal the proposal is a cost of running business. So in a nutshell the amount that should be charged in an exam I believe is what the cost to run the business in its location demands, and not necessarily free, free is the option of the business owner to attract potential clients and is great just not to be expected. And I believe the amount you have bben charged is excessive. You might ask if they will make adjustments for cash payment. Trust me for insurance adjustment is made and insurance in my judgement would never pay that amount for a simple hearing exam.
My testing with an audiologist at a HMO was $233.
www.peacehealth.org , a local healthcare provider charges $275 for an audiology exam. They do not provide any hearing devices, so it is a neutral opinion.
Costco, MiracleEar, and others will give you an audio test for free, but they hope to sell you some gear. One local guy sets an RV in the Safeway parking lot, with a big sign “FREE HEARING TEST”. I have used him 4 times for quick checks over the years.
In the RV you cant expect much in the way of sound isolation, can you? At the peacehealth office, they are a full clinical setting, and I would expect the precision and professionalism of that setting. They way I see it, the range is NOTHING to $275.
As for me, I did 5 different free ones, once I decided to get some aids. BUT, I compared all of them closely, and ‘averaged’ them and compared the differences. The one I use as my ‘official’, is the one that was an average of all of them. Some showed worse, some showed better.
The Austin Diagnostic Clinic in Austin TX billed my insurance company $230.00 for the test. Cost me $40.00 for the copay. It was about $20 less two years ago. I was able to walk into the next office and have an ENT check out my ears during the same visit. Another $40 but well worth it. I had hearing tests for years on the job in trailers or motor homes on the job site. They all showed pretty the same ski slope of a high frequency hearing loss.
It really shouldn’t cost that much, especially if you’re going to a place that is actually dedicated to providing you with the same level of unsurpassed and comprehensive hearing care that they’d provide to their own family members. In Salem, Oregon, hearing evaluations include comprehensive diagnostic audiological evaluations and hearing tests, video otoscopy for detailed viewing of your ear canal, and computerized hearing aid analysis (Real Ear Measurement).
My initial hearing test was comprehensive and cost $60. The cost of fitting the aids was $139, waved if aids were purchased and part of the restocking fee if not.