Hearing Aids

[BigAl52]

I know some of you wear them. I think Ernie comes to mind. I looked for previous posts on hearing aids couldnt find it in a search. I got new ones yesterday from a local ear care office. Ive had some for 3 years bought them from Costco. My left one failed right when the warranty expired and now while the left one is getting fixed the right one has failed. Costco is fixing the left one for free. I will see if they will fix the right one. During my time with the Costco hearing aids they worked ok for the first couple years but I dont think they have near the efficiency as my new ones. I also know I didnt get very good customer service from the Costco hearing aid people. The new place has already exceeded my expectations. I had issues when I was out of town and no Costco in the area. They refused to mail me a needed part. Its a more friendly place at home to because when I said huh the look on my wifes face wasnt to nice.

[daytime dave]

I'm going for a hearing test tomorrow with a doctor. I imagine they are in my near future.

[Headhog]

I've had my Costco hearing aides for almost 4 years now and have had a very good experience with them. I've had the left speaker replace twice and the right one replaced once at no charge. Last time I needed some replacement ear cushions and little filters they gave me a years supply, no questions asked. I do notice that they will not last all day now on a single charge. So I just put them in when I first get up, then put them back to charge after breakfast when I go to shower. From there they are good till I go to sleep.

Overall I've been very pleased with my Costco hearing aides, but your mileage may vary.

Paul

[Ernie]

Don't have the rechargeable for that reason. I too ask for and get parts in advance so I can change out what I need. Sent in the previous pair before the warranty ran out and had them rebuilt at no cost so I have a back up.
Not real sold on my current pair, I don't think they are as good as some previous ones. My service person keeps telling me my hearing is getting worse while showing me graphs to prove it, and "only so much can be done". I have read that AI has been added to a new release that can make a big difference with speech comprehension (which is what it is all about anyway) and I may try a pair in the store to see if I am interested. It can't be my hearing, it must be the aids.

[BigAl52]

The people at Costco are not audiologist. Ive never at Costco been shown what I was shown when I went to this one. She was very personable from the start even before I decided to buy from her. Her customer service from the start was what convinced me to buy from her. Did I pay more than Costco? Yup sure did but I have a better warranty with her and if Im in Texas and need a part it will be taken care of unlike Costco. Ill pay extra for some customer service.

[cooperhawk]

I have an advantage as I am a vet and get mine free from the VA, in fact I just got a new set and the difference is remarkable. They gave me a choice over what I had previously and a new type they have available. I went with the new type.

The new ones have dual processors in each ear. Voices are clearer but what I like the most is I can hear conversations going on beside me as well. As usual I can control them with my smart phone and there are several parameters that I can adjust, or just use some standard settings that they recommend.

The VA issues new ones every three years or so.

[BigAl52]

I have an advantage as I am a vet and get mine free from the VA, in fact I just got a new set and the difference is remarkable. They gave me a choice over what I had previously and a new type they have available. I went with the new type.

The new ones have dual processors in each ear. Voices are clearer but what I like the most is I can hear conversations going on beside me as well. As usual I can control them with my smart phone and there are several parameters that I can adjust, or just use some standard settings that they recommend.

The VA issues new ones every three years or so.

Im all for it Coop we should take care of the vets.

[daytime dave]

I have an advantage as I am a vet and get mine free from the VA, in fact I just got a new set and the difference is remarkable. They gave me a choice over what I had previously and a new type they have available. I went with the new type.

The new ones have dual processors in each ear. Voices are clearer but what I like the most is I can hear conversations going on beside me as well. As usual I can control them with my smart phone and there are several parameters that I can adjust, or just use some standard settings that they recommend.

The VA issues new ones every three years or so.

Im all for it Coop we should take care of the vets.

I'll second that motion!

[clovishound]

I didn't know the VA issued hearing aids. I've never used the VA, as I had good insurance during my working career, and I'm retired from the reserves, so Tricare has paid very well since I reached 60. I'm not sure what Tricare for Life would pay on hearing aids, and I see the writing on the wall for my needing them at some point. OK, I just looked it up, and apparently Tricare doesn't cover the cost of hearing aids. Not sure if it would be worth the hassle of signing up for VA just for hearing aids, but I may look into it when the time comes, depending on out of pocket costs for them.

[Mags]

I didn't know the VA issued hearing aids. I've never used the VA, as I had good insurance during my working career, and I'm retired from the reserves, so Tricare has paid very well since I reached 60. I'm not sure what Tricare for Life would pay on hearing aids, and I see the writing on the wall for my needing them at some point. OK, I just looked it up, and apparently Tricare doesn't cover the cost of hearing aids. Not sure if it would be worth the hassle of signing up for VA just for hearing aids, but I may look into it when the time comes, depending on out of pocket costs for them.

I think you'll be shocked at the price.

[cooperhawk]

Not sure if it would be worth the hassle of signing up for VA just for hearing aids, but I may look into it when the time comes, depending on out of pocket costs for them.

I don't know about your area but where I live the county has VA Reps that assist you in getting enrolled with the VA. What they will do is schedule a VA Physical and then issue a VA ID card. From there on you're in the system.

I scheduled a visit and hearing test with the VA Audiologist and they determined that I was deaf in the frequencies of gun fire and turbine engines which qualified me for hearing aids. Now I get new ones every three or four years and they are top of the line.

They also told me that those frequencies were the same a children and women's voices. I asked for that in writing and they wrote it down and I took it home to Carol. She said, "I already knew that". She asked me one time, "Why do I always have to repeat everything?". I replied, "What?"

[BigAl52]

Ya what is a four letter word but I never thought it would fall into that category of one you dont want to say very often

[BigAl52]

I got a little bit of a discount with my Medicare Advantage plan. The hearing aids I bought cost 3K. I could have gone clear to 5500. But if I was a vet there is no question I would take the time to sign up if I got them for free. It would be well worth my time especially to have them replaced for free every 3 years

[clovishound]

I don't know about your area but where I live the county has VA Reps that assist you in getting enrolled with the VA. What they will do is schedule a VA Physical and then issue a VA ID card. From there on you're in the system.

I scheduled a visit and hearing test with the VA Audiologist and they determined that I was deaf in the frequencies of gun fire and turbine engines which qualified me for hearing aids. Now I get new ones every three or four years and they are top of the line.

We have two VA facilities in my area. I could probably get a small percentage disability for hearing (I was aircrew my whole career), and high blood pressure. I have white coat syndrome and was on BP medication when I was on active duty. I'm back on it now, but it's just genetics and aging IMO. Hearing loss could be due to time around aircraft engines, or noisy machines I worked around in my postal career, or aging. Likely it's a combo. I've had tinnitus for as long as I can remember.

[Mags]

I got a little bit of a discount with my Medicare Advantage plan. The hearing aids I bought cost 3K. I could have gone clear to 5500. But if I was a vet there is no question I would take the time to sign up if I got them for free. It would be well worth my time especially to have them replaced for free every 3 years

What's maddening is the price gouging. Total parts cost (excluding the batteries) are likely in the $2-3 range with manufacturing costs upwards of $10-11 for a pair. Retail a pair should sell for under $100.

[daytime dave]

I had my hearing test at the audiologist's today. I now have to see an ear, nose and throat person as there may be a physical issue in one ear.
Oh yes, I also need hearing aids. My insurance will pay about 1/5 th of the price of the recommended top of the line hearing aids.
It's funny, like Coop, the audiologist said I have difficulty hearing women and children. lol, after reading coop's post this morning, I asked her to put it in writing. She did!

[BigAl52]

My hearing aids are Starkey. You can tune and control them with your phone. I don’t know what else I would want as so far Im totally impressed with how much better I can hear. I think they are a step or two above the ones from Costco in quality. And I can hear my wife just fine

[BigAl52]

I had my hearing test at the audiologist's today. I now have to see an ear, nose and throat person as there may be a physical issue in one ear.
Oh yes, I also need hearing aids. My insurance will pay about 1/5 th of the price of the recommended top of the line hearing aids.
It's funny, like Coop, the audiologist said I have difficulty hearing women and children. lol, after reading coop's post this morning, I asked her to put it in writing. She did!

Good luck Dave hope its nothing serious in the ear. If you get some aids you are going to be amazed at what you weren’t hearing

[Mags]

.... And I can hear my wife just fine

Just don't let her know that

[cooperhawk]

I could probably get a small percentage disability for hearing (I was aircrew my whole career), and high blood pressure. I've had tinnitus for as long as I can remember.

Tinnitus and air crew should get you a 10% disability just on that, and free hearing aids.
That also gets you into the VA system for other things.