Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

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pjbyrne707
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Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by pjbyrne707 »

Hey all -

My wife needs hearing aids but unfortunately our insurance does not cover these, the audiologist office is estimating a $5k cost. Has anyone had experience finding cheaper (without sacrificing quality) ways to obtain hearing aids? Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
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cheese_breath
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by cheese_breath »

Costco
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BoomerM3
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by BoomerM3 »

Check Costco.
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gatorking
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

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Last edited by gatorking on Fri Jan 08, 2021 9:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
Volkdancer
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Volkdancer »

If you did a search of the site, you will find very good discussions in re hearing aids both with respect to quality, costs, and providers.
Gill
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Gill »

Costco you're looking at about half that cost.
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by chazas »

Agree, at Costco you can get current tech with the Kirkland flagship (they're just rebranded major brands, and the brand changes every generation - currently made by Phonak) for $1500 - price seems to go down every generation). A bit more for ones labeled with other major brands, which may have some slightly altered features from the ones you get at audiologists, but not much.

You can also go through a hearing aid referral service which will send you to a select group of audiologists and then sell you the aids directly for a lower cost. A couple years ago I worked with hearingrevolution.com and got Oticon OPN1s for $3600 this way when the first audiologist I saw quoted $6500.
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by huskerfan1414 »

Does she have a job? If so, what? Do either of you have military service history? There may be different groups that essentially have free plans that can help with cost.
What is her age?
Do your research on the internet for financial assistance for hearing aids, not discounted hearing aids. I can't remember who we used last time but there ended up being some savings. Research by age and research by the state you live in, the occupation she (or you) have.

Further, make sure whatever brand you get offers excellent repair/replacement warranty plans INCLUDED in the cost. Starkey, I believe, is a brand that has excellent protection-up to three years if I remember correctly.

It is a cost, but worth every penny.


-----PLEASE do not take this next piece of advice the wrong way---I have no idea how you are handling this situation so I'm not pointing fingers, but-----
My advice as a spouse is to NOT act out of sorts regarding cost around your wife. She needs these--she probably already feels bad that she has to get them--if she thinks you are upset about the cost it's not going to help things. Your attitude needs to be "well, you need them, no matter the cost," (if it isn't already.)
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Watty
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Watty »

pjbyrne707 wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 9:35 am My wife needs hearing aids but unfortunately our insurance does not cover these....
You are probably right but be sure to double check. It was a while back but when my wife needed her first set of hearing aids the plan literature for my employer provider health insurance that I looked at said nothing about covering hearing aids so I assumed that they were not covered. I ended up calling the 800 number to double check since the plan literature did not explicitly say that they were not covered and much to my surprise they were covered, but it was just some percentage of the cost, like 50 or 80 percent(I don't remember).

The bad news was that you had to get them from an in network doctors office and they only covered mid range hearing aids so you had to pay extra to get high end hearing aids. Those were much more expensive at a doctors office so our percentage was probably more expensive than they would have been if we just paid cash at Costco.

If you are going to be buying the hearing aids at Costco it will likely make sense to get their upgraded membership to get a larger rebate.

It turned out that we had a relative that is an audiologist that became eligible to get a family discount on hearing aids so we have not bought them at Costco yet. I don't feel comfortable with posting the numbers on the internet about just what she paid with that family discount but there is a HUGE markup on hearing aids. Part of that is the audiologists professional services and overhead so I have no problem with that but even after allowing for that the markup is still huge. Even with professional services the "COSTCO price" is enough to cover the same quality hearing aids and the professional services.

A few tips;

1) You need to be aggressive about having follow up appointments to get the working as good as possible. A common problem with hearing aids is that people do not do enough followup to get them adjusted right.

2) At least higher end hearing aids will work with an app on your cell phone. With the brand my wife got the Apple version of the app works a lot better than the Android version so we got her a low end iPhone.

3) Be sure to read and understand the warranty and insurance details. Over 20 years my wife has only lost one hearing aid but that was "a really bad day" even though she was covered for getting a replacement.

4) Even though we have not used Costco yet one thing I have read is that different Costco store get a lot different reviews for how good their hearing aid department is. If you have more than one Costco near you be sure to read the reviews since the best one may not be the one that is closest to you.
Last edited by Watty on Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:08 am, edited 3 times in total.
MishkaWorries
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by MishkaWorries »

I'm not so sure about buying hearing aids right now. She should be able to get a free trial period to see if she is comfortable wearing them. My father, brother and I all have bought hearing aids. None of use still wear them. It is like someone yelling in your ears for 8 hours. It's exhausting.

My dad and brother use headphones to listen to TV. Is used closed caption when I watch TV.

I don't know when, but hearing aids should be sold over the counter soon. The price will drop substantially.
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by bogledogle »

My spouse buys them at Costco for her Mom.
glamdring269
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by glamdring269 »

MishkaWorries wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:06 am I'm not so sure about buying hearing aids right now. She should be able to get a free trial period to see if she is comfortable wearing them. My father, brother and I all have bought hearing aids. None of use still wear them. It is like someone yelling in your ears for 8 hours. It's exhausting.

My dad and brother use headphones to listen to TV. Is used closed caption when I watch TV.

I don't know when, but hearing aids should be sold over the counter soon. The price will drop substantially.
I agree that you should use a trial period but if using current tech, properly fit and programmed by a competent audiologist, no one should be experiencing what it is that you're describing. It's odd that you have 3 people in your own family who are having this issue.
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by LadyGeek »

This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (hearing aid costs).

Please stay focused on the consumer aspects. Discussions of hearing problems from a medical perspective are off-topic.
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Ignore cost

Post by Bogle7 »

My daughter lost part of her hearing at age 14 months due to viral meningitis.
She got hearing aids at age 26 when she discovered she had hearing loss.
She has worn hearing aids for 8+ years now at a cost of $6000 spent every 6 years.

Spend the money. You want "Made in Denmark" and bluetooth.
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KlangFool
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by KlangFool »

OP,

Another vote for Costco. And, they provide free replacement if you lost the hearing aid.

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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by mortfree »

Absolutely try Costco.

As far as insurance certain eye insurance will get a discount or coverage on hearing aids. Double check me on that. It’s been about 5 years since I ended up getting mine from Costco but I swear there was something like that for insurance if you don’t go the Costco route.
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by suemarkp »

I did costco once, but their tech wasnt good. They are out of network for durable medical equipment so insurance only paid $500. The delta was about $2000.

Next set came from dr. Since they are a "public hospital" they got them at reduced rates. My hospital is in my network for durable medical equipment so i got full insurance coverage which is $1k for me. Had to pay about $2k out of pocket.

So overall cost was about the same with Dr vs costco. I have had the units replaced twice because they degraded after about a year. Audiolist said she will mark them as intermittent so they would replace the entire guts and not just a subsystem. That worked well. But it is disappointing that many of these degrade over time. It may have been due to moisture since i cut the lawn with earphones covering my ears for sound protection (cutting grass takes 3 hours). I now remove the hearing aids when cutting grass to try and prevent this
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WhyNotUs
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by WhyNotUs »

Another option to consider
https://www.listenlively.com/
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Doom&Gloom
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Doom&Gloom »

suemarkp wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 2:25 pm I did costco once, but their tech wasnt good. They are out of network for durable medical equipment so insurance only paid $500. The delta was about $2000.

Next set came from dr. Since they are a "public hospital" they got them at reduced rates. My hospital is in my network for durable medical equipment so i got full insurance coverage which is $1k for me. Had to pay about $2k out of pocket.

So overall cost was about the same with Dr vs costco. I have had the units replaced twice because they degraded after about a year. Audiolist said she will mark them as intermittent so they would replace the entire guts and not just a subsystem. That worked well. But it is disappointing that many of these degrade over time. It may have been due to moisture since i cut the lawn with earphones covering my ears for sound protection (cutting grass takes 3 hours). I now remove the hearing aids when cutting grass to try and prevent this
Not medical advice but tip about extending life of hearing aids: When I first got my HAs I asked my audiologist about wearing them while cutting grass as I was concerned about moisture from sweating. He advised me to wear them only when I need to be able to hear better. I immediately realized how silly my question was :oops:

I, too, bought mine through a public hospital--in my case a university medical center--at a cost of about half what OP has been quoted. But I elected not to get all the frills (eg, bluetooth connectivity) as I did not think I would use those features, and I have been happy with my decision. YMMV.
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by virgingorda »

I'm an audiologist, licensed but not currently practicing. Look for an audiologist that "unbundles" the price. Usually, the $5K includes several years of service all up front. In other words, it is "bundled."

To understand Bundling vs Unbundling vs Hybrid pricing models, check out the video on youtube by Dr Cliff Olson called "#1 Factor that Impacts the Cost of Hearing Aids | Bundled vs. Unbundled vs. Hybrid"
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by cheese_breath »

virgingorda wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 7:41 pm I'm an audiologist, licensed but not currently practicing...
I got mine from Costco, but I was wondering about mails I receive occasionally (not from Costco) offering free hearing tests. Do they do complete testing for free, or are these just teasers to get you into their office?
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Beleiber
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Beleiber »

If the hearing loss is not too severe, you may want to consider Apple AirPods Pro. The Transparency mode includes a fair amount of ambient sound amplification.
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Sandtrap »

KlangFool wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 1:33 pm OP,

Another vote for Costco. And, they provide free replacement if you lost the hearing aid.

KlangFool
Is the hearing aid replacement part of the Costco hearing age package or an additional insurance coverage that has yearly premiums?

Aloha
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Sandtrap »

Beleiber wrote: Sat Jan 09, 2021 6:53 am If the hearing loss is not too severe, you may want to consider Apple AirPods Pro. The Transparency mode includes a fair amount of ambient sound amplification.
From what I've been "hearing" about hearing aid loss, is that various frequencies are the lst to go while the rest of the frequencies are "normal", such that (for example) conversations are hard to understand -- not because of lack of overall volume, but because certain frequencies become inaudible. So, for example, all the "t's", "Shhh", "the", "sss", "ee", sounds are muted. So, increasing volume doesn't help unless at huge levels, at which case hearing loss might increase because of those high levels.

In my case: I've tried things like "Apple Air Pods Pro." and the transparency mode does indeed help, and also bluetooth TV ear bud amplifiers, with the above experience. So, maybe.

Actionably: getting a hearing test at Costco? or other place, first, might be a good investment of time and money, before messing around with other modalities that, in fact, might be either harmful, temporary, or otherwise a waste of time and hearing.

But, trying out the "Apple AirPods Pro" and other devices like it might just be the ticket and worth trying out.

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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by KlangFool »

Sandtrap wrote: Sat Jan 09, 2021 6:59 am
KlangFool wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 1:33 pm OP,

Another vote for Costco. And, they provide free replacement if you lost the hearing aid.

KlangFool
Is the hearing aid replacement part of the Costco hearing age package or an additional insurance coverage that has yearly premiums?

Aloha
j :D
https://www.costco.com/hearing-aid-center.html

It is free. Aka, part of the package.

<<Costco Hearing Aid Centers Offer:
Costco value pricing
Premium technology
Remote services on select hearing aids
Free hearing tests*
Free follow up appointments
Free hearing aid cleanings and check-ups
Free loss and damage coverage (with no deductible)
Free warranty periods (warranty varies by model)>>



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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Nowizard »

I recommend Costco, too, as a consumer for the past couple of years. Two aids, the top model at $1,599, total. Also, you can receive an annual hearing aid evaluation at no charge, inexpensive batteries, free accessories for small items that occasionally need replacing, etc. The staff members are not audiologists but are licensed Hearing Aid Specialists. They administer hearing evaluations, which are very extensive and at no charge and fit the aids. Mine is very experienced and said she joined Costco after several years with a private office but could not take the expectation to market expensive aids anymore. You can return them within six months, I believe that is correct, and they will be replaced if lost or stolen at no cost for one year. I actually asked if I faked losing them could I get aids free and was told yes with no questions asked, though they do have information on sold aids that might ferret out attempts to commit fraud. The primary reason one might choose an ENT/audiologist office in my opinion is determined by the type of loss. For those with a typical loss involving high frequencies, there is no reason in my opinion to pay $5,000 for aids. More complicated losses may require more specific attention, however. One of the issues with private offices extends beyond initial cost which often includes the first evaluation and definitely costs for repair, supplies, etc.

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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Colorado Guy »

After looking at options, I also ended up at Costco. Their free evaluation is without strings, and regrettably proved to me that I needed hearing aids. The primary motivator was that the costs were quite a bit less for different options than I could find via my normal insurance and their hearing aid solutions.

The website below is a good resource for comparing brands, features, and for even the Costco/insurance/audiologist discussion. At a minimum, you could take advantage of the Costco evaluation and options, and then compare prices/values with what the hearing tracker forum members end up with.

https://forum.hearingtracker.com/
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by virgingorda »

cheese_breath wrote: Sat Jan 09, 2021 6:48 am
virgingorda wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 7:41 pm I'm an audiologist, licensed but not currently practicing...
I got mine from Costco, but I was wondering about mails I receive occasionally (not from Costco) offering free hearing tests. Do they do complete testing for free, or are these just teasers to get you into their office?
Argh! Sorry I didn't see this. The mails are often bait-and-switch or teasers as you are guessing. I don't know how old you are, but you should be able to get a hearing test covered by Medicare or private insurance. Ask your primary care for a referral to an audiology practice. Good bets are hospital clinics where the audiologists are highly-trained and are not as profit-motivated to sell you overpriced hearing aids. Also, be aware that the testing that can be done by an audiologist vs hearing instrument specialist is not the same. Some of the mail you get is from HI specialists. There are good HI specialists out there who will do a good job fitting hearing aids, but they are not licensed to do the level of testing and diagnosis that audiologists can do. You can always take your audiogram from a hospital clinic to wherever you want to purchase hearing aids, be that Costco or wherever.
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Katietsu »

MishkaWorries wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:06 am I'm not so sure about buying hearing aids right now. She should be able to get a free trial period to see if she is comfortable wearing them. My father, brother and I all have bought hearing aids. None of use still wear them. It is like someone yelling in your ears for 8 hours. It's exhausting.
Please reconsider using hearing aids and getting help with the settings. Adjusting the settings slowly over several months can be quite important for the satisfaction of the user. I would communicate your experience with the audiologist/hearing aid fitter. A caring responsible professional should address your concerns. Hearing loss that is not being corrected with hearing aids have been shown to have negative effects in other areas of ones life and health, not to mention the happiness of those around them.
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by spectec »

Another vote for Costco.
My first set from my doctor's office cost me about $6K.

Second set about 5 or 6 years later form Costco was less than $2K, with vastly more features and several accessories. Next to the Veterans Administration, Costco is the largest vendor of hearing aids in the US. And I've found their services & support to be equal to or better than my doctor's office.
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Sandtrap »

KlangFool wrote: Sat Jan 09, 2021 7:55 am
Sandtrap wrote: Sat Jan 09, 2021 6:59 am
KlangFool wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 1:33 pm OP,

Another vote for Costco. And, they provide free replacement if you lost the hearing aid.

KlangFool
Is the hearing aid replacement part of the Costco hearing age package or an additional insurance coverage that has yearly premiums?

Aloha
j :D
https://www.costco.com/hearing-aid-center.html

It is free. Aka, part of the package.

<<Costco Hearing Aid Centers Offer:
Costco value pricing
Premium technology
Remote services on select hearing aids
Free hearing tests*
Free follow up appointments
Free hearing aid cleanings and check-ups
Free loss and damage coverage (with no deductible)
Free warranty periods (warranty varies by model)>>



KlangFool
Sorry I didn't follow up on this, missed it.

Thanks so much for the detailed response.

Note: I really really enjoy silence, shun noise, sometimes use at least 1 earplug in one ear when in public on 2 in a crowded setting. So, I'm not sure if I would use a hearing aid as often 24/7? to make the most use of the money spent. There's only times when others speak to me when I'm in town or not at home that I have trouble understanding the conversation. That's about it.
Also have terrible tinnitus exacerbated by loud or extended sounds (hearing damage). So, I wonder if hearing aids will make that worse?
(not a medical question).
I know it's individual, but do you think high quality hearing aids are worth paying for if they will only be used 1-2x/week for several hours at most?
(cost is not a concern as much as getting something I don't use)

thanks again
aloha
jim :D
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KlangFool
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by KlangFool »

Sandtrap wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:24 am
KlangFool wrote: Sat Jan 09, 2021 7:55 am
Sandtrap wrote: Sat Jan 09, 2021 6:59 am
KlangFool wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 1:33 pm OP,

Another vote for Costco. And, they provide free replacement if you lost the hearing aid.

KlangFool
Is the hearing aid replacement part of the Costco hearing age package or an additional insurance coverage that has yearly premiums?

Aloha
j :D
https://www.costco.com/hearing-aid-center.html

It is free. Aka, part of the package.

<<Costco Hearing Aid Centers Offer:
Costco value pricing
Premium technology
Remote services on select hearing aids
Free hearing tests*
Free follow up appointments
Free hearing aid cleanings and check-ups
Free loss and damage coverage (with no deductible)
Free warranty periods (warranty varies by model)>>



KlangFool
Sorry I didn't follow up on this, missed it.

Thanks so much for the detailed response.

Note: I really really enjoy silence, shun noise, sometimes use at least 1 earplug in one ear when in public on 2 in a crowded setting. So, I'm not sure if I would use a hearing aid as often 24/7? to make the most use of the money spent. There's only times when others speak to me when I'm in town or not at home that I have trouble understanding the conversation. That's about it.
Also have terrible tinnitus exacerbated by loud or extended sounds (hearing damage). So, I wonder if hearing aids will make that worse?
(not a medical question).
I know it's individual, but do you think high quality hearing aids are worth paying for if they will only be used 1-2x/week for several hours at most?
(cost is not a concern as much as getting something I don't use)

thanks again
aloha
jim :D
I think there is a free return too. So, you can try it out.

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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by WhyNotUs »

Sandtrap wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:24 am
I know it's individual, but do you think high quality hearing aids are worth paying for if they will only be used 1-2x/week for several hours at most?
(cost is not a concern as much as getting something I don't use)

thanks again
aloha
jim :D
Might be worth doing a little digging into the ties between hearing loss and other issues. For example:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/ ... aring-loss
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4075051/

There are also devices that may help with tinnitus. If you haven't done one, a hearing exam is pretty cheap and does not obligate you to do anything more.

After realizing how often I asked my wife to repeat herself and what drain that is on a partner, I took the plunge this year. I try to wear them some every day as I am convinced that there is benefit beyond clearly hearing that the trash needs to go out :D

P.S. I was a huge fan of great headphones and guitar solos, anyone younger on this list using airpods to rock out, please consider your future ears.
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by philpill »

COSTCO. and end of discussion!
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Doom&Gloom
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Doom&Gloom »

WhyNotUs wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:51 am
Sandtrap wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:24 am
I know it's individual, but do you think high quality hearing aids are worth paying for if they will only be used 1-2x/week for several hours at most?
(cost is not a concern as much as getting something I don't use)

thanks again
aloha
jim :D
Might be worth doing a little digging into the ties between hearing loss and other issues. For example:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/ ... aring-loss
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4075051/

There are also devices that may help with tinnitus. If you haven't done one, a hearing exam is pretty cheap and does not obligate you to do anything more.

After realizing how often I asked my wife to repeat herself and what drain that is on a partner, I took the plunge this year. I try to wear them some every day as I am convinced that there is benefit beyond clearly hearing that the trash needs to go out :D

P.S. I was a huge fan of great headphones and guitar solos, anyone younger on this list using airpods to rock out, please consider your future ears.
It depends upon how interested you are in hearing what you are missing.

Like WhyNotUs, my strongest motivation came from my wife. However, in my case it was not a concern about asking her to repeat herself but her frequent reminders that I hadn't heard what she said or that I kept telling her to quit mumbling. Probably some denial of a problem on my end as I didn't ask her to repeat herself.

I typically don't put my HAs in until after noon--there just doesn't seem to be that much I am interested in hearing better until that time of day. I wore eyeglasses for decades and try to explain the similarities and differences like this: I put my eyeglasses on every morning as soon as I woke up because there was a sharp and immediate improvement in my vision. For me, hearing aids don't have that immediately noticeable and dramatic effect when I put them in. However, when I take them out (usually the TV is on at the time so there is ongoing "conversation") the change is so immediately noticeable and dramatic that I wonder how I ever got along without them. YMMV of course.
j.click
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by j.click »

My DIL is an ENT Doc and she suggests Costco for her dear FIL......
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Sandtrap
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Sandtrap »

WhyNotUs wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:51 am
Sandtrap wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:24 am
I know it's individual, but do you think high quality hearing aids are worth paying for if they will only be used 1-2x/week for several hours at most?
(cost is not a concern as much as getting something I don't use)

thanks again
aloha
jim :D
Might be worth doing a little digging into the ties between hearing loss and other issues. For example:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/ ... aring-loss
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4075051/

There are also devices that may help with tinnitus. If you haven't done one, a hearing exam is pretty cheap and does not obligate you to do anything more.

After realizing how often I asked my wife to repeat herself and what drain that is on a partner, I took the plunge this year. I try to wear them some every day as I am convinced that there is benefit beyond clearly hearing that the trash needs to go out :D

P.S. I was a huge fan of great headphones and guitar solos, anyone younger on this list using airpods to rock out, please consider your future ears.
Wow!
This is great info and advice!

I didn't know that hearing aids might help with tinnitus, or even to block loud sounds that make it worse.
Huge thanks!
j :D

*Jamming for hours on end (amped) and playing on stage, and construction site noise, did a number on my hearing.
(advice to younguns' . . . . ear plugs. . . )
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Sandtrap
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Sandtrap »

Doom&Gloom wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:20 am
WhyNotUs wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:51 am
Sandtrap wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:24 am
I know it's individual, but do you think high quality hearing aids are worth paying for if they will only be used 1-2x/week for several hours at most?
(cost is not a concern as much as getting something I don't use)

thanks again
aloha
jim :D
Might be worth doing a little digging into the ties between hearing loss and other issues. For example:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/ ... aring-loss
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4075051/

There are also devices that may help with tinnitus. If you haven't done one, a hearing exam is pretty cheap and does not obligate you to do anything more.

After realizing how often I asked my wife to repeat herself and what drain that is on a partner, I took the plunge this year. I try to wear them some every day as I am convinced that there is benefit beyond clearly hearing that the trash needs to go out :D

P.S. I was a huge fan of great headphones and guitar solos, anyone younger on this list using airpods to rock out, please consider your future ears.
It depends upon how interested you are in hearing what you are missing.

Like WhyNotUs, my strongest motivation came from my wife. However, in my case it was not a concern about asking her to repeat herself but her frequent reminders that I hadn't heard what she said or that I kept telling her to quit mumbling. Probably some denial of a problem on my end as I didn't ask her to repeat herself.

I typically don't put my HAs in until after noon--there just doesn't seem to be that much I am interested in hearing better until that time of day. I wore eyeglasses for decades and try to explain the similarities and differences like this: I put my eyeglasses on every morning as soon as I woke up because there was a sharp and immediate improvement in my vision. For me, hearing aids don't have that immediately noticeable and dramatic effect when I put them in. However, when I take them out (usually the TV is on at the time so there is ongoing "conversation") the change is so immediately noticeable and dramatic that I wonder how I ever got along without them. YMMV of course.
This is great input. Thanks!
I have a friend that is near deaf without his hearing aids. He only puts them on in social situations or when he needs to hear conversations and understand. Maybe that selective use would be better for me as well. It's getting so in social family situations, etc, that people don't talk to me as much or I chill out on my own more because I can't understand conversations and it's harder work for them, perhaps. Right now I use a bluetooth hearing headset to watch tv movies with DW that helps a lot. But, it is too loud and is bad for tinnitus.

Huge thanks!
j :D
Last edited by Sandtrap on Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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gerntz
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by gerntz »

I'd say Costco like my DW uses, but seems redundant now.
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BL
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by BL »

One of my ears suddenly went bad and I went to an eye and ear specialist to be tested. This was covered by Medicare and supplement.

I have had hearing aids a few years now from an audiologist who went into business for herself and am very pleased. The pricing is similar to the above-mentioned non-prepaid future insurance. It has cost me essentially nothing more even though I expected some charges. I have Widex brand and am fairly satisfied with them (problems are due to ears, not aids.) There were 3-4 different price levels.

Costco is hours away so I preferred not to go there for that reason only.
gamboolman
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by gamboolman »

OP,

We just bought ms gamboolgal hearing aids.

Cost was over $5K.

They are not cheap - that's for sure.

gamboolman....
bwalling
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by bwalling »

Saw the thread title, and came to say go to Costco and forget the other options, but it's clear that's been covered!

As has been noted above by others, it can be overwhelming when you first wear them. My wife was exhausted after about 90 minutes because her brain was processing all sorts of noises she'd never heard before - basic things hearing people take for granted like the sound of pulling your socks on your feet. She chooses when and where to wear them. Likewise, go back a few times and have adjustments made to the settings. They're tailored to the frequencies most at a loss for you. They can and do adjust this and it makes a big difference.
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Sandtrap
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Sandtrap »

bwalling wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:21 am Saw the thread title, and came to say go to Costco and forget the other options, but it's clear that's been covered!

As has been noted above by others, it can be overwhelming when you first wear them. My wife was exhausted after about 90 minutes because her brain was processing all sorts of noises she'd never heard before - basic things hearing people take for granted like the sound of pulling your socks on your feet. She chooses when and where to wear them. Likewise, go back a few times and have adjustments made to the settings. They're tailored to the frequencies most at a loss for you. They can and do adjust this and it makes a big difference.
Questions:

Are there "on the go" buttons or tuning adjustments (kinda like bass,treble,normal,mute on ear buds) on hearing aids so that they can be tweeked depending on the environment?

What happens with tinnitus when hearing aids are worn?

j :D
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spectec
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by spectec »

Sandtrap wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:05 am
Doom&Gloom wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:20 am
WhyNotUs wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:51 am
Sandtrap wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:24 am
I know it's individual, but do you think high quality hearing aids are worth paying for if they will only be used 1-2x/week for several hours at most?
(cost is not a concern as much as getting something I don't use)

thanks again
aloha
jim :D
Might be worth doing a little digging into the ties between hearing loss and other issues. For example:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/ ... aring-loss
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4075051/

There are also devices that may help with tinnitus. If you haven't done one, a hearing exam is pretty cheap and does not obligate you to do anything more.

After realizing how often I asked my wife to repeat herself and what drain that is on a partner, I took the plunge this year. I try to wear them some every day as I am convinced that there is benefit beyond clearly hearing that the trash needs to go out :D

P.S. I was a huge fan of great headphones and guitar solos, anyone younger on this list using airpods to rock out, please consider your future ears.
It depends upon how interested you are in hearing what you are missing.

Like WhyNotUs, my strongest motivation came from my wife. However, in my case it was not a concern about asking her to repeat herself but her frequent reminders that I hadn't heard what she said or that I kept telling her to quit mumbling. Probably some denial of a problem on my end as I didn't ask her to repeat herself.

I typically don't put my HAs in until after noon--there just doesn't seem to be that much I am interested in hearing better until that time of day. I wore eyeglasses for decades and try to explain the similarities and differences like this: I put my eyeglasses on every morning as soon as I woke up because there was a sharp and immediate improvement in my vision. For me, hearing aids don't have that immediately noticeable and dramatic effect when I put them in. However, when I take them out (usually the TV is on at the time so there is ongoing "conversation") the change is so immediately noticeable and dramatic that I wonder how I ever got along without them. YMMV of course.
This is great input. Thanks!
I have a friend that is near deaf without his hearing aids. He only puts them on in social situations or when he needs to hear conversations and understand. Maybe that selective use would be better for me as well. It's getting so in social family situations, etc, that people don't talk to me as much or I chill out on my own more because I can't understand conversations and it's harder work for them, perhaps. Right now I use a bluetooth hearing headset to watch tv movies with DW that helps a lot. But, it is too loud and is bad for tinnitus.

Huge thanks!
j :D
Good hearing aids will be tuned to address your hearing loss in the frequencies you need. For many people, the frequency issue is more important than volume, because volume adjustment alone can distort sound rather than help. My Kirkland hearing aids from Costco connect to my iPhone via bluetooth and give me unbelievably good reception on phone calls. There's also a device you can buy (about $100 I think), which connects to your TV and sends the sound directly to your hearing aids. You can also adjust the "directionality" of the hearing aids using the pattern adjustment in the "Smart Direct" app , which helps in some group situations. As stated earlier, my cost for the hearing aids and all the accessories was under $2K.

Having said all that, one must always have realistic expectations of hearing aids. You're not getting new ears - you're getting something to aid in improving your hearing, taking into account all your existing limitations. Some of those limitations are beyond correction.
Don't gamble; take all your savings and buy some good stock and hold it till it goes up, then sell it. If it don't go up, don't buy it. - Will Rogers
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JPH
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by JPH »

Sandtrap wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:33 am
bwalling wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:21 am Saw the thread title, and came to say go to Costco and forget the other options, but it's clear that's been covered!

As has been noted above by others, it can be overwhelming when you first wear them. My wife was exhausted after about 90 minutes because her brain was processing all sorts of noises she'd never heard before - basic things hearing people take for granted like the sound of pulling your socks on your feet. She chooses when and where to wear them. Likewise, go back a few times and have adjustments made to the settings. They're tailored to the frequencies most at a loss for you. They can and do adjust this and it makes a big difference.
Questions:

Are there "on the go" buttons or tuning adjustments (kinda like bass,treble,normal,mute on ear buds) on hearing aids so that they can be tweeked depending on the environment?

What happens with tinnitus when hearing aids are worn?

j :D
Mine came with the option to install 4 "programs" that supposedly process the sound in different ways. The more you spend, the more "program" options you are given. I think they all use basically the same circuitry, and you pay more simply to have more programs unlocked. The programs have names like "speech in noise," "listening to music," "sounds of nature." None of those seem to do much of anything the name suggests. The one I found most useful was called "Comfort" and it seems to basically just turn the volume down in a very noisy environment. There is no On/Off switch on mine, but the audiologist has the option to create a custom program. I asked her to do that and set the amplification of all channels to zero. Now I have an On/Off switch.
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Sandtrap
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Sandtrap »

JPH wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:51 am
Sandtrap wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:33 am
bwalling wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:21 am Saw the thread title, and came to say go to Costco and forget the other options, but it's clear that's been covered!

As has been noted above by others, it can be overwhelming when you first wear them. My wife was exhausted after about 90 minutes because her brain was processing all sorts of noises she'd never heard before - basic things hearing people take for granted like the sound of pulling your socks on your feet. She chooses when and where to wear them. Likewise, go back a few times and have adjustments made to the settings. They're tailored to the frequencies most at a loss for you. They can and do adjust this and it makes a big difference.
Questions:

Are there "on the go" buttons or tuning adjustments (kinda like bass,treble,normal,mute on ear buds) on hearing aids so that they can be tweeked depending on the environment?

What happens with tinnitus when hearing aids are worn?

j :D
Mine came with the option to install 4 "programs" that supposedly process the sound in different ways. The more you spend, the more "program" options you are given. I think they all use basically the same circuitry, and you pay more simply to have more programs unlocked. The programs have names like "speech in noise," "listening to music," "sounds of nature." None of those seem to do much of anything the name suggests. The one I found most useful was called "Comfort" and it seems to basically just turn the volume down in a very noisy environment. There is no On/Off switch on mine, but the audiologist has the option to create a custom program. I asked her to do that and set the amplification of all channels to zero. Now I have an On/Off switch.
This is huge!
Thanks so much for this info!!

Are these types of things available at the Costco hearing place or do I have to find a specialist place?

Huge Aloha🌺
j🌺
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earlyout
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by earlyout »

Sandtrap wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:11 am
JPH wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:51 am
Sandtrap wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:33 am
bwalling wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:21 am Saw the thread title, and came to say go to Costco and forget the other options, but it's clear that's been covered!

As has been noted above by others, it can be overwhelming when you first wear them. My wife was exhausted after about 90 minutes because her brain was processing all sorts of noises she'd never heard before - basic things hearing people take for granted like the sound of pulling your socks on your feet. She chooses when and where to wear them. Likewise, go back a few times and have adjustments made to the settings. They're tailored to the frequencies most at a loss for you. They can and do adjust this and it makes a big difference.
Questions:

Are there "on the go" buttons or tuning adjustments (kinda like bass,treble,normal,mute on ear buds) on hearing aids so that they can be tweeked depending on the environment?

What happens with tinnitus when hearing aids are worn?

j :D
Mine came with the option to install 4 "programs" that supposedly process the sound in different ways. The more you spend, the more "program" options you are given. I think they all use basically the same circuitry, and you pay more simply to have more programs unlocked. The programs have names like "speech in noise," "listening to music," "sounds of nature." None of those seem to do much of anything the name suggests. The one I found most useful was called "Comfort" and it seems to basically just turn the volume down in a very noisy environment. There is no On/Off switch on mine, but the audiologist has the option to create a custom program. I asked her to do that and set the amplification of all channels to zero. Now I have an On/Off switch.
This is huge!
Thanks so much for this info!!

Are these types of things available at the Costco hearing place or do I have to find a specialist place?

Huge Aloha🌺
j🌺
The iphone app for my Costco hearing aids allows me to adjust the volume independently for each hearing ear and to select one of the 5 programs that were set up for different situations. It also provides a Bluetooth connection for phone calls which is one of the best parts of having the hearing aids. The app also allows you to use the iphone as a remote microphone and transmit that sound to you. This was all done by the Costco technician and was included in the basic cost of the hearing aids.
mrb09
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by mrb09 »

earlyout wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:44 am
Sandtrap wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:11 am
JPH wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:51 am
Sandtrap wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:33 am
bwalling wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:21 am Saw the thread title, and came to say go to Costco and forget the other options, but it's clear that's been covered!

As has been noted above by others, it can be overwhelming when you first wear them. My wife was exhausted after about 90 minutes because her brain was processing all sorts of noises she'd never heard before - basic things hearing people take for granted like the sound of pulling your socks on your feet. She chooses when and where to wear them. Likewise, go back a few times and have adjustments made to the settings. They're tailored to the frequencies most at a loss for you. They can and do adjust this and it makes a big difference.
Questions:

Are there "on the go" buttons or tuning adjustments (kinda like bass,treble,normal,mute on ear buds) on hearing aids so that they can be tweeked depending on the environment?

What happens with tinnitus when hearing aids are worn?

j :D
Mine came with the option to install 4 "programs" that supposedly process the sound in different ways. The more you spend, the more "program" options you are given. I think they all use basically the same circuitry, and you pay more simply to have more programs unlocked. The programs have names like "speech in noise," "listening to music," "sounds of nature." None of those seem to do much of anything the name suggests. The one I found most useful was called "Comfort" and it seems to basically just turn the volume down in a very noisy environment. There is no On/Off switch on mine, but the audiologist has the option to create a custom program. I asked her to do that and set the amplification of all channels to zero. Now I have an On/Off switch.
This is huge!
Thanks so much for this info!!

Are these types of things available at the Costco hearing place or do I have to find a specialist place?

Huge Aloha🌺
j🌺
The iphone app for my Costco hearing aids allows me to adjust the volume independently for each hearing ear and to select one of the 5 programs that were set up for different situations. It also provides a Bluetooth connection for phone calls which is one of the best parts of having the hearing aids. The app also allows you to use the iphone as a remote microphone and transmit that sound to you. This was all done by the Costco technician and was included in the basic cost of the hearing aids.
The direct bluetooth audio streaming is a huge deal for me. My hearing aids (Resound brand from Costco) support this. I'm on zoom calls 4-6 hours a day, and I do the audio portion through my phone streamed to the hearing aids. I can turn the ambient sound down, so they're somewhat like noise cancelling head phones. I listen to audio books like that as well.
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flossy21
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by flossy21 »

Here's a previous post and discussion that you might find useful.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=270221&p=4335925&h ... g#p4335925

I'll reiterate what I wrote in that post here...

OP -- You should think of hearing aids as a service...not a product. The skill, or lack thereof, of the person who fits your aids and provides your follow up adjustments is the most important factor by a wide margin. It's a hearing instrument that is specifically tuned to your hearing loss and it needs to operate well in all the environments you will encounter; noisy, quiet, speech, music, etc.

You can get the best hearing aids that money can buy and have them fit by a lousy provider and those aids won't serve you near as well as a cheap set of aids that are fit by a skilled provider.

As with any profession some Audiologists are great and some are not. Just like some non-Audiologists.

The question you need to answer is how do I find the most skilled provider whether they be at Costco or in private practice because comparing the aid just based on price or model is not going to yield the results your wife is seeking.
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Doom&Gloom
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Re: Wife needs hearing aids, cost concerns

Post by Doom&Gloom »

Sandtrap wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:11 am
JPH wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:51 am
Sandtrap wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:33 am
bwalling wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:21 am Saw the thread title, and came to say go to Costco and forget the other options, but it's clear that's been covered!

As has been noted above by others, it can be overwhelming when you first wear them. My wife was exhausted after about 90 minutes because her brain was processing all sorts of noises she'd never heard before - basic things hearing people take for granted like the sound of pulling your socks on your feet. She chooses when and where to wear them. Likewise, go back a few times and have adjustments made to the settings. They're tailored to the frequencies most at a loss for you. They can and do adjust this and it makes a big difference.
Questions:

Are there "on the go" buttons or tuning adjustments (kinda like bass,treble,normal,mute on ear buds) on hearing aids so that they can be tweeked depending on the environment?

What happens with tinnitus when hearing aids are worn?

j :D
Mine came with the option to install 4 "programs" that supposedly process the sound in different ways. The more you spend, the more "program" options you are given. I think they all use basically the same circuitry, and you pay more simply to have more programs unlocked. The programs have names like "speech in noise," "listening to music," "sounds of nature." None of those seem to do much of anything the name suggests. The one I found most useful was called "Comfort" and it seems to basically just turn the volume down in a very noisy environment. There is no On/Off switch on mine, but the audiologist has the option to create a custom program. I asked her to do that and set the amplification of all channels to zero. Now I have an On/Off switch.
This is huge!
Thanks so much for this info!!

Are these types of things available at the Costco hearing place or do I have to find a specialist place?

Huge Aloha🌺
j🌺
To amplify (heh heh) upon JPH's comments, I'm sure I have detailed my HA travails in another thread on BH, but when I got my HAs 2-3 years ago I had difficulty with some very high frequency sounds when they were "amplified to spec." It sounded like annoying static to me.

Several visits to my audiologist led to him putting two switchable settings on my HAs. One was the optimal setting that my audiogram suggested; the second was the same except with a couple of the high frequency sounds dialed back in amplification. Luckily his office had an A/C vent that triggered the "static" I heard so that we could adjust the HAs to my satisfaction while sitting at his computer. I usually set my HAs to the "optimal" setting, but when I am in an environment where those frequencies bother me, I flip to the second setting and lose only a little bit of conversational speech etc. I couldn't be happier. There are also three overall volume settings, but I have found them useless so I never bother with them.

My HAs don't have all the bells & whistles, so there should be (and seem to be from JPH's description) more than two customizable settings on higher-end models.
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