Hearing Aids$$$$$$$Yikes

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doitmyself

doitmyself

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My mom just spent $6,500 on a pair of new hearing aids. A google search doesn't turn up much info on why they are so much. Some sites suggest the parts cost very little, maybe less than $150.

In this day of micro electronics, why are hearing aids so much? This site explains some, but whew........ https://www.hear.com/hearing-aids/prices/ I wonder how often old people get taken advantage of?

Thanks.
 
Some people report a good experience going through Costco and price being less than half, although I would expect that it would vary based on the personnel.
 
Half price at Costco, plus there's lots of hearing devices that don't require an audiologist. I'd never pay six grand

I bought some Walker's ear protectors for hunters a few years ago-haven't hunted since I was a kid. Seemed to work as well as regular hearing aids, plus you can turn them up and down. Still annoying. You hear every bad bearing in every neighborhood a/c compressor. My ex-quiet Buick sounded annoying. Haven't used them with my Kia yet. Guess I should pop em in again for spring.
 
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As for the first question. Old people get ripped off buying annuities, time shares, and hearing aids. All are ridiculously over priced. Some of us get more cynical as we age. I've broken up time share presentations and threatened to get annuities salesmen's licenses lifted. Hearing aid sales is the same schtick. Twice the Costco price, ten times the equivalent over the counter hearing devices. Same electronics.
 
If you are on the fence regarding hearing aids, use a pair of Apple Airpods or their wired Airbuds. The latest iOS has a listening setting. It used the iPhone microphone and applies background noise cancelling and other technologies that expensive hearings aid have. That's what I use.
 
android has it also called "sound amplifier"
Quote
First mentioned at Google I/O 2018, Sound Amplifier works like a hearing aid, boosting the volume of conversations happening around you. In situations with a lot of ambient noise, the app can help you focus on quiet sounds happening near you, like someone's voice. The level of amplification is adjustable through sliders, and the feature can be enabled through the accessibility menu on your phone.


https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/...mprove-android-for-the-hearing-impaired/

Snag a $129 set of samsung fully wireless buds
 
Tried to get hearing aids at the VA and was denied so I bought a pair of Starkey locally that were over $2000. I will not buy another pair but will wait for hearing devices to hit the market.
 
I spent $2200.00 on my hearing aids at Costco, well worth every penny. A local audiologist did a free hearing test prior to that. She was very thorough but the price of their hearing aids was about $5500.00. I got some free accessories from Costco, the most important one is a dryer unit that I store them in overnight. Moisture is the main enemy of hearing aids. I can also go back anytime for free adjustments, but mine are dialed in very well now. I got the Phonak Brio models and have had no problems at all with them. Costco has the best price on batteries too.
 
Hearing aids are customized with difference equalization curves to each person, so they cost a bit more in labor. $6500 is just ridiculous, next time send her to Costco. My wife got hers through our local university hearing center for around $2800 total (including what insurance paid) for a 'mid-range' version that includes bluetooth.
 
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Originally Posted by PimTac
If you are on the fence regarding hearing aids, use a pair of Apple Airpods or their wired Airbuds. The latest iOS has a listening setting. It used the iPhone microphone and applies background noise cancelling and other technologies that expensive hearings aid have. That's what I use.


Sounds interesting- do you have more info on this feature ? I would like to try it.
 
Originally Posted by csandste
I bought some Walker's ear protectors for hunters a few years ago-haven't hunted since I was a kid. Seemed to work as well as regular hearing aids, plus you can turn them up and down..

I wonder how well those things would work for watching TV? Would they be better than wearing headphones? Or do they make everything sound "tinny"? I ask because I now wear headphones, so I don't blast the old lady out of her chair. But every time she talks, (which is all the time), I have to remove them to hear her. The whole thing becomes a royal PITA. If these things amplify both the TV and her voice at the same time, it would solve my problem......... Until my dog barks. Even when I'm wearing headphones, he's louder than standing next to the tracks when a 4 engine freight rolls by!
 
Useful life is about 3-5 years before needing replacement. the higher priced ones come with lifetime service and adjustment though, not replacement after warranty is up but service is usually free with the higher priced units from audiologists.
 
Shop around. My Mom got hearing aids for under $3K while a friend paid over $5K for Miracle Ear. Features and specs were about the same, tuned response for different frequency range, custom fitted earpiece, etc., etc.
 
I used a free app on my phone and some earbuds. The app has a set of very specific equalization and L-R adjustments. I spent time to get the adjustments correct and I was amazed at how much more normal things sounded.

A lifetime of frequent ear infections has damaged my hearing to the extent where electronic adjustments help quite a bit.
 
Originally Posted by Silk
Free for me, I have 2 sets I never wear.




That sounds very wasteful. Why don't you wear them?

Also, nothing is free.
 
The local shops around here try to sell me models which are >$5K each side!!

It is amazing that prices will not come down on these things, but then again, the latest iPhones are what > $1200 without a contract?!
crazy2.gif
 
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