Hearing Aid Question...

[Panik]

Was reading posts this morning over coffee and came across one that got me to thinking about a topic I've been avoiding.

In addition to a number of other things, I've been a scientist for an industrial chemical remediation firm and a zookeeper. Two of the occupational hazards with those have been working around a lot of heavy equipment (dozers/loaders, shears/ram-hoes) and a rare bird/parrot breeding facility (lots of horny, defensive screaming birds). I also extensively involved in competitive shooting from roughly 9-21 years old.

Point being that I'm 47 and about 6 years ago I took a hearing test with the audiologist that shares the building with my ENT. Despite being reasonably conscientious about wearing hearing protection throughout my life my hearing is bad enough that I should be wearing a hearing aid in my left ear and could also wear one in my right ear if I wanted. I've avoided getting hear aids because I've always considered them to be cost-prohibitive and there have been other priorities - the needs of my 3 children and health costs stemming from my wife's auto-immune disorder.

With the OTC vs prescription regulatory changes for hearing devices in 2022/2023 I was wondering if anyone had a sense of the current costs for hearing aids?.... and or suggestions for more budgets minded hearing devices?

 

[5030]

Mine cost me 50 bucks and that included everything and they are high quality but then I have Federal Employees BC/BS and it paid for everything but that initial exam which I did in the hospital audio lab. Mine are Phonax and come with a cell phone AP that I can set to deliver the sensitivity I require. When I got them, I had my choice between 4 different ones. I took the median set. Quite happy with them actually but when I shoot (often), I wear Walkers Game Ears.

 

[Panik]

That's amazing!... and thank you for sharing. For some reasons I've had it in my mind that decent aids cost thousands of dollars and there was absolutely no opportunity for coverage by insurance as a general rule.

Obviously coverage varies by employer, insurer and plan, but I'm on municipal BC/BS and it gives me a bit of hope. I get by reasonably well right now, and everyone at work is understanding. However it does get in the way socially at times..... kinda sucks being present in multi-person conversations but not really being able to participate because while I can generally hear someone talking there's often a lag while I have to process and play "fill in the blank" for the words I couldn't make out.

Truth be told, in my mid-20's I stopped going to bars with friends because any conversation was a lost cause.

 

[5030]

Call your BC/BS provider and ask them if they will cover them. You'll have to take a hearing test to qualify, what I did.

Seen them for sale in the newspaper and they all are expensive to boot. I was pleasantly surprised that our healthcare plan covered the cost as well, but they did, other than the initial visit and like I said, got mine through the hospital hearing clinic. Real happy with mine, especially the phone AP that makes them fully adjustable and mine came with a charging case as well as extra 'thingies' that go in your ear.

 

[5030]

Don't wear them all the time. Sometimes I don't want to hear everything...lol

 

[Roadworthy]

Shop the internet for OTC (over the counter) hearing aids. There are various outfits rating their choice of best. You may get by for $300 or less.

 

[5030]

In my case, 50 bucks was a lot less.... The ones I got retailed for over 2 grand and with BC/BS, follow up's are free. I see those what I consider 'sucker ads' in the paper all the time. The aids might be fairly cheap but you pay for all the follow up's.

 

[reb]

I have had 3 sets of hearing aids at about $2000 each (from Costco). My experience (yours might differ) is that over the counter aids work about as well. I have tried several otc aids, ranging from about $50 to $300. The $300 aids worked the best. The major problem is that the hearing test, and the aids, covers only the maximum frequency of about 8 khz. The maximum natural hearing is about 15 khz to 20 khz.

 

[JohnP3616]

I think it depends on how bad your hearing loss is. I have had profound hearing loss for 25 years and the only devices that work for me at all are high dollar - about $3,500 each - and my insurance doesn’t pay a dime. My current ones are 7+ years old and starting to fail. I need news one, but sure hate shelling out that kind of money. Cheaper ones just don’t work for me. I wish they did.

 

[5030]

I think it depends on how bad your hearing loss is. I have had profound hearing loss for 25 years and the only devices that work for me at all are high dollar - about $3,500 each - and my insurance doesn’t pay a dime. My current ones are 7+ years old and starting to fail. I need news one, but sure hate shelling out that kind of money. Cheaper ones just don’t work for me. I wish they did.

You need a more comprehensive health plan I'd say.

 

[JohnP3616]

Original Medicare.

 

[5030]

That explains that. I have it as well as my primary but FED Blu as my secondary. Medicare don't pay squat.

 

[ericm979]

My wife has Jabra hearing aids. She likes them much better than the Costco ones she got before the law changed. They cost less too.

 

[reb]

My wife has Jabra hearing aids. She likes them much better than the Costco ones she got before the law changed. They cost less too.

Just curiosity--my latest Costco aids are Jabra. How did you beat the Costco price?

 

[Panik]

Call your BC/BS provider and ask them if they will cover them. You'll have to take a hearing test to qualify, what I did.

Seen them for sale in the newspaper and they all are expensive to boot. I was pleasantly surprised that our healthcare plan covered the cost as well, but they did, other than the initial visit and like I said, got mine through the hospital hearing clinic. Real happy with mine, especially the phone AP that makes them fully adjustable and mine came with a charging case as well as extra 'thingies' that go in your ear.

I plan on it (insurance call & audiology exam). I know our municipality's old plans did not cover hearing devices, but the city has renegotiated the contract with our underwriter since I last explored the idea.

I like the idea of being able to play with sensitivity levels through my phone. There are days where not hearing has been a bit of a blessing in that I can focus on my work without getting distracted by everything going on around me.

Something I may also explore is iPhone EarPods & analog brands that work with iPhone. Apparently some models of both Apple branded and other iPhone compatible earbuds now have software for background noise filtering and sound amplification capabilities with custom settings..... to the point that audiologists have taken note of their potential usage as hearing devices.

Don't wear them all the time. Sometimes I don't want to hear everything...lol

LOL, I do hear that..... with a family of 6 in the household, working with college students for a living and being managed at work by an ex-game warden who is basically like an overgrown child (in a good way):

- Ignorance is bliss
- Feigning not hearing can also bliss

Truly though there are times with my wife where she has said things in conversation (typically family plans) that other people apparently clearly heard but for which I have no recollection and didn't actually hear...with the later outcome that you might expect in an 18 year marriage.

Shop the internet for OTC (over the counter) hearing aids. There are various outfits rating their choice of best. You may get by for $300 or less.

That's kinda the hope...somewhat hinges on getting an up to date hearing exam, the results of the exam and if OTC aids suit my hearing profile. Best I can remember from the last test is that the left ear was way worse than the right & that between the two the hearing degradation was pretty profound.

I think it depends on how bad your hearing loss is. I have had profound hearing loss for 25 years and the only devices that work for me at all are high dollar - about $3,500 each - and my insurance doesn’t pay a dime. My current ones are 7+ years old and starting to fail. I need news one, but sure hate shelling out that kind of money. Cheaper ones just don’t work for me. I wish they did.

You hit the nail on the head as to exactly my fears about costs and why I've not pushed the issue... Frankly, as much as I would really really like to hear better if I actually had $7K free and clear to play with I'd probably get a lot more utility out buying the parts needed for:

- Converting the FEL on my BX for implement quick-attach
- Adding a FEL third function
- A small grapple

Or

- An artificial right knee (17 dislocations & and a crude ton on bone on bone arthritis)

You need a more comprehensive health plan I'd say.

.... Too right, but then that's not always available, or if it is sometimes it's just too darned expensive and/or the cost benefit isn't there depending on life-status, plans, insurer and cost-sharing ratio with employer. (Not a political statement in any way/shape/form, or at least it's truly not meant to be one)

......Sorry, your comment brought to mind the struggles of a couple very amazing college student's I've worked with who, due to abuse/parental mental health/abandonment/etc have had to socially, and in some cases, legally self-emancipate from their parents.

I'm a biologist at an environmental education facility who works with high school & collegiate volunteers/interns..... It can be a very bitter-sweet thing to gently try and guide/coach individuals like those mentioned above in developing life-skills such as learning the various ins and outs of the U.S. healthcare & insurance system.

 

[ericm979]

Just curiosity--my latest Costco aids are Jabra. How did you beat the Costco price?

Her Costco aids were pre-Jabra.

 

[reb]

Her Costco aids were pre-Jabra.

Excuse me--I do not understand that.

 

[workinonit]

Medical insurance plans that cover hearing aids is a unicorn. VA and vet insurance does a really good job with it and I think some of the Advantage plans cover them but besides that health insurance doesn't do a very good job covering.

 

[BackRoad]

Hearing is one of the five senses. It's critical for quality of life.

I was in denial and put it off for over 10 years. "Only old people use hearing aids."

Realizing now what I had been missing, plus the negative relational impact from reduced conversation over time with my wife, the cost of hearing aids, no matter what you have to pay out of pocket is so much less than the negative impact on your quality of life from not hearing.

Ask yourself, "Would I deny one of my children the gift of hearing aids if they needed them?" Of course not!

You owe it to yourself to do whatever is needed to restore your own hearing...insurance or no insurance should not even be a variable considered in the decision. Sacrifice elsewhere, not with your hearing.

 

[Captain Dirty]

If you served, you may have already "paid" for your hearing aids. In 1968, I and 9 others in a "booth" directly under the airplane approach to Logan Airport, passed our pre-induction hearing test. In 1973, I, alone in a soundproof room with 3' thick fiberglass insulation walls in the bowels of a military hospital, was found to have a service-connected hearing loss--not surprising given those years were in field artillery--that pays for state of the art aids from the VA. A friend and contemporary was in the Army Security Agency and spent his time in a radio hutch in Turkey eavesdropping on the Soviets. Forty years after his service, his exposure risk was identified, and he also now has hearing aids from the VA. Admittedly, these are just 2 anecdotes, but may provide a path for you.