Hearing aid????

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

My mom went to see about hearing aids today. She needs one in both ears and was quoted a price of $5,000.00. Where is the best place to get a good hearing aid at a reasonable price?

 

[jfortsch]

Hi - my husband wears hearing aids and just got them through his doctor (ear, nose, and throat). They were about half that cost. They are not the "invisible" kind, they are the kind that fit over the entire ear opening I guess you call it? They don't sit in the canal. What stinks is insurance covers NONE of it. ugh.

Good luck!
Jacqui

 

[Earstou]

I went with an audiologist recommended by my doctor. First aid was $1500, second was $2000. Mine are barely visible, sit behind the ear with a clear tube running into the ear. DH has one, that was molded to fit his ear, that cost $2000.

 

[NotUrsula]

With hearing aids, the rule of thumb is that the bigger they are, the cheaper they normally are, though in no case are they ever actually inexpensive. If you don't want it to show, it will cost you.

Does your Mom still work? If so, and if her employer has FSA accounts, she should hold off getting the aids until Jan 1 if she can, because while insurance does not pay for them for adults (except occasionally if the hearing loss was sudden and caused by a severe head trauma), they *ARE* FSA eligible.

Personally, I wouldn't trust those strip-mall shops that run ads in the coupon pages. While they may not be the cheapest option, I think that the best place to get hearing aids is from your neurologist's office. Hearing aids (especially in-the-ear models) take a lot of tweaking; you want to be able to go in and get them filed or adjusted at no charge any time you need it done.

 

[baloo's girl]

My 4 year old son just got hearing aids. And no, both of our insurances didn't cover it. Our ENT referred us to the local University Audiology Dept (University of Memphis). We were able to save some money this way. Our office visits were about $400. And the aids themselves were $1800 total for both. The university gave us a list of dispensers to call and there was a wide variety of prices. We chose the cheapest one, the aids were sent directly to the university, where the Dr. was able to fit them and do follow up visits.

You might see if there is a local university that has a program like this. Our service was outstanding.

 

[imjoyful2]

My 4 year old son just got hearing aids. And no, both of our insurances didn't cover it. Our ENT referred us to the local University Audiology Dept (University of Memphis). We were able to save some money this way. Our office visits were about $400. And the aids themselves were $1800 total for both. The university gave us a list of dispensers to call and there was a wide variety of prices. We chose the cheapest one, the aids were sent directly to the university, where the Dr. was able to fit them and do follow up visits.

You might see if there is a local university that has a program like this. Our service was outstanding.

I have twin daughters that wear hearing aids. Because the hearing loss is consider a "disability", the girls automatically qualified for medical assistance, regardless of income. I don't know if that is anything you checked out, but I thought I would throw it out there.

 

[baloo's girl]

I have twin daughters that wear hearing aids. Because the hearing loss is consider a "disability", the girls automatically qualified for medical assistance, regardless of income. I don't know if that is anything you checked out, but I thought I would throw it out there.

Where did your medical assistance come from? We have BCBS and Tricare supplemental and neither would pay. We live in MS, just across the border to Memphis,TN. The only kinds of assistance programs we could find were need based (and on paper we make too much). I'd greatly appreciate your info, as we'll have to get my son hearing aids every few years-and that cost is so prohibitive.

 

[EWL]

Not sure how they compare, but you might also want to check Costco:

http://www.costco.com/Service/FeaturePage.aspx?ProductNo=11239189

 

[got2travel]

Where did your medical assistance come from? We have BCBS and Tricare supplemental and neither would pay. We live in MS, just across the border to Memphis,TN. The only kinds of assistance programs we could find were need based (and on paper we make too much). I'd greatly appreciate your info, as we'll have to get my son hearing aids every few years-and that cost is so prohibitive.

I'd be interested in the answer myself. My HMO covers all the audiologist visits, but the hearing aids themself are not covered. Any aid I've seen we don't qualify for because of income limits.


To the OP, as others have stated, hearing aids are expensive. My son's were $1800 each ear. You may be able to save some money depending on what model your mom chooses, but they will be pricey.

 

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

Thanks to all the replies. I had no idea they were this expensive. I wonder why insurance does not cover these, it is a necessity just like eye glasses.

NotUrsula mom is 78 y/o and has not worked in years. So no chance of that help. Thanks for the tip though.

Baloo's girl I will look into the local universities and see if they have an Audiology Dept. Anything will help.

 

[madelyn]

I would like to follow this thread. In 2008 I was diagnosed with a hearing loss at the age of 43. The aids the audiologist at the ENT's office recommended (manufacturer was Resound I believe) were around $1800 per ear. At the time our insurance (Aetna) did cover about half the cost but we were planning to be reimbursed by our health care account and were planning to delay the purchase until 2009. I need to call the insurance to see if the aids are still covered and if so, what suppliers they recommend. The audiologist explained that I would have to pay upfront and then I would be reimbursed by my insurance. The $3600 pair she recommended was very small and fit behind the ear.

 

[momtoccc]

I've worn hearing aids most of my life (I'm 45 now). I agree with everyone that $5000 seems too much. I would check around at other places. Besides the size, there are digital vs non-digital ones. Sounds like they were quoting her the digital ones which I wouldn't think she would need. (I don't have the digital ones - not worth the extra $$ in my opinion)

If she does get hearing aids - make sure they have the tele-coil option which is wonderful for talking on the phone. You can also buy some wire to put in your house that is great for watching TV.

Hope this helps.

 

[lspst8]

You might want to check out your local Easter Seals. I know our local Easter Seals helps people afford hearing aids -- no one knows about the program, so they usually can offer a lot of financial help. My friend had to do a project in college to help them promote this program. I don't know if it is every Easter Seals, or just the one in Western PA.

If you mother still works, you should also check with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. I know someone who recently had OVR pay for her her hearing aides because she needed them for work. And they got her the really nice, hidden ones!

 

[got2travel]

Thanks to all the replies. I had no idea they were this expensive. I wonder why insurance does not cover these, it is a necessity just like eye glasses.

NotUrsula mom is 78 y/o and has not worked in years. So no chance of that help. Thanks for the tip though.

Baloo's girl I will look into the local universities and see if they have an Audiology Dept. Anything will help.

Just something to consider. My dad was about that age when he got his hearing aids. My parents put out a lot of money and my dad refuses to wear them. He like the idea of being able to hear better, but hated all the extra noise that he was now hearing. You know all the background stuff that we usually tune out? We tried to convince him that if he just wore the hearing aids regularly he'd learn to tune that stuff out again, but he's not having it. He just prefers to hear bits and pieces of the conversation. Stubborn old goat!!! (and yes, I say that to his face, lol).

 

[merekc]

Try calling the hearing aid companies or ask at the audiologist to see if there are any studies available. My DS7 got his HAs by participating in a study. We paid a fraction of their cost. We were lucky that it was going on when he was diagnosed.

My DH's grandfather also wanted HAs and once he had them refused to wear them.

Does Medicare or anything like that help with funding? YOu might check into that.

 

[imjoyful2]

My childrens medical assistance came from the state. I live in Pa. Our audiologist was the one who had us apply and told us they would automatically qualify. Because you're right, on paper, we would've made too much. My husband also has a hearing loss and needs aids, but of course, no one covers his much like the OP. It's sad as that is a NEED, it's not cosmetic. I don't understand why insurance won't pick it up.

Good to know about Easter Seals. I may have to look into that for my DH

 

[NotUrsula]

Just something to consider. My dad was about that age when he got his hearing aids. My parents put out a lot of money and my dad refuses to wear them. He like the idea of being able to hear better, but hated all the extra noise that he was now hearing. You know all the background stuff that we usually tune out? We tried to convince him that if he just wore the hearing aids regularly he'd learn to tune that stuff out again, but he's not having it. He just prefers to hear bits and pieces of the conversation. Stubborn old goat!!! (and yes, I say that to his face, lol).

Don't write the poor man off as just stubborn until you've walked a mile in his shoes. If you have been HOH for awhile, the cacaphony that comes with a hearing aid can be kind of traumatic -- a little like being at a Metallica concert 24/7. Kids adapt and learn to filter pretty easily, but the older you are when you first try an aid, the more slowly your brain will be able to compensate for it. My personal peeve is central air conditioning -- with my aids on I can hear the air hissing through the vents. I've worn the things for 5 years, but it still sounds like I'm sitting in a snake pit. It is absolutely exhausting forcing your brain to constantly filter out what is unimportant so that you can actually process what is important. There is a name for this: auditory fatigue. After a while you just get tired of having hearing be soooo much hard work, and you decide that it just isn't that important to hear everything.

Lucky for me I've learned to read lips, so I can go without the aids for one-to-one conversations, I only have to use them for auditorium-type situations. Live music is a non-starter nowadays -- just too much work to be enjoyable.

A starter compromise for elderly folks on fixed incomes is a directional microphone with an earbud, often called a personal listener; they normally cost less than $200. Those are very good when you just want to participate in a general conversation or hear a television program. You do get the background noise, but it is a LOT cheaper, so it is a nice starter investment, and for many elderly folks it's good enough to get them by in situations where they MUST be able to hear. Telephone amplifiers are also available.

For television, encourage them to use the Closed Captions along with a personal amplifier. I've been using them for years, and my family is so used to them now that they turn them on even when I'm not watching with them. DS actually prefers watching TV without the sound.

Sound notification systems are also useful. These flash lights when the telephone or doorbell rings.

PS: My neurologist explained to me that the reason that insurance almost never pays for adult hearing aids is that just about everyone eventually needs to have them because losing your hearing is a natural part of aging. It's just too great a cost burden to take on, from an underwriter's perspective. A lot of policies DO cover aids for children, though, and aids for traumatic occupational hearing loss are usually paid for by Worker's Compensation settlements.

 

[baloo's girl]

My childrens medical assistance came from the state. I live in Pa. Our audiologist was the one who had us apply and told us they would automatically qualify. Because you're right, on paper, we would've made too much. My husband also has a hearing loss and needs aids, but of course, no one covers his much like the OP. It's sad as that is a NEED, it's not cosmetic. I don't understand why insurance won't pick it up.

Good to know about Easter Seals. I may have to look into that for my DH

Ah, yeah, you live in a good state. I grew up in NJ, so I know how a good state funds programs for kids and education, etc. In MS, there is very little money to go around, thus no assistance. Don't get me started on the public school system in MS.... we homeschool because of it. LOL

My son got great hearing aids and loves them. The first week was a bit overwelming, especially in loud places. We gradually increased the time he wore then, till now he wears them all the time. He got the Phonak Nios hearing aids. They are simply amazing, they automatically adjust when he's in loud situations, on the phone. etc.

 

[mommytoone]

My DD 8, needed one hearing aid, and boy they are expensive. No my insurance does not cover, and we did not qualify for any help. I price checked and we went to Beltone. It was $1250, because she is younger and she wanted one with sparkles, don't ask. We also applied for CareCredit. It's a credit card used just for medical, like doctor visits and such. You would have to check out what you can use it for. We went to carecredit.com and applied over the internet and were approved in minutes, it was really easy. Also, you can choose to defer your interest for up to 24 months.

I don't understand why insurance companies do not cover this. However, my new insurance company will cover it at 50%, better than nothing.

 

[imjoyful2]

Baloo's girl, we homeschool also!