new rules for hearing aids

[Pluperfect]

***pluperfect, my HAs are Oticon Sensei Pro, a beautiful red color. They are children’s (colorful) HAs programmed for my hearing needs. I am hoping that the OTC availability will reduce the stigma associated with wearing HAs so that cool colors become available in HAs for adults.

Colors are available for adults from some manufacturers. It was on the Costco site where I didn't see anything but "flesh" and gray/silver/black.

My first set of BTEs was Bernafones from Costco, in a cute oval shape. I originally got a titanium color with a darker gray stripe, which was cool looking but never felt quite right, so I switched to blue. Later I found out that the silver ones are popular with old people with gray hair. I was thinking they looked space age.

They also had burnt orange available! I've always wondered if it was specific to Austin, because I don't think burnt orange is a popular color among the general population.

My current set of Resounds is blue, too, but as I said upthread, I was the first person this guy had ever had who wanted a "fun" color.

Hearing aids are considered medical devices and, as such, it is illegal for this website to sell you the Connexx software, as well well as the Noahlink programming interface.

We didn't pay anything for the software, but that was back when you had to be pretty clever to figure out where to get the software, instead of having it available for sale to anybody who will pay for it.

 

[Gearhead Jim]

I've been wearing hearing aids for about 10 years now. Went with Widex because they had a deal with our med insurance company and other brands were not covered.

I fully agree that HA are way over-priced. I'm sure I could adjust a new set on my own to be "useable", but the audiologist knows a lot about the details that I expect that, for most people, custom-adjusted will be better. It's fascinating to watch and hear the changes as he/she adjusts the various settings.

My Widex can be somewhat adjusted thru my cellphone and can Bluetooth with the cellphone. For me, it's a PITA. Eats batteries like mad (2-3 days instead of 7), and the adjustable Bluetooth seemed to always be on the wrong setting for me. I finally deleted it and went back to just using the "normal" or "quiet" button on the aid if needed.

We love Costco for many things, but their medical services did not work well when we tried them for glasses. It's been several years, but they had limitations on what lens materials & coatings they sold, and they used a brand of progressive lenses (bifocals) that's "just as good as Varilux". They weren't even close to being as good for me. We redid the eye tests and remade the lenses, but the new Costco lenses were just as bad for me as the first set. Went to a local optician and got glasses that allowed me to see again.

 

[Dash man]

I've been wearing hearing aids for about 10 years now. Went with Widex because they had a deal with our med insurance company and other brands were not covered.

I fully agree that HA are way over-priced. I'm sure I could adjust a new set on my own to be "useable", but the audiologist knows a lot about the details that I expect that, for most people, custom-adjusted will be better. It's fascinating to watch and hear the changes as he/she adjusts the various settings.

My Widex can be somewhat adjusted thru my cellphone and can Bluetooth with the cellphone. For me, it's a PITA. Eats batteries like mad (2-3 days instead of 7), and the adjustable Bluetooth seemed to always be on the wrong setting for me. I finally deleted it and went back to just using the "normal" or "quiet" button on the aid if needed.

We love Costco for many things, but their medical services did not work well when we tried them for glasses. It's been several years, but they had limitations on what lens materials & coatings they sold, and they used a brand of progressive lenses (bifocals) that's "just as good as Varilux". They weren't even close to being as good for me. We redid the eye tests and remade the lenses, but the new Costco lenses were just as bad for me as the first set. Went to a local optician and got glasses that allowed me to see again.

How long ago was that? I’ve found the Costco glasses are excellent, and my prescription is complicated with progressive lenses and a strong astigmatism. I’d highly recommend them for purchasing glasses. I do get my prescription from a different optometrist.

 

[Gearhead Jim]

^^^^
It was about 3-4 years ago at Costco.
Before that, we had been using a local optometrist. The glasses and service were good but the prices seemed to be rising too rapidly.
We then tried Costco, with the results I posted.
So we switched to a different local optometrist, the prices came down substantially (but not quite as low as Costco), the service got better, and the glasses are the best I've ever had.
YMMV

 

[Time2]

The "How much do I annoy others?" consideration is a factor in the "buy" column.

With some people, HA's have no bearing on that situation!

 

[Z3Dreamer]

There will be a new sheriff in town:

Sony Will Enter Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Market
Sony's partnership with a hearing aid manufacturer helps mark the start of a new era in the hearing health industry.

This is from a September 13 story at CNET.
https://www.cnet.com/health/medical/sony-will-enter-over-the-counter-hearing-aid-market/

The surprising thing to me is that the legislation that allowed it was made law in 2017. Regs just came out in mid 2022.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

How do I know it was 2017? I don't, but it is called the "Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017".

 

[dadu007]

There will be a new sheriff in town:

Sony Will Enter Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Market

OTC will definitely change the game.

Can I quote myself and say, "Told ya." ?

 

[Z3Dreamer]

Nothing on this post since 9/15. I have used my browser to find stories on this subject. Most stories I read clearly indicate that the journalist doesn't know anything about the subject. They are only adding a sensational headline to a quote by someone with an agenda. What a surprise.

My point of reference: I have mild to moderate hearing loss. My insurance will get me hearing aids with a huge range of co-pays. $375 to $1.425 per pair. Hearing Center at my audiologist recommends the Phonak Paradise.

Someone I know wants the latest and greatest. He has a pricey set of Sonic Innovations Radiant 100 miniRITE TR (V5261). His audiologist says the Phonak Paradise are old technology from 2020. Hint, 2020 technology is OK with me, maybe.

The dominant player recommended by this group is Costco. I will evaluate them.

Features that appeal to me: Rechargeable batteries with a long life. Can be adjusted by my android phone, not just IOS. Bluetooth to at least 2 devices at the same time. Ability to cut out background noise in restaurant or other type of noisy room.

Question: Anyone have any real life experience with the changes in the marketplace due to changes in regulations?

 

[Souschef]

I have Phonak hearing aids. I got the midrange ones since I am retired and do not need all the bells and whistles.
They are Bluetooth enabled and are paired to my smartphone and my TV with an adapter.
As far as batteries go, I opted for regular batteries as opposed to rechargeable, My reasoning was- what happens if you run out of charge somewhere.

 

[Koolau]

Heh, heh, slightly off topic, but I visited my doc (well, one of 'em) the other day. One of his hearing aids went ballistic (screeching) and he had to remove it. Here I thought a doc would know how to keep his HAs functioning in a quiet setting. Not much hope for me as I want to begin the slog toward getting my own HAs. It doesn't look too promising.

 

[Sunset]

I read some news item about OTC (over the counter) hearing aids, (the new approved by Congress type).
Very keen I went to walmart.com but while they have a web page, it was blank...

Maybe in a few months they will common, I didn't try else where like CVS/Walgreens.

I like the suggested fact in the story, that many will come with 45 day free return policy, and cost ~300 for a pair. No kidding since I can buy a cell phone for that price and it's much more complex!

 

[Koolau]

I read some news item about OTC (over the counter) hearing aids, (the new approved by Congress type).
Very keen I went to walmart.com but while they have a web page, it was blank...

Maybe in a few months they will common, I didn't try else where like CVS/Walgreens.

I like the suggested fact in the story, that many will come with 45 day free return policy, and cost ~300 for a pair. No kidding since I can buy a cell phone for that price and it's much more complex!

Let us hope that the HAs will be a bit smaller than a cell phone. I recall a relative ca 1950s who had a hearing aid the size of a cell phone. It went in his shirt pocket and a little twisty wire went to the ear phone stuck in his ear. It was really fun watching him talk on the phone - he had it down pat, but I had to think about it for a minute or two (age, perhaps 7?)

 

[John Galt III]

I read some news item about OTC (over the counter) hearing aids, (the new approved by Congress type).
Very keen I went to walmart.com but while they have a web page, it was blank...

Maybe in a few months they will common, I didn't try else where like CVS/Walgreens.

I like the suggested fact in the story, that many will come with 45 day free return policy, and cost ~300 for a pair. No kidding since I can buy a cell phone for that price and it's much more complex!

I went to my local brick and mortar Walmart two days ago and asked if they had the new over the counter hearing aids. Nope. Said to try the Supercenter Walmart 7 miles away. I have not gone there yet. I won't call, since no one ever answers the phone anyway, lol.

 

[Sunset]

Let us hope that the HAs will be a bit smaller than a cell phone. I recall a relative ca 1950s who had a hearing aid the size of a cell phone. It went in his shirt pocket and a little twisty wire went to the ear phone stuck in his ear. It was really fun watching him talk on the phone - he had it down pat, but I had to think about it for a minute or two (age, perhaps 7?)

Hearing aids have come a long way. I also had a friend many many decades ago, that wore a cloth harness under his shirt, and his hearing aid was in a pocket in the middle of his chest held there by the harness.

The new ones are normal size, over the ear and in the ear type. Probably really the same company as the audiologists sell, only 90% less.

 

[Koolau]

Hearing aids have come a long way. I also had a friend many many decades ago, that wore a cloth harness under his shirt, and his hearing aid was in a pocket in the middle of his chest held there by the harness.

The new ones are normal size, over the ear and in the ear type. Probably really the same company as the audiologists sell, only 90% less.

I wonder if you need the audiologist to set the unit for you. Knowing where the losses are and compensating for them might take a bit of experience. Simply having even sophisticated HAs doesn't mean one could necessarily make them work properly. An instruction sheet would be a start, but I'm guessing there is a knack as well. Just wondering so YMMV.

 

[frank]

hyvee food stores are setting up audiology testing booths and hearing aid sales in some of their stores around iowa and minnesota. I got a flu shot yesterday and got a conversation going with the lady giving the shot and she was telling me about the hearing aids, she guessed around 500 and up, but didn't know how far up went.

 

[Venturer]

I wonder if you need the audiologist to set the unit for you. Knowing where the losses are and compensating for them might take a bit of experience. Simply having even sophisticated HAs doesn't mean one could necessarily make them work properly. An instruction sheet would be a start, but I'm guessing there is a knack as well. Just wondering so YMMV.

You are wondering rightly. I have had 4 sets of aids since 2007 when I finally decided to try them. The set I currently have are my 2nd set from Costco. They are definatly the best so far. I can herar and answer the phone on them, listen to the Apple carplay GPS directions, and for me the best feature is hearing and understanding the TV without blasting my wife out while watching. Now are they perfect? No but my DW will attest that if they quit working completely today we would imediatly head for Costco to get me more. Unlike Glasses HA do not restore 20/20 hearing if you want to call it that. But the help enough to make a big differance. But I don't know if I would be able to do a lot of good with the new DIY stuff-just like I couldn't get my glasses to correct my sight. I can and do pick up "reading" glasses cheaply but I don't wear them all the time.

 

[Sunset]

I'm just guessing here, but when I go to the eye doc, the actual eye prescription part of the exam (not the glaucoma, looking for retina health, etc) is done by putting lots of lens in front of my eyes and asking me, "which is better 1 or 2" ?

Any hearing tests I've had, they also ask me, can you hear this ? , this ? etc.

Since both of these methods of correcting vision and hearing testing rely on the subjective user input I'd be willing to try to adjust the settings of hearing aids myself given a simple phone app to do it.

 

[Pluperfect]

Unlike Glasses HA do not restore 20/20 hearing if you want to call it that.

And yet they're marketed as giving you better than 20/20 hearing, for example by claiming they can reduce background noise to make it so you can hear a specific conversation in a noisy restaurant. They can't perform miracles.

My suggestion is to keep your expectations in line with how they benefit Venturer, like being able to hear the TV without blasting everybody out, or understanding the grocery store cashier's small talk. For people with mild to moderate hearing loss, it can make life vastly easier, and it's a shame to forgo that benefit due to frustration that they don't perform as (over)promised.

 

[Koolau]

You are wondering rightly. I have had 4 sets of aids since 2007 when I finally decided to try them. The set I currently have are my 2nd set from Costco. They are definatly the best so far. I can herar and answer the phone on them, listen to the Apple carplay GPS directions, and for me the best feature is hearing and understanding the TV without blasting my wife out while watching. Now are they perfect? No but my DW will attest that if they quit working completely today we would imediatly head for Costco to get me more. Unlike Glasses HA do not restore 20/20 hearing if you want to call it that. But the help enough to make a big differance. But I don't know if I would be able to do a lot of good with the new DIY stuff-just like I couldn't get my glasses to correct my sight. I can and do pick up "reading" glasses cheaply but I don't wear them all the time.

This is an excellent endorsement. Thanks.

If your DW likes the results, the HAs MUST be good. DW is pushing me to get HAs - primarily because of TV!

 

[Koolau]

And yet they're marketed as giving you better than 20/20 hearing, for example by claiming they can reduce background noise to make it so you can hear a specific conversation in a noisy restaurant. They can't perform miracles.

My suggestion is to keep your expectations in line with how they benefit Venturer, like being able to hear the TV without blasting everybody out, or understanding the grocery store cashier's small talk. For people with mild to moderate hearing loss, it can make life vastly easier, and it's a shame to forgo that benefit due to frustration that they don't perform as (over)promised.

Yeah, I think you are right to temper my expectations. I'm at that stage where I still hear "sound" but can't distinguish consonant sounds very well. My "worry" is that I'll end up with being "blasted" with sound. That happened when I tried HAs (at a Sams club) several years ago. I think I've been frightened off by that incident. But, I just can't put it off much longer.

Thanks for everyone's help and understanding for those of us on the fence about HAs.

 

[Murf2]

I had the Sams Club HA experience also. That place is not a good place to experience the hearing you’ve been missing for years! Crazy loud but…
I don’t know anyone personally that was able to just stick em in their ears set on full stun and take the pain.[emoji16]
It’s a process, usually a long process. I’ve had mine about 4 yrs now and I’m finally comfortable at my full hearing settings. Wearing them set where you are comfortable is OK and definitely better than going without.
I smile when I see people say “ I can hear. I just have trouble with consonants and hearing in a crowd.”
I thought the same thing. Now when I take my aids out I realize how big of loss I really have.

Whatever you decide, I wish you luck. It is a very personal experience.

Good luck!
Murf

 

[Koolau]

I had the Sams Club HA experience also. That place is not a good place to experience the hearing you’ve been missing for years! Crazy loud but…
I don’t know anyone personally that was able to just stick em in their ears set on full stun and take the pain.[emoji16]
It’s a process, usually a long process. I’ve had mine about 4 yrs now and I’m finally comfortable at my full hearing settings. Wearing them set where you are comfortable is OK and definitely better than going without.
I smile when I see people say “ I can hear. I just have trouble with consonants and hearing in a crowd.”
I thought the same thing. Now when I take my aids out I realize how big of loss I really have.

Whatever you decide, I wish you luck. It is a very personal experience.

Good luck!
Murf

Thanks for relating your experience. I will try to temper my expectations - and count my blessings that the technology has advanced so far since my uncle had the "transistor radio sized" HA back in the day.

 

[Sunset]

A question for folks with hearing aids, does the hearing aid make sound hear like it used to hear , or is it a really artificial ( ex: tinny) sound ?