I need Hearing aids ..

[Liberty Belle]

Are you working or looking for a job and unable to afford hearing aids? If so (to either), contact your local Vocational Rehabilitation office. They will pay for hearing aids, hearing aid accessories, and assistive listening devices if they're needed for your job or job hunting (and they always are - at least the hearing aids). Income is not taken into consideration (at least in Kentucky, but I believe that is nation-wide).

I've generated hearing aid authorizations (vouchers) for hearing aids from people with 0 income to 180,000 annual income.

 

[pampam]

I am blown away with the prices you are quoting. MIL got hearing aids yesterday. This was done at and through a small business, highly recomended by others.

The hearing test, in a blind sound proof booth $20.00. Usually it is $50 but they are having a special.

2 Starkey hearing aids, top of the line, fully automatic, were $490 each. Dispensing fee was $580 for each ear.
Impression was $45.00 for each ear, for a grand total of $2230 for the 2 hearing aids.

They discount the hearing aids by $50.00
The government in Ontario pays $1000.00 (Assistive devices program)
All MIL had to pay was $1180, plus the $20.00 for the test.

These hearing aids adjust automatically for the phone, car, tv, etc. MIL is 92 years old, and gets confused easily, so we wanted the easiest hearing aids for her. They also include 10 months worth of batteries.

There is a 30 day trial period, but I think MIL is delighted with them.

They also have a warranty, I think it is 3 years, but I'd have to check in the book to make sure. They also have warranty in case they get lost, ate by the dog etc. There is a $350 deductable for that. They were very nice to MIL, explaining over and over again how to change batteries, what to do whatever etc.

 

[rani8600]

I can not believe how expensive earring aids are. I have wanted to get my hearing tested but I am not even sure if my insurance covers this or not. Is this normally covered under a health plan or under a dental/vision plan or do you have to audiology coverage specifically?

Hi i work with insurance for hearing aids. You can find out if your insurance plan covers hearing aid by calling the member services line on the back of you medical insurance card. Follow the prompts for benefits. When you get to a person ask for your benefits for hearing aids. make sure to ask about deductibles and benefits maximum (the highest the insurance company will pay). if you have any question you can message me and maybe i can help.

I am blown away with the prices you are quoting. MIL got hearing aids yesterday. This was done at and through a small business, highly recomended by others.

The hearing test, in a blind sound proof booth $20.00. Usually it is $50 but they are having a special.

2 Starkey hearing aids, top of the line, fully automatic, were $490 each. Dispensing fee was $580 for each ear.
Impression was $45.00 for each ear, for a grand total of $2230 for the 2 hearing aids.

They discount the hearing aids by $50.00
The government in Ontario pays $1000.00 (Assistive devices program)
All MIL had to pay was $1180, plus the $20.00 for the test.

These hearing aids adjust automatically for the phone, car, tv, etc. MIL is 92 years old, and gets confused easily, so we wanted the easiest hearing aids for her. They also include 10 months worth of batteries.

There is a 30 day trial period, but I think MIL is delighted with them.

They also have a warranty, I think it is 3 years, but I'd have to check in the book to make sure. They also have warranty in case they get lost, ate by the dog etc. There is a $350 deductable for that. They were very nice to MIL, explaining over and over again how to change batteries, what to do whatever etc.

Yeah in the US hearing aids are expensive. the base models cost over a thousand each.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Vocational rehabilitation will also pay any co-pays, if you are working or looking for work.

 

[SirDuff]

Yeah in the US hearing aids are expensive. the base models cost over a thousand each.

I'm also in Ontario and paid quite a bit more than the OP's mother (as do most of the people I know here who wear them). After the $1,000 ADP payment (it is $500 per ear - so if you only need one, you'd only get $500) which is paid directly to the audiologist (whoever sells you the aids) and $500 from my insurance, I still paid about $2,300. The test fee ($75) was deducted from the cost of the hearing aids though (so, essentially, the test was free). Luckily, I do have a health care spending account through my insurance and was able to pick up most of the cost (though it did mean no new glasses - which is how I had planned on using up the HSCA).

Like a PP, I have a "cookie bite" hearing loss - pretty much normal at both the low and high end (not perfect but normal enough that I wouldn't need hearing aids) with moderate loss though the middle regions (i.e. the ones where most speech occurs). A pair of batteries lasts me a little over a week - less in my right ear where my hearing is worse and the aids are doing more work.

It is costly, but being able to follow along at meetings (especially the dreaded conference call) is well worth the expense.