Philips HearLink 9050 to hit Costco soon? With similar tech to Oticon Intent?

#142

Whether it’s worth the thousands of dollars more is up to each individual. I am currently trialing hearing aids from Costco, but I looked long and hard until I found an actual audiologist working at Costco and I tried out hearing aids with her to be sure that I was satisfied with her fitting and adjustments.

My wife is in her 3rd year of a battle with cancer. We drive 2 hours each way to a major cancer hospital for her treatment. Her comment to me is that I should get the best care for my hearing that we can afford just as we did for her cancer.

If you feel that the results are just as good at Costco as with a private audiologist, then of course go to Costco. However, I certainly do not take for granted that I will will be receiving high level care at Costco. If I don’t, I’m prepared to go elsewhere.

As far as thousands of dollars are concerned, considered what we all pay thousands or dollars for. Cars, for example. And all of the extras that many people put into their cars without thinking twice about it. Hearing care is a small fraction of that. Isn’t our hearing worth it?

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#143

I totally agree that if money isn’t an issue then go wherever you want.

I personally think most people aren’t in that category and being told that you have to pay the highest price to get good aids and service just isn’t true.

That’s just my opinion. I don’t tell anyone what they should do with their money.

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#144

That absolutely isn’t true, Audis which are worth such money (or any money for that matter) are exceedingly rare as proven by the thread about the biggest pain points when buying HAs.

#145

What is not true, @Reginald? Are you saying that the difference in cost is due to an extremely higher cost for the hearing aids themselves?

That’s not true.

#146

That’s not what I’m saying at all. The difference is completely arbitrary and it’s purely due to capitalistic greed.
The market of hearing devices operates unlike any other and it’s rotten to the core. I’m surprised that their behaviour and lack of transparency is still allowed in EU.
But perhaps that’s what OTC hearing devices are supposed to fix.

#147

So, @Reginald, what is it that I said which you are claiming was untrue?

#148

This is an endless, meaningless argument. Costco’s market share proves most HA needs are met there. Why pay much more when Costco’s Philips, Jabra and Rexton offerings meet the needs of most users? Voltaire: “The perfect is the enemy of the good .” The “perfect” in this case is demanding more, perfectly identical, tech when it isn’t needed. The “good” is what is really needed by most of us at Costco, Those who need more, can pay more.

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#149

Perhaps I’ve assumed too much. I’ve interpreted it as You saying, that the value difference is in the presumed after-care provided. Which in theory it is, In real life, rarely.

#150

@Reginald, your objection was to the embedded quote. I said nothing about value. I said that you’re paying extra for is the person who is providing the hearing care when you go to a private audiologist. That is simply a fact.

There may be value there if you choose wisely. There may be a loss of value if you get stuck with a lousy hearing care professional when you buy discount hearing aids. I’m speaking from experience. It happened to me.

I’ve bought from Costco, so I’m not recommending against doing that. Nonetheless, one ultimately pays more outside the big box store to have your fate in your own hands. That’s where the value comes in . . . If you choose wisely. As Dr. Cliff says in every video: “Choose a hearing care provider who follows best practices.”

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#151

I’m not disagreeing with you here. Although I think there’s more too it, and it is my opinion that it is purposely made hard to “choose wisely” when it comes to hearing devices dispensers [Costco excluded], mainly due to lack of transparency and obfuscation of what you’re actually paying for.

#152

Finding a good provider is hard… That much is true. As a baseline, I would look for people who are confident in performing real ear measurements. Costco requires it, but performing the test and knowing what you’re doing are two different things. So make sure your provider is confidently skilled, Costco or not. A long time ago I had the idea to rate providers based on their device setup and REM matching skills. All relatively easy to do with the data in NOAH, but the dummies at HIMSA tried to charge me a small fortune and I was basically still a college kid. I wrote them a big letter about the mission and they just dismissed me.

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#153

Yes, Abram, Costco does do REM, but I have found their hearing testing to be lacking. No speech in noise, no word recognition, no tympanometry, no middle ear inspection, etc.

#154

Just because you pay more more mean you get quality fwiw

#155

For me, Costco did speech in noise and word recognition tests more thoroughly than the Audi affiliated with my ENT doc. That Audi wanted to charge 4x for HAs. My doc, more than likely, checked my middle ear, and other medical issues, covered by Medicare. Costco did what I needed, as they do for most HA users at no cost. If you want excuses to pay more, you can make up more, as you appear to be doing. Good luck.

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#156

Oh, they do have their own special test they did for me. After making adjustments as I requested, they crumpled up a piece of paper and asked me “How does that sound? Sound any different to you now?” :wink:

The REM test they did seemed perfunctory to me at best, just so that they can check off that box.

I’m not generalizing that this is what all Costco HCPs do here. Just pointing out that it can be hit or miss, really depending on who you get at Costco.

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#157

Sorry about your Costco experience. I’m lucky to live in Southern California where I can shop at many Costcos. But, I was lucky to be well served at the first one I went to.

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#158

My audiologist at Costco told me that most of his clients had straightforward- usually moderate- hearing losses to treat. My needs were greater, so I was getting extra time and attention. He didn’t say this in a way that made me feel that he begrudged the extra time and attention.

I don’t expect with Costco that I can rock up an unlimited amount of times. On the other hand I’ve been called back to audiologists for follow-up visits in the past and I’ve left wondering why they bothered. It was like they had to see me a few times to justify the embedded service fee.

I’ve had expensive audiologists in expensive premises give me the very same test.

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#159

What if your hearing loss has progressed, your ears are blocked with wax or your receivers/the aid isn’t/aren’t functioning properly?

Your perception of the value of follow-ups might be different, but seeing people less than annually makes a considerable difference to the long term efficacy of their hearing aid wearing experience.

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#160

Something certainly isn’t going right when my local Costco does each REM for me as the volume ends up being far too loud. I mean I am using DSL-v5A as a rationale and I expect some level of things being a bit loud because of that, but honestly it’s ridiculous where it ends up after.

I’ve now taken to asking for shape only of the curve to be matched, yet keeping all three lines some distance below what their REM equipment+software thinks they should be.

Despite all that and the ridiculous amount of follow-ups I’ve needed to get the best out of my hearing aid, I still think that at 1/3 of the price of equivalent aids it’s totally worth it (for me anyway)!

I wonder… in this discussion of cost vs service… how many people have explored buying aids at Costco and having them fitted at an independent audiologist (for a fee obviously) - if any are willing? I managed to find one locally that will do it for me if needed, and I’m still keeping that option open.

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#161

@Um_bongo All good points. I just don’t remember anything happening in those visits that moved things along. From memory it was ‘how are things going?’, ‘I still can’t understand what people are saying’, ‘really? I wonder why. See you in 3 weeks’. Ok, heavily jaundiced paraphrasing going on…