Cheap, Cheap Hearing "Aids"

[Brat]

I worked construction all my life and annual hearing tests showed I would need them at some point so by mid 50's I had to get passed the vanity issue and get them. My ENT (otolaryngologist) finally convinced me and suggested where to go. Cost was a substantial but I was able to find them where I live for about 1/2 for the exact same brand and model.

They took no time to get used to except for some discomfort if I would wear them too long. These are the tiny behind the ear with the little tube kind.

But the amazing thing is that when I wear them regularly (I don't always) my tinnitus gets markedly better. Dr. says that happens for some folks and it is a great benefit.

Now have a new problem. the over the ear covid masks get tangled up in them so much be very careful when I take the mask off as it can take the hearing aid with it....

DH has this problem if he isn't taking time to untangle them. Choose the mask that is behind the head.

Oh, if you have a dog be sure to keep them where s/he can't get to them. Your scent is irresistible.

 

[dadu007]

It is annoying when one considers a hearing aid is: mic, speaker, audio circuit, battery power circuit as the main components.

Compared to a cell phone which has that and a lot more inside.

Cell phones easily priced at $100 (ok not you apple folks), and hearing aids at ~$2K each

Ok, and apologies for stepping on your toes, but this is statement reveals a poor understanding of the technology in current state-of-the-art hearing aids (e.g. Phonak, Oticon, Signia, Resound).

- All these manufacturers have DECADES of real acoustic and (recently) digital signal processing research that underlies the sound processing in their hearing aids. It is not just an "audio circuit" that simply amplifies sound linearly with clipping. Like in a $49 "hearing aid". Who pays for that research?
- For suppression of steady state background noise in the presence of speech, you need two microphones that are acoustically matched within extreme tolerances. Those are not used in a $49 "hearing aid".
- You also need DSP, digital signal processing, on a chip in the hearing aid. It's literally a sound processing computer on a chip inside the hearing aids. The algorithms are constantly fine-tuned and improved, based on research, with each model release. A $49 "hearing aid" is a simple linear amplifier on a chip, even if it's "digital".
- Ingress Protection ratings of IP68 (against water, dust...think weather-sealed, like in cameras)
- Bluetooth integration with both iPhones and Android phones WITH apps, along with streaming accessories for your TV, which are CONSTANTLY changing and updated. Who's going to test that? You need teams of engineers.
- Remote hearing aid programming. Some brands offer this. Useful in COVID times when the clinician can reprogram your hearing aid from their office while you're at home on your wifi network.
- Custom fine-tuning available by the hearing care professional/audiologist on a very granular level for YOUR hearing loss. Not available in a $49 "hearing aid".

So, yeah, I'm sorry, that is such a Baby Boomer-esque complaint that I really tire of hearing...that a product's price should be based on the on the actual total $$ amount of the sum of its physical component parts. Would you say that about a car? Ask a Mercedes or GM engineer what they think...

Costco's hearing aids are a screaming deal, btw. Other audiologists may charge more, but you're getting concierge-level service in some cases.

(Costcos are WAY too busy for that white glove service, and you need an appointment for any testing, fitting, and service.)

And, yes, you can't just walk in to a VA and walk out with hearing aids. You must get set up in the VA Health Care system, get an audiology appt for the hearing test, get your hearing tested, and, yes, your hearing loss must meet certain criteria to qualify for hearing aids. Sadly, if you're inquiring, you probably DO have hearing loss sufficient to qualify, but you must jump through the hoops to get them.

See this: https://www.healthyhearing.com/help/hearing-aids/va

Excerpt:

Once approved for VA health care benefits, all Veterans "shall receive a hearing evaluation by a state-licensed audiologist to determine the need for hearing aids," according to the VA's 2014 directive for eye and ear care. However, not every veteran will necessarily receive hearing aids. As the directive explains (page 1-2), the following veterans are most likely to receive hearing aid care are:

"Those with any compensable service connected disability.
Those who are former Prisoners of War.
Those who were awarded a Purple Heart.
Those in receipt of benefits under 38 U.S.C. 1151.
Those in receipt of an increased pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance or by reason of being permanently house-bound.
Those who have a visual or hearing impairment resulting from the existence of another medical condition for which the Veteran is receiving VA care, or which resulted from treatment of that medical condition.
Those with significant functional or cognitive impairment evidenced by deficiencies in activities of daily living, but not including normally occurring visual or hearing impairments.
Those visually or hearing impaired so severely that the provision of sensori-neural aids is necessary to permit active participation in their own medical treatment."
Page 3 of the directive further explains what levels of hearing loss meets the criteria for an audiologist to prescribe hearing aids in this group.

 

[blue.zapfel]

Like many of the others, I went through the VA, I also have high frequency hearing loss after 21 years in the Air Force. Although, I would attribute it to loud music.

I also couldn't hear women or children very well. My wife was so tired of my first response to anything she said, was for her to repeat what she just said. Audiologist also told me I had "selective" hearing "wink, wink".

So I also got "6k" hearing aids through the VA. The first day or two was very "tingey" , but I could hear my wife! Life changer! I could hear birds singing, didn't even realize I was missing that.

Now as soon as I don't understand my wife the first time, she asks if I have my hearing aids in.

It's interesting you had such good result at that price point, but I assume it just amplifies everything, not just what you need. But for that price, why not!

Cheers, Chris

I think this has been brought up before, but I have trouble hearing my wife, but when I was having breakfast with the guys, I had no trouble hearing the conversation. The audiologist said that I had selective hearing with a grin. I have a lot of high frequency loss, but the audiologist said it would be a waste to get hearing aids.

Something I think is neat is a cellphone app called Live Transcribe. You start the app and anything said within range is written out in text on your phone screen.
It was a few tweaks you can make to customize it for your setting.
https://www.android.com/accessibility/live-transcribe/

If we ever have get together breakfasts again, I'm going to suggest it to one of the fellows. To many times he has misheard something and starts taking about something that makes no sense, I'm sure he's not senile, he just doesn't hear properly.

 

[JoeWras]

For the last 15 years of his life, dad used VA hearing aids. He was a WWII Purple Heart vet, so I think his approval was pretty easy.

After he got used to them, he loved them. They were a game changer for all of us.

I did learn about government/military efficiency, though. Dad stepped on one of them. We called, and they said, "Bring it in for repair." So we collected all the little pieces, some like dust. (He really crunched them.)

After walking a labyrinth through the VA, I finally made it down into the 3rd level basement, and presented my hearing aid dust to the clerk, who was behind a window. She said, "Go over there, fill out the form, drop it in the box." There was this little box attached to a basement pillar. The form was just his name and address on a little white envelope. We filled it out, and deposited the hearing aid dust into the envelope, then deposited the envelope in the box.

Two weeks later dad got 2 brand new hearing aids in the mail. He was very happy. Gotta "love" the process, though. It sure isn't like visiting your local high paid hearing aid store. And maybe that's OK.

 

[blue.zapfel]

For people with VA hearing aids, you could have gone on the VA website and they would have sent you that box/envelope to send them in for repair to his house.

You can also get free batteries, wax guards and the rubber domes by emailing dalc.css@va.gov, just have to provide your info in the email to them.

Cheers!

For the last 15 years of his life, dad used VA hearing aids. He was a WWII Purple Heart vet, so I think his approval was pretty easy.

After he got used to them, he loved them. They were a game changer for all of us.

I did learn about government/military efficiency, though. Dad stepped on one of them. We called, and they said, "Bring it in for repair." So we collected all the little pieces, some like dust. (He really crunched them.)

After walking a labyrinth through the VA, I finally made it down into the 3rd level basement, and presented my hearing aid dust to the clerk, who was behind a window. She said, "Go over there, fill out the form, drop it in the box." There was this little box attached to a basement pillar. The form was just his name and address on a little white envelope. We filled it out, and deposited the hearing aid dust into the envelope, then deposited the envelope in the box.

Two weeks later dad got 2 brand new hearing aids in the mail. He was very happy. Gotta "love" the process, though. It sure isn't like visiting your local high paid hearing aid store. And maybe that's OK.

 

[Sunset]

Ok, and apologies for stepping on your toes, but this is statement reveals a poor understanding of the technology in current state-of-the-art hearing aids (e.g. Phonak, Oticon, Signia, Resound).

.....
So, yeah, I'm sorry, that is such a Baby Boomer-esque complaint that I really tire of hearing...that a product's price should be based on the on the actual total $$ amount of the sum of its physical component parts. Would you say that about a car? Ask a Mercedes or GM engineer what they think...

....

Seems more like I stepped on your toes.

You attributed a number of things to me that I didn't say, but it did help your arguments.

I still believe a cell phone example moto g6 , is far more complex and complicated than any hearing aid. By the way cell phones do use DSP's along with a multitude of other chips.

Yet these same cell phones can sell for a $200 vs $2,000 for a hearing aid.

Now that the market has become more open, with removal of the monopoly on hearing aid selling, I can guess in future years the price of a hearing aid will become more reasonable.

Something I suppose audiologists don't want to hear

 

[JoeWras]

For people with VA hearing aids, you could have gone on the VA website and they would have sent you that box/envelope to send them in for repair to his house.

You can also get free batteries, wax guards and the rubber domes by emailing dalc.css@va.gov, just have to provide your info in the email to them.

Cheers!

That's good info for people perusing this thread.

My story was from 2012. I'm not even sure the VA had a web site then. <just kidding, sort of>

Even in 2012, the service seemed so old fashioned... but I admit it worked and Dad was happy. He kept his old pair which didn't work as well just for gaps like that.

I don't want to mix up the current health care thread with this too much, but I see this as an example of keeping costs down. Part of health care rise is the "I want it all NOW, with concierge service." Well sometimes that's just wasteful.

 

[Potstickers]

I use behind the ear Costco sourced hearing aids, battery type. Did a little testing and found that opening the battery doors at night to make the batteries last longer helped - but only by a matter of a few hours. Instead, I have been just taking the aids out at night, leaving them in operable mode, and find that I get a real consistent 3 days/ battery change. A 60 battery Costco HA battery pack lasts me 3 months and costs about $10. This I can afford, especially since I open and close the fragile little battery doors a bunch. Risk of breakage: greatly reduced.

I open the battery doors at night because I want my cellphone to ring if a call comes through. It wouldn't have been an issue before we got rid of the home phone, but now cell phones are our only connection.

I get about 2.5 days out of a pair of batteries. But, as you say, the batteries are cheap. I don't worry about it -- but I do have batteries stashed in the car, my purse, and my office.

 

[JoeWras]

A friend recently got hearing aids with the bluetooth hook up. Sometimes we work on projects together.

It is disturbing to see him go off into a corner and "talk to himself."

Actually, he is trying to come up with a protocol to be more discreet about this. He says he has freaked out a lot of people like this.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

the most expensive hearing aid in the world will be cheaper then the divorce when I leave and take everything because my husband said "what?" at the wrong moment. When we surpass my tolerance of "whats" our butts will be down at the VA.

 

[garyt]

Didn't read the whole thread, but is anybody using the cheap ones the OP posted about? Something you just buy and use without an exam? My Dad could use them but there's no way I could get him to an exam. He's a veteran but has never used the benefits. So any over the counter types that work somewhat?

 

[Murf2]

I open the battery doors at night because I want my cellphone to ring if a call comes through. It wouldn't have been an issue before we got rid of the home phone, but now cell phones are our only connection.



I get about 2.5 days out of a pair of batteries. But, as you say, the batteries are cheap. I don't worry about it -- but I do have batteries stashed in the car, my purse, and my office.

I assume you are using smaller aids that use 312 size batteries.
I went with aids that use the larger #13 batteries. I change my batteries every 6-7 days. I wear them from 6-12 usually and open the doors and put them in a dryer every night. I don’t mind the slightly larger size aids but I am a fairly larger guy.

 

[troutnut1]

Costco recently re-tested my 5 year old (now discontinued) hearing aids, adjusted them, cleaned them, told me how many hours I had on them (lots and lots), and then sent me on my way for FREE. How many hearing aid places would do that?

 

[REWahoo]

I get about 2.5 days out of a pair of batteries. But, as you say, the batteries are cheap. I don't worry about it -- but I do have batteries stashed in the car, my purse, and my office.

I assume you are using smaller aids that use 312 size batteries.
I went with aids that use the larger #13 batteries. I change my batteries every 6-7 days. I wear them from 6-12 usually and open the doors and put them in a dryer every night. I don’t mind the slightly larger size aids but I am a fairly larger guy.

My Cosco HA's use the smaller 312 batteries and I open them (turn them off) every night. I wear them about 14 hours a day and batteries last about five days. A $9 48-pack of batteries lasts me 4 months.

 

[Souschef]

I assume you are using smaller aids that use 312 size batteries.
I went with aids that use the larger #13 batteries. I change my batteries every 6-7 days. I wear them from 6-12 usually and open the doors and put them in a dryer every night. I don’t mind the slightly larger size aids but I am a fairly larger guy.

Autocorrect strikes again!!

 

[REWahoo]

Autocorrect strikes again!!

Maybe not.

I use a dryer similar to this, and Murph probably does as well: Electronic Kapak Ultra Violet C clean hearing aid dryer and dehumidifier automatic dry case

 

[Souschef]

I'll be darned. I never heard of them, and my audiologist never mentioned them. Thanks.

 

[Sunset]

Didn't read the whole thread, but is anybody using the cheap ones the OP posted about? Something you just buy and use without an exam? My Dad could use them but there's no way I could get him to an exam. He's a veteran but has never used the benefits. So any over the counter types that work somewhat?

Read the beginning part of the thread. No exam needed, it's similar to buying reading glasses at the gas station, cheap, easy, and if you find it makes it better for you, then it works.

 

[MisterBill]

Is anyone familiar with TruHearing and United Healthcare's hearing aid benefit? I am in the process of going on Medicare (as of Sunday). In my area, MVP offers both free and $124/mo Medicare Advantage plans with hearing aid benefits offered through TruHearing. I signed up for the better plan because the co-pay on hearing aids was $200 less per ear than the free plan and I only need to be on it for two months in 2020. They offer two levels of hearing aids, the audiologist I met with last week in preparation for going on the plan suggested the better one and said that the units they sell (which are rebranded) are very good. That would cost me $799 per ear. I could get the cheaper ones for $499 per ear. Sadly, neither unit supports Android phones without an extra charge accessory.

United Healthcare's plan is confusing because they just tell you a co-pay range ($375-2000 per ear, I believe) but don't tell you what the units are.

I looked into Costco but their units do not mask tinnitus, which I have and would like to address (I've checked with them multiple times). That was actually the reason I first went to an audiologist a few years ago and was surprised to find that she found mild-moderate hearing loss. I didn't get hearing aids at the time because my insurance did not cover them and it didn't bother me enough to spend big bucks on. Now that I'll have coverage through my Medicare Advantage plan I figure it's a good time to do something about it.

 

[GravitySucks]

Didn't read the whole thread, but is anybody using the cheap ones the OP posted about? Something you just buy and use without an exam? My Dad could use them but there's no way I could get him to an exam. He's a veteran but has never used the benefits. So any over the counter types that work somewhat?

They work. Sort of. A lot of wind noise when outside. Not greatest sound quality. But they do work.
I ordered the cheapest Audien's and they tried up selling, a day later I got an email saying for that the cheapest ones are out of stock and for free they're upgrading me to the top of the line. Im betting anyone that orders the cheapest gets the top of the line.
The recharged are easy to use and the battery holds its charge.
For $75 its worth a try for your Dad. 30 day returns if he doesnt like them.
https://audienhearing.com/pages/ev1

 

[kannon]

Have been a hearing aid wearer for 40 plus years. I say this whole heartedly - don't skimp on the cost. Somethings you get what you paid for, HAs are one. I have been very pleased with my Costco's KS9 - I think $1600 a pair. Digital, bluetooth. The staff is great. You can try and decide after 90 days. Highly recommend. Hearing is like good food, some things are worth the cost. Outside of Costo, TruHearing has great prices and service. Be careful with a lot of HA Specialty stores, just very very expensive for the same hearing aids from TruHearing (you can Google for a price list). Good luck.