Recommendations on Costco Hearing Aids?

Hearing Aids
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Hey, 45M with mild/moderate hearing loss (described as SNHL with "cookie bite configuration) looking to buy my first pair of HAs within next 7-10 days or so. Buying at Costco since Costco seems the most cost-effective route, though I’m covered for HAs for up to $2,500 every 5 years through my health insurance. Personally don’t feel my hearing loss has significantly impacted my life as I feel I hear things reasonably fine for the most part, though in hearing tests I’ve taken going back actually 10+ years it’s been consistently recommended that I at least consider HAs. From what I’m told with my hearing loss, it’s mostly high pitches I have more trouble hearing - with most other sounds I’m close to normal.

So after some initial discussions with Costco audiologists (who’ve all been very nice) it seems there are 3 HAs that Costco pushes most commonly (all receiver-in-canal HAs): Philips HearLink 9050, Jabra Enhance Pro 20, and Rexton Reach. Of the 3, the Costco audiologist I talked to seemed to be pointing me towards the Philips HearLink 9050. I’ve read online that Philips maybe is the most popular/reliable of the 3 overall so that may be the one I look at first, though the others perhaps have their own advantages (for example, I’ve read Jabra maybe has a superior app to Philips and Rexton might be superior for adjustments needing to be made).

So I suppose I have a few things I need to take into account when choosing the HAs, though at the end of the day I’m wondering how “good” the HAs even need to be given that I’m not so sure my hearing is that bad in the first place.

I do wonder what thoughts are on in-the-ear and in-the-canal HAs, which it seems are also available at Costco, but that the Costco reps didn’t even mention to me (again, they seemed much more focused on the receiver-in-canal models)? When I asked about them, the Costco rep did say in-the-ear HAs could be easier to put in/take out compared receiver-in-canal and also said in-the-ear could work just fine for me given that my hearing loss was mild/moderate. I do like the fact that in-the-ear HAs seem less noticeable; that in and of itself is leading me to strongly consider that type of HA.

I’ve just bought a new Google Pixel that the HAs will probably need to work with, though I don’t know how often I’d be using bluetooth through my HAs as I’m very comfortable with my regular earphones and headphones - I’d imagine those are better quality than the HAs anyway.

So I guess I’m looking for input on 1) which of the Costco brands you’d recommend I check out given my situation, 2) why receiver-in-canal seems to be the greatly preferred hearing aid model, and 3) for those that have bought or are familiar with in-the-ear HAs at Costco, which brands you’d recommend I look into.

Thanks!

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I’ve had both in the ear and receiver in canal aids, and also have Jabra and Philips aids. I greatly prefer the Philips receiver in canal aids.

The only time I use the app on my phone is to switch the aids to the TV adapter, and the Philips app is just fine for that.

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Looking at your audiogram, I wouldn’t say your hearing is close to normal. However, I do agree that you are getting by, but you are still missing some things.

I think you will be surprised on how little folks notice your hearing aids, especially if you wear eyeglasses. In this day and age, folks are use to seeing things in folks ears, cell phone buds and music buds. It seems you are over sensitive about this.

You are right about headphones will give you better results over hearing aids. However, don’t discount the utility of the streaming capability a set of hearing aids gives you. I’m not a big Bluetooth user, but I’ve used the streaming capability while on my walks and waiting at the doctor office.

Right now there is a thread on Bluetooth and Rexton issues with the Pixel phone. You might want to keep an eye on it to see if it gets resolved.

Note that Bluetooth issues are fairly common. So if it is important to you, then I might give the Philips a slight edge over the Rexton.

I would give the Rexton an edge over the Philips if hearing in noise is an issue for you, as it seems to have more app adjustments.

I don’t have an opinion on the Jabra. Check old the threads in the search function to get a better idea of the pluses and minuses.

Remember no hearing aid is perfect, and you often just have to try a few different manufactures to find the best fit for you.

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My audiogram is similar-ish to yours, and I have also had both in the ear and RIC style HAs, and I can’t imagine ever going back to in the ear. I’ve heard that it may be because my low frequency hearing is relatively good, but I could not get over the feeling of occlusion. Because I can still hear relatively well, I feel like the RIC are really ‘aiding’ my natural hearing, however with the in ear style my ears were blocked, so the HAs were replacing my hearing and it did not sound as natural. I’m not sure if that makes sense and maybe I am out to lunch with my reasoning, but I definitely prefer RIC.

I initially wanted in the ear because I thought that they would be less noticeable, however I am no longer convinced that this is true. For me (a female with shoulder length hair) RIC are definitely less noticeable, and I think this is the case even if you have short hair. In the ear styles (for the most part) are still visible in your ear. And honestly, no one actually cares or notices. In ~9 years of wearing HAs I have never had anyone make a comment untill I brought it to their attention first.

One more comment - you might be surprised at how much more you hear with HAs. I thought my hearing was fine, and only got it tested to prove to my family that I had normal hearing. I can get by without them, but people around me do notice if I happen to not be wearing them for some reason, and I can certainly notice the difference.

I can’t comment on Costco HAs since I decided not to go with them.

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I recommend trying out 2 or 3 aids in the store and going with the one you like best. Most people seem to like the 9050s, but you might be an outlier. I bought my last pair before BT LE Audio was available, and I picked the Jabra because of its Multi-Mic accessory, even though I liked the Philips sound better.

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With your good low frequency hearing I think ITE (in the ear) hearing aids would give you a problem with occlusion. Going with ITE aids usually means giving up latest features (noise reduction and connectivity) I’d stick with Costco’s recommendation of the Phillips 9050 RIC

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All great tips here. Phillips are the newest on the block at Costco, I believe. That helps in that it will be latest tech. Once you get used to bluetooth streaming for random videos, and phone calls, you won’t want to turn back! It’s awesome. I recommend taking the aesthetics issue out of the equation. No one cares. Also, if the people around you mention that you say “what” a lot or that you need hearing aids, that is a pretty good sign to move forward. At your level of loss, Costco is def a good deal.

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Welcome to the forum. I have been wearing the Jabra Enhanced Pro 20s for about a month. While conversing with my better half, I kept asking her to speak up, or asking her why she was mumbling. Also, she complained that I turned the TV volume too high. Before going to Costco for a hearing test, I tried the Apple AirPod Pro 2s because they were just approved as an over the counter hearing aid. Although, I wanted them to work, because I’m a cheapskate, they didn’t work out and I returned them.

Like you, I also have mild to moderate hearing loss, mostly high frequencies. The reason I asked for the Jabra Enhanced Pro 20s was their excellent reviews on YouTube, and they are the smallest behind the ear hearing aids. No one has figured out I’m wearing them, unless I tell them. When my Costco hearing aid specialist, was fitting them, I told her that one of my complaints with the AirPods was the occlusion effect because they block out all sounds except what comes through the hearing aids. One of the advantages of the Jabra Enhanced Pro 20s is M&RIE, (Microphone and Receiver-In-Ear). Only the Jabra and ReSound hearing aids offer this feature. It helps overcome the occlusion effect of feeling that your ears are completely blocked.

I got used to wearing them very quickly and now put them on after showering in the morning, and take them off right before bed. My wife is happy, the TV volume is lower, and I’m happier.

However, there are a couple of disappointments. For one thing using the iPhone hands free feature makes me sound to the person on the other end as if I’m speaking in a barrel and my voice is very low. Additionally, using them as headphones for streaming music is also disappointing. The music is fine, however it sounds tinny. Think about how small the speaker has to be to fit inside your ear canal.The bass suffers. Between the music app and playing around with the tone controls It’s just okay.

The other thing is to have your fitter restore the Hearing in Noise focus adjustment. Jabra claims that their app will automatically adjust the speech focus. However, it’s not very effective. The hearing aids and the app can restore that feature, which improves the Clarity of conversations in noisy environments such as restaurants. Over all, I’m very satisfied with them and the price and trial period is unbelievable.

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I have Philips 9040s, and the only thing I use the iPhone app for is to mute the aids prior to cardio exercise during which I stream voice audio material. I use the buttons on one aid to switch to the TV Connector program or out of it. But the app frequently fails to connect to both aids. I’m wondering if the 9050s would be any better in that respect.

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I have never had the experience where the app only connects to one hearing aid. Streaming music or even phone calls using the hands free feature with any hearing aid seems to be problematic. This observation is from the number of questions on this and other forums.

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One thing I discovered is that my insurance will cover hearing tests and hearing aids ($1000 per ear every 3 years) - but only a hearing visit and evaluation for a hearing aid prescription performed by:

  • A physician certified as an otolaryngologist or otologist
  • An audiologist who:
    • Is legally qualified in audiology
    • Holds a certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology from the American Speech and Hearing Association in the absence of any licensing requirements
    • Performs the exam at the written direction of a legally qualified otolaryngologist or otologist

and likely more importsantly Electronic hearing aids, installed in accordance with a prescription written during a covered hearing exam

Checking it does not seem as if Costco hearing tests and prescription will meet the requirements.

Costco may still be cheaper overall vs other prescription options - but at least for me I don’t think insurance will cover Costco hearing aids :disappointed:

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Have you looked at the Eargo 7’s (not available from Costco but might be an option for you). They are pretty much invisible and probably could work well with your hearing loss.

They don’t support streaming (because of the small form factor) but it sounds like you are comfortable with your earbuds / headphones (I use the Airpods Pro 2’s with hearing assist when I need streaming or hands free calling).

I am pretty happy with Eargo 7’s and got them on a black friday sale @$1999 - they seem to vary in pricing so look for deals if you are interested. They are a little bit more than the Costco options and my insurance won’t cover them - but you have 45 days to try them and did I say they are pretty much invisible :grin:

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Yes, in your case, your insurance won’t cover hearing aids at Costco. However, Costco doesn’t charge $5,000 for premium hearing aids. So even without insurance, they are still significantly cheaper.

However, Costco does program your hearing according to their hearing exam, or a written hearing exam performed within the last 6 months by a licensed audiologist.

They have taken my exam done by a Kaiser audiologist and programed my 9040 hearing aids that I bought there.

Costco isn’t perfect. My main issue is that I suspect they can’t spend enough time getting the hearing aid dialed in.

Note that most of these premium hearing aids have 20 or more frequency bands and three different loudness input levels that can be adjusted. In addition, there are a bunch of settings that can be adjusted to help with hearing in noise.

We as hearing aid wearers, can help with getting our hearing aid dialed in by downloading a frequency analyzer and use an AI generated voice website to see what frequencies are give us the most trouble.

Bring that information to the adjustment session to help our fitter get our hearing aid dialed in.

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Unfortunately, health insurance in the United States is designed to support the medical community and not necessarily provide the patient with the most cost effective outcome. I have a hearing aid benefit at work. A colleague used our health insurance to get fitted with hearing aids. The first requirement was that he had to meet his individual annual deductible, of $750. Then, he had to go to one of their listed audiologists or an ENT, medical doctor for a hearing test which the out of pocket fee is, $65. Then, the audiologist gave him three choices for hearing aids, best, okay, and lowest. He chose the middle ones. His cost for the devices was $1,500 after the $3,000 hearing aid maximum benefit.

At Costco, I knew that my mild hearing loss didn’t require an M.D. or even an audiologist to fit me with prescription hearing aids. I have age related high frequency loss from working as a flight instructor in the early 1970s. I was aware then, that my hearing was at risk due to the loud environment of light airplanes, but the only protection available then was to insert those yellow foam ear plugs. The problem was that I couldn’t hear myself and was yelling at my students when wearing them. Today, every light training airplane is equipped with a noise canceling inter-phone system.

The total cost of the top of the line Jabra Enhanced Pro 20 hearing aids was $1,599. Costco only carries three brands, Jabra, Phillips, and Rexton, which are all top of the line devices from these three manufacturers, This service includes a six month, money back, return policy, or fitting with another brand device. A two year replacement policy for loss or damage. A three year warranty and several follow up visits. Additionally, they will clean them professionally anytime you are shopping at Costco, and they will give you a year’s worth of supplies of domes and wax filters.

Most audiologists will only give you a 30 day trial period and then you own them. Costco, according to a recent Wall Street Journal article, is the second largest supplier of hearing aid after the V.A. They supply about 17% of all hearing aids in the country. Obviously, they receive a steep discount from the three hearing aid manufacturers.

I have been extremely happy with the hearing aids and the service I have received from Costco, and I recommend them to anyone.

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I’m also looking at Costco to replace my Phonak Marvels
The one thing I have appreciated about my Phonak aids is never having to touch them…well until my most recent reprogram and change to molds…but that’s a different story
The autosense thing has been great. Literally the only time I need to touch them is to put them into t-coil mode at church…but I find myself doing that less lately.

Do any of these costco aids work well enough to be hands-off when switching into different listening environments…or will I need to switch to resteraunt mode, calm mode, music mode, etc?

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If you get the Sennheiser (Phonak Lumity) from selected stores only, they’ll be just like your Marvels.

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Have you looked at the Eargo 7’s (not available from Costco but might be an option for you). They are pretty much invisible and probably could work well with your hearing loss.

Eargo 7’s were the first HAs that I started to seriously consider getting. Up until a couple years ago I would periodically get pamphlets about those HAs in the mail advertising them as “free” for federal government employees through their insurance coverage. I guess part of the reason I hadn’t seriously considered HAs in the past is I assumed they would cost money to buy/maintain. Wasn’t inclined to take on that cost when I felt I could hear well enough as-is. Never would’ve thought you could actually get them for free until I saw those Eargo 7 pamphlets. Seemed they got good reviews as well.

But I read some article a while back that the company had to pay out a substantial settlement for fraud (don’t know the details of that) and that after that fraud case, Eargo’s are no longer covered by many federal insurance health plans, including my own.

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Well, that’s part of the debate I’ve long been having on whether or not to get HAs (though I think I’ll be proceeding forward at this point). I was actually diagnosed with mild/moderate hearing loss decades ago and I do occasionally ask people to repeat themselves but, outside of hearing specialists, there’s literally only been two times in my life when I’ve been asked if I have hearing issues. One was over 10 years ago from a former co-worker I worked very closely with after I asked her to repeat herself (she said she also noticed that I try to read lips sometimes which was something I honestly hadn’t noticed before she said it but I guess I do instinctually when I feel someone is speaking softly). The second time was a few years ago during COVID by the primary care physician I’ve had for around 20 years. During COVID everyone was wearing masks and I’d asked her to repeat something because to me she sounded a bit mumbled with the mask on. But she told me she felt like she was speaking at a normal volume level despite the mask so she on the spot wrote me a referral to get my hearing tested (she didn’t know at the time I’d previously been diagnosed with hearing loss).

Those are the only two times in my life I’ve ever been asked about my hearing loss - even the friends and family who aren’t aware of my hearing loss don’t ask about it. I mean I’m in agreement that I could obviously benefit from HAs, I just wrote all that out to point out that this is something that I’ve very, very rarely been asked about. I suppose other people I know might have noticed, but perhaps just haven’t said anything because they don’t want to seem rude…

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Some Costco employees are audiologists. If the store you choose has one, your HAs should be covered, if the audiologist signs the papers. It’s worth asking about.

My Jabra 10s are a generation back. I’m almost always in the standard program. If I can’t hear in a sitch, I’ll try the other programs out to see if one is better than the standard. For example, when I ride my bike, I use the outdoor program because it lets me hear cars coming up behind me better than any other program.

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the fact that people don’t ask about this doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t notice. Still, it’s true that many can get by with mild hearing loss.
I have the Osia bone conduction aid. My audi mentioned that I would be surprised at how less exhausting restaurants, dinner parties, etc, would be once it was turned on. I thought, “What???” I hadn’t noticed anything. After activation, I almost immediately understood what she meant. It takes a ton of attention to merely follow a conversation if you have hearing loss. We don’t notice, because it’s happened gradually and/or we’ve become used to this.

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