I was charged,I believe, for my Oticon Intent 1. I was naive and believed the dealer when he said $6K for a pair. Now I am finding folks who got same aids for $2500/pair. I’ve already got a care credit setup up. Is there Anything I can do? Happening at Hearing Life
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$2500/pair seems like the more unusual price to me.
But if you are within your trial period you can return them and if you are not you can’t.
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Iirc there are different levels for oticon aids - so $2500 could be entry level
That’s what I was thinking, but she still paid too much for the Intent 1. Zip hearing wants about $4,800 a pair.
I hope Oticon updates the software to enable Auracast.
I started at Hearihg Life in Watchung a few years ago and was turned off by their $6,000 price. Hearing Life is the Oticon retail outlet. I also was not impressed with the audiologist who had graduated from school a couple of months earlier. My next step was to return my new aids and call ZipHearing (check their website). Zip works through local audiologist and provides the same services as HearLife for around $4,800 for a pair of Intent 1’s. My other suggestion is to check Costco. They have hearing aides made by the same companies as those you would get from any audiologists for about $1,600 for a pair and they give you a six month return period. The Costco aids are rebranded for Costco because the manufacturers don’t want them to appear to be direct competitors with other audiologists. Good luck.
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Are they the same Oticon Intent ( the intent comes in different technology levels ). $2500 sounds like the price of their lowest tech level .
I’ve seen prices like these on the internet that do not include the services of an audiologist ( for the premium intent)
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About a dozen years ago i purchased my first set of aids from a local audiologist for $5k. Then when i needed new aids i went to Costco. Now i just purchased my 2nd set from Costco and very pleased to be paying well under $2k a set.
I can find them for $1,999/pair online. Does that mean the service will be good or they know what they are doing? You could always find a clinic that offer unbundled services for adjustments or go DIY.
However, most clinics have high overhead.
$2K/pair is probably below invoice for most audiology practices in the US. Perhaps they import them?
$750 for one new intent in eBay 
. The non-audiology market is getting better for DIYs
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I probably wouldn’t call this a scam. Six thousand doesn’t seem way out of line going by what I paid at HearingLife for my Oticon Intent 3 back in January. I don’t remember what the Intent 1 would have been, but maybe something like $6K. I paid a little under $4K for the Intent 3, including a limited-time “sale” and $500 trade-in for my OTC Lexie B2. That’s kind of a lot of money, but the aids work well, and I can get service whenever I need it without making a 120 mile round trip to Costco. And you have to consider the effect of tariffs since January.
Hearing aids are not subject to tariffs in the US (certain rules apply)
Look at it this way: one gas station might be charging 50 cents more per gallon than the gas station across town, and it’s not a scam, it’s just up to the consumer to shop around and decide where to fill his tank. Same with hearing aids or any other product.
Personally, my experience of buying from Hearing Life (about 7 or 8 years ago) was somewhat negative. Even though my insurance covered all but a set dollar amount, they still added a sales tax charge to my bill that they shouldn’t have. And I just never liked the audiologist, he wasn’t personable and he rubbed me (and my wife) the wrong way. So when it was time for a new pair 2.5 years ago, I took my business to an ENT office; they’ve seemed more professional, more personable,a lot less sales-pushy, and no sales tax charge.
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Thanks 3d, yeah I thought there was something wrong in the pricing
$6000 for a pair with 3 years service included is very good.
Let me respectfully disagree. With a little effort you can get those hearing aids with service for a lot less.
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For informed customers, yes . I had no clue about the world of info and variety of prices 6 months ago . I learned the options in this forum. I’m grateful to you guys. Now In have my perfect premium HAs that I paid $500
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The Hearing Center that I visited charged $5640 for the premium aids and required a $1500 fee for “Lifetime services,” and I would have had nearly $500 in sales tax. I have (good) insurance that said they pay for hearing aids, but the hearing center’s billing office said they will only pay around $4000 total. They require full payment $7605.30 in advance and they would reimburse me when they are paid by the insurance company.
About an hour ago, I met with a Hearing Aid professional at Costco and ordered a different premium hearing aid for just a little more than the Audi’s “Lifetime services” fee. And Costco includes the services going forward.
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There is a used pair of Oticon Intent 1’s with #3 wire 85db receivers for sale right now on Ebay. I have bought from the seller in the past and was very pleased with him.