Hi, I always come here when I’ve got a question so here goes…
I know, or have been told, I NEED HEARING AIDS! I have Medicare/Medicare Supplement insurance now, but no coverage I don’t think, but was wondering, is it best to go to an ENT or audiologist to get the diagnosis first, and then seek out where to buy a device? I know there is now over-the-counter aids, does anyone have a preference?
Re: devices, is there styles that you really like? That work better? Do you get re-chargeable batteries or replaceable batteries?
ANY and all advice is extremely welcome!
Thank you!
Beware that the hearing aid business is in a period of change and adjustment. I’ve been wearing hearing aids for 15+ years and find Costco does a great job.
I prefer the behind-the-ear type with disposable batteries. I have a pair of Resound hearing aids presently and they’ve worked very well for about 4-5 years. They cost about $2,800 for the pair and a wife-mike we don’t use and a blue-tooth TV audio transmitter I do use. They connect to my iPhone via blue tooth so phone calls are a breeze.
H200h, thanks so much for responding! Do you need to replace often? Or do they last for decades as long as your hearing doesn’t change? Also, are your aids something you just pop in in the morning and leave in all day? Thanks!
I’ve had some that didn’t last but a year or so. I couldn’t tolerate the in-the-ear types and if your ears make lots of wax all of them can be a pain to keep clean. The things that usually fail are the receivers, (the thing that dangles from the main unit and goes in your ear.)
It took me two or three different brands before I found one that worked well. Moisture is the enemy of hearing aids so don’t get them wet and look for ones that are moisture tolerant.
Costco gave me a 90-day trial period, ask them if that’s still in effect.
My husband just got his first pair for under 2K at Sam’s he hears so well and most importantly he wears them ALL the time. He has been watching prices and asking friends and ENT use the same certified staff for testing and fitting. It includes several weekly visits to check and adjust to get them right for the individual and they go over the extensive info they give you on the first visit. After a couple weeks he is recommending them to friends because the of the excellent customer service here in Ft. Wayne IN. I believe Costco has similar service but this team convinced him when they could answer his questions w/o “selling” pressure. Good luck!
I would consult with an expert. I realized that I started having poor hearing, so I took an online hearing test and then visited an audiologist. It wasn’t that serious, now I’m just on treatment from Canadian Pharmacy for some time. But everything could be worse if I didn’t contact a doctor on time.
Akers, thank you for bringing this up, I wanted to post an update to my OP…
I ended up joining Costco and went to their Hearing Services department for a free exam. Wow, pleasantly surprised how professional and thorough the exam was. Nothing different than what an audiologist would do I believe. The results were immediate and the consultant explained and showed me graphs of my hearing loss and her recommendation very well. Because I had already researched the 3 brands Costco carries when she suggested the Jabra (rechargeable) with free trial and long warranty (including free replacement) I went ahead and ordered, $1700 total for both ears.
Been using them for over 2 months now and love, love them! So happy to hear conversations and tv shows again. Theres an app to make adjustments or little buttons on the small behind the ear units. Lots of colors to match your skin or hair color, champaign for me and nobody has a clue im wearing my “ear buddies” which I prefer to call them.
So, so far so good. Except for the one time $1700 cost for devices (which seems like a good price for two), all exams, any office visits, adjustments, consultations, supplies etc are free. Well worth the gamble and I’m much happier.
Hope this update helps someone in the future. Thanks everyone for helping me get this handled!
Some feedback on Costco hearing aids. A few months ago I purchased the Costco brand-they were priced at $1399. have been happy with them and the service and care with getting them setup for use. I recently had one get damaged due to a foster dog we were caring for got it off the table and chewed up a bit. I took it to Costco expecting to have to pay to have it replaced. I was pleasantly surprised that they were able to repair it while i waited. They even offered to send it in to have the case replaced due to cosmetic damage to it. All of this was at no charge. I would never buy the TV hearing aids.
i live in longmont colo and a costco is coming in spring. i am overjoyed. i have belief in their customer service. i have needed hearing aids for quite some time, but i am not going to a cut rate place to get them. i will scrape the money together because i believe they are a medical device that should be dispensed in a medical situation. my grandmother struggled for years with getting them “fitted”. i want to go somewhere they have a corporate ethos of ‘customer first’, and decades of experience.