There are things they can do to the aids to help.
New Hearing Aids
- Thread starter Al
- Start date
Curious,
Did your dad ever try the AirPods Pro 2 yet?
I'll give an update. I got my wife a pair for Christmas to replace her old AirPods Pro 1st gen.
She doesnt use the hearing aid part, but I am going to try them. It administers a hearing test and supposedly then adjusts. Ill update. This thread just reminded me to try it.
Costco for me would be the solution if I wanted a professional pair. Not sure I am quite there needing them, though I suspect that I have needed them for years now *LOL* Tinnitus is pretty bad.
Im not in a Medicare Advantage plan this year, back to MediGap but next year I will be back in one. Im almost 100% sure, so anything expensive I would put off and not sure I am ready anyway.
Yeah he tried it right before Xmas and the result is the Airpods Pro 2 refused to work for him due to severe hearing loss. His hearing lost is about 64-70dB in some range and the Airpods Pro 2 only work up to 60db. I create a mock / fake audiogram for the iPhone to scan and adjust up to 60dB for the worst case, and let him try just to see if it is good enough. It doesn't work too well for him and he said the sound is very unnatural. So we ended up returning it. If it worked it would have been the best deal of the century during Black Friday as it was only $150-160 from Amazon.
Our next step is to get him a Costco membership and try out the hearing aid there. Unfortunately he was self employed his entire time in the US so no medicare (he's on obamacare), and basically everything out of pocket for him. Talked to him about this and seems like he just doesn't want to look like a deaf old man wearing those over the ear hearing aids for pride reason, but reality is he would have needed it a decade ago and finally the reality hits him.
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I have Oticon hearing aids.
I got better hearing aids at Costco for what my out of pocket would have been at "The Hearing Center"-that my plan contracts with. I did LOTS of research.
For the fun of it next year I very well may go to Costco. This year I switched back into a Medigap plan from an advantage plan and I expect to be back in an advantage plan next year 2026.
I never thought I would get hearing aids, but maybe I should try it out. Get a hearing test and make sure to pick an advantage plan that pays a significant amount of the cost.
Based on posts in here, it sounds like Costco is the go to place
Wow!!!
I know nothing and I mean nothing about hearing aids. I still think my hearing is OK but I think I would be helped by hearing aids. Anyway, your post caught my attention because again I know nothing about hearing aids nor do I know the brands.
Being I love to educate myself, I searched the hearing aid brand that you mention, and I’m like wow! I had no idea they were this sophisticated.
This is what I just watched
This was the result from my wife’s AirPods 2 when I just used them to do a hearing test.
The "problem" with hearing loss is it's not linear. For example-when I bought my 2023 Silverado-I thought the factory radio was terrible. After the diagnostic test for my hearing aids-it turns out my loss is where some ranges of music come through. After hearing aids-the OEM system sounds better-not to say it's not lacking-but sounds better than it did before.
As far as plans-I mentioned this before-there is one defacto medical provider in Utah-Select Health/Intermountain. So-if you want access to the network-the Medicare Advantage Plan (for this network) is what it is.
Experience with the Costco hearing aid (like anything else) seems to vary by location.
Nearby where I live it was exceptional.
Airpods only work for mild hearing loss.
Tinnitus is EVIL.
I've been suffering with a severe case since 2AM May 17 2017 when I woke up with it. 24x7x365 it's the loudest sound I hear. Tinnitus has changed my life - and obviously not for the better.
Scott
Yeah, it's awful.
OK, for once I’m going to keep the short because I want to try doing this over a couple day. Just as a way to confirm when I’m reading in this thread.
So according to my test results above, which by all means I understand is not, and I repeat, not a professional hearing evaluation.
However, I do know the tinnitus in my ears is 24 hours a day and then a quiet room like right now very very noticeable. I’m also asking my wife a lot of times what did she say? LOL
Anyway, as the Apple test in the previous post shows, I have mild hearing loss after that test I used the AirPods Pro 2as a hearing aid. The AirPod Pro 2 uses the data from the hearing test that you completed to adjust the earbuds for the right frequencies.
I once again want to repeat I am not saying to run out and get AirPods Pro 2 and use them as hearing aids. What I am doing is confirming (WOW!!!!) the posts that I am reading in here from those who purchased well-made hearing aids.
The Apple AirPods Pro 2s running in the hearing aid function was spectacular and actually showed me how much my hearing has declined. All of a sudden I was hearing the sounds much louder than I got used to even something like crumbling up a piece of paper or the clarity of my wife’s voice or that of the television. Like magic all my surroundings had a new clarity to them that I guess diminished slowly overtime.
Anyway, I need to try them out over the next week to see if this statement that I made holds up. However, I was very impressed so much so I’m kind of second-guessing myself because I think almost like magic actually I’m kind of sure of it. it made my tinnitus much less noticeable.
So according to my test results above, which by all means I understand is not, and I repeat, not a professional hearing evaluation.
However, I do know the tinnitus in my ears is 24 hours a day and then a quiet room like right now very very noticeable. I’m also asking my wife a lot of times what did she say? LOL
Anyway, as the Apple test in the previous post shows, I have mild hearing loss after that test I used the AirPods Pro 2as a hearing aid. The AirPod Pro 2 uses the data from the hearing test that you completed to adjust the earbuds for the right frequencies.
I once again want to repeat I am not saying to run out and get AirPods Pro 2 and use them as hearing aids. What I am doing is confirming (WOW!!!!) the posts that I am reading in here from those who purchased well-made hearing aids.
The Apple AirPods Pro 2s running in the hearing aid function was spectacular and actually showed me how much my hearing has declined. All of a sudden I was hearing the sounds much louder than I got used to even something like crumbling up a piece of paper or the clarity of my wife’s voice or that of the television. Like magic all my surroundings had a new clarity to them that I guess diminished slowly overtime.
Anyway, I need to try them out over the next week to see if this statement that I made holds up. However, I was very impressed so much so I’m kind of second-guessing myself because I think almost like magic actually I’m kind of sure of it. it made my tinnitus much less noticeable.
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Yes, hearing aids helps a lot of people and IMO most of the cost is the service provided by the professional and not the device itself. This is why all of a sudden with technology and automated self hearing test, everyone can build a mild to moderate hearing aid for a very affordable price.
I wouldn't be surprised one day people can buy a severe hearing loss hearing aid for what we pay for a good headphone like Bose Quiet Comfort (IMO hearing aid is much easier to build than noise cancellation). The styling should improve enough that people will not be ashamed of wearing them like my dad does.
I wouldn't be surprised one day people can buy a severe hearing loss hearing aid for what we pay for a good headphone like Bose Quiet Comfort (IMO hearing aid is much easier to build than noise cancellation). The styling should improve enough that people will not be ashamed of wearing them like my dad does.
At the CES they showed glasses with a built in hearing aid.
I've had my Oticon 1s for almost 3 years now. A couple things I've learned:
- Good hearing aids do not amplify sound; they amplify frequencies
- Everyone's hearing is just like their fingerprints: unique to them and them only; one size all rarely works.
- You need an audiologist; not a hearing aid tech (like Costco). If they don't have a Dr. (AuD) in front of their name, try somewhere else.
- Today's hearing aids are not hearing aids; they are computers with a speaker, microphone and an amplifier. They get programmed just like computers and they have to be to match your unique hearing loss.
- There are two kinds of HAs: Locked and Unlocked. Locked means only the original provider can reprogram your HAs. All hearing changes, so over time, you are going to have your HAs reprogrammed. Costco = Locked AFAIK. Unlocked means anyone with the proper software (and training) can reprogram your HAs. A good audiologist will sell you Unlocked HAs; someone who wants to force you to them and only them will sell you Locked HAs. Choose wisely.
- I highly recommend watching Dr. Cliff's AuD YT channel for very good high quality honest broker type information on hearing aids. He doesn't care what you use or buy; he only cares that you get HAs that work for you. He's a former Marine Sniper who lost his hearing in combat. He wears HAs (just like my audiologist does as well).
He used to like Costco HAs but now he's changed his mind. See why here:
- Good hearing aids do not amplify sound; they amplify frequencies
- Everyone's hearing is just like their fingerprints: unique to them and them only; one size all rarely works.
- You need an audiologist; not a hearing aid tech (like Costco). If they don't have a Dr. (AuD) in front of their name, try somewhere else.
- Today's hearing aids are not hearing aids; they are computers with a speaker, microphone and an amplifier. They get programmed just like computers and they have to be to match your unique hearing loss.
- There are two kinds of HAs: Locked and Unlocked. Locked means only the original provider can reprogram your HAs. All hearing changes, so over time, you are going to have your HAs reprogrammed. Costco = Locked AFAIK. Unlocked means anyone with the proper software (and training) can reprogram your HAs. A good audiologist will sell you Unlocked HAs; someone who wants to force you to them and only them will sell you Locked HAs. Choose wisely.
- I highly recommend watching Dr. Cliff's AuD YT channel for very good high quality honest broker type information on hearing aids. He doesn't care what you use or buy; he only cares that you get HAs that work for you. He's a former Marine Sniper who lost his hearing in combat. He wears HAs (just like my audiologist does as well).
He used to like Costco HAs but now he's changed his mind. See why here:
Good post and it is a help.
However the way I see this guy is genuine and truthful. The problem is to me Costco is easy to paint with a broad brush as they arent all bad, much the same the independent people like this individual who did the video can not be presented that they themselves are all good. There is good and bad everywhere.
I see it like this, you go to a doctor in one health care network and then to another who says the other should not have done this or that. That doesnt mean that one health care network is better than the other. Sure I would love to have an appointment with the guy in the video but I doubt I would want to pay his price. However if you knew for certain that was the guy you would see, it could be a game changer but I am sure, there is no one like him doing videos near me.
As someone with mild hearing loss I think Costco would work just fine because even my wife's new AirPods Pro 2 hear aid function works well.
So what I am saying, Im not sure you have anything to lose if you want to try Costco because for ANY reason if you are not happy you have 180 days to return them, no questions asked. (and the price is right, to the point I can almost get them for free depending on what Medicare Advantage C plan someone has.
Im not defending Costco, Im defending their prices, if there is better than a 50% chance of being happy (and I am sure there is or they wouldnt bother having hearing centers) you have nothing to lose. Just bring them back for a full refund within 6 months. Might even be fun for someone like me who has no intention of getting anything until maybe 2026 when I have my new health plan. I could try our hearing aids for 6 months and decide if I really want to bother with them. IF I do decide hearing aids are for me, I can still return them get a refund, go to a specialist and pay more for even a better brand or fitting.
With all the above said, I looked up United Health Care Advantage C plans hearing coverage and Costco is not mentioned, so a person would go to a private practice anyway and there are literally a dozen of them in the Myrtle Beach area on the list. They will also cover over the country aids as well if someone wants to try something for the heck of it and then they could always go to a professional with UHC. (just mentioning this, good post, being informed is being smart and the video does help educate what to look out for)
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