All around the world old people die, leaving their expensive hearing aids behind to a family member who throws them away (I’m thinking). Or…do family members repurpose them for another person by going to an audiologist to get the devices reset for another person? Or sell them so that someone else can get an affordable set of hearing aids?
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Look on eBay.
You’ll likely have to pay a fee which can be actually quite expensive. Sometimes $500 or more.
Most people DIY.
@Zebras who was it that purchased online from Germany. They sent the latest audiogram and the seller set up the aids. Can you remember?
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I bought a pair of More 1 from Holland and have it fine-tuned by Audi here in Malaysia.
‘‘Twas I, kind sir. Let me know is you need anything.
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There are hearing aid people on e bay that sell and will adjust hearing aids, I think the fees would be lower if an office is not required and person wants off the rack settings.
@rothlev1 : Please explain to us how there can be “off-the-rack settings” for hearing losses that are as individual and unique as one’s fingerprint?
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What I’ve seen is you send them your audiogram and they program it to that. No REM, no adjustments based on sound. Perhaps remote later.
WH
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Actually the markup on this stuff is unreal.
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My worst experience last month just programmed Resound One 9 for the handwritten audiogram from his test and assumed it was ideal. O dmg course I returned the aids.
You have to figure that they make money even when they sell through Costco or through something like the VA or a state contract like the State of Maine.
The markup is astounding. You have to figure a good portion of the price is for fitting when you buy hearing aids. But the price avg on the RIC HAs on the VA sheet shows ~$350. You’d have to roll in a lot of services to make up the difference to me!
WH
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I inherited a pair of KS-5s from my mother, barely worn, and Costco offered to fit them for me for around $250, but I opted to buy new KS-10s instead.
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Fitting and subsequent service. If I end up buying new aids from Duke Health that could be interesting since they do not bundle their services into the price.
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the answer is yes. yes, you can go to the hearing center to reset the hearing aid to the appropriate hearing center or the place where your parents bought it. even the ones you buy on ebay.
Note : but there are several countries where the Hearing Center does not want to help with setting up the tool (program) even though they sell the same tool (with the reason that the tool is not purchased at their shop)
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That’s what I received when I got my HA from Holland. Still needs to be fine-tuned by remote but something went wrong as the Holland side is not able to connect (suspect they sell HA and tells you the connection (remote setting) problem!). Leave you hanging high on your own. Luckily, the local Audi is very helpful and reprogrammed again on her computer (reset everything). Very good service by local Audi but needs help from the master in this forum.
My AuD doesn’t sell/service resound, but she was not negative about the topic. Referred me to another local audiology center, but I opted to self-fit based on her audiogram.
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Hi WH
Just found your link to the SOM HA contract pricing. Excellent information.
Like many others, I have a lot of concerns about the HA selling/fitting business model.
The following are indicators of what I would call an overt deceptive business practices:
- Few real manufactures, but dozens of models…all of which are better than the others…
- Incomprehensible pricing. Any time I can’t figure out a rational price path from manufacturing to distribution to retail…I know I am being taken for a ride…
- A professional who I pay for what is supposed to be an independent objective opinion, then primarily relying on selling me the solution to the problem they identify for their income…
These problems can exist in any profession. I try to avoid them if they have the above attributes…
Thank you!
Ethan Brand
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