I just got oticon intent aides from the VA. I'm a new hearing aide user. I wish the VA would have taken more time to help me understand how they are supposed to help me hear better and go over maintenance. Your videos have helped a lot
Thanks Dr Cliff. I’m going for an exam tomorrow and expect to face a "trial" period. Before we get that far I’ll make sure we line out exactly how the trial will go and how it will be evaluated. If it doesn’t look like what you have defined, I’m out the door before we start.
I'm actually really grateful. I just got my first set of hearing aids, the Signia Pure Charge & Go 7X, 16 days ago and will be returning them for a full refund. Although I love all the features, either the right or left earpieces go completely dead on me. Just stop working. Signia replaced them quickly within a few days claiming this problem was an outlier. When I picked up the replacement the Hearing Aid Specialist I've been working with claimed the issue could have been caused by the hearing aid getting wet from perspiration (or humidity) and gave me a drying box. Then the same day I picked up the new set in the morning by 6:00 pm the left earpiece went dead. It had a medium level charge according to the App. and I had been indoors in A/C all day. The only time I went outside with them in 104º heat (I live in Phoenix) was
Sounds like the devices were actually duds, not the receivers. It is doubtful that an IP68 device would sustain moisture damage that quickly. Personally, I believe that durability of a device is the #1 priority. As you can attest to, if the device doesn't function, it doesn't matter how many features it has.
Thank you Dr Cliff. I have been following your RUclips videos to educate myself for quite sometime. I've been wearing hearing aids for some 15 years. I still prefer trial period. Whether or not a trial period is offered, an unprofessional practician would not follow the best practice, or worse. A free trial gives patients a chance to experience what is really like, how you😃 feel with your individual preference, before settling down on that new pair of hearing aids. It's also a layer of consumer protection when you encountered mal-practice or something not quiet right, whether it's human, hard or software error, when fitting. Of course, it also come down to how the trial is administered. 2 weeks trial is bit too short. And, if the aids were not properly programmed and REM, then the trial is meaningless. In a perfect world, if you found a best practician with the best practice, then come and go with the best hearing aids. We wish.😀
I'm Lucky. I trailed 2 brands for 2 weeks each. After my selection, the Audi did REM & other adjustments. I consider him My Personal Audi. He knowledge & caring service far surpasses Costco who I dealt with for 7 years. Money well spent.
Hello Cliff - I am getting my fist pair new hearing aids soon. They have been ordered for me by a dispensary that is a preferred provider by my insurance company. I am very uncomfortable with service I obtained at our first meeting as virtually NO time was spent discussing my options or needs. They were simply working from my audiogram and information sent by my ENT. Can you please tell me how dispensaries differ from audiologist and what level of service i can expect from them? I would really appreciate the help as I feel my quality of life and that of my young children hang in the balance. Thanks, in advance for the help. - Charles
I'm a little nervous now after watching this video. I have insurance where I get a 45 day trial period for hearing aids. Geesh. I hope I don't have any trouble with my provider. The one i am going is is one of three that were in network. I hope I get my full benefit and I don't have to come back several times to change out. I also hope the hearing aids I choose will fit and work properly. I'm nervous now 😬. Thanks. Lol
@@DrCliffAuD I love my Insurance. Their really easy to talk to and deal with and thus far, I've had no problems. However, this will be the first time dealing with them about hearing aids. So I am hoping that everything runs smoothly. Forty five days is a loooong trial period, however, on the bright side, I get the chance to try these out in louder environments like the gyms and grocery stores and such. Most aids I've seen have the Bluetooth so of course I need to try to take calls and answer calls with the aids. Although it's a long trial, it gives me plenty of time to experiment. I also need to make it clear to my provider, I'm not paying for the aids, My insurance will cover the cost. Thats their money not mine. I don't want to waste their money or my time. So yea, its going to be interesting for sure. I do hope all goes smooth. I don't blame you for getting out lol. I would have too.
Almost every video you mention best practices, real ear measurements. Don't forget get to mention veterans can get hearing aids from the VA. For little to no cost. I pretty sure you done a video about it. Signing up for eligiblity is fairly simple an fast. But it might take longer to get seen at your local VA clinic depending on their work load.
Interested to know if you sell hearing aids online and if you program them an aud wants to sell them to me for $6000.00 for a pair of signs charge and go 7AX T coil what price would you have for them thank you
I thought the video was great - it really explained well what happened to me when I first got hearing aids - my first provider did not follow best practice and wouldn't do REM until after I had purchased aids. It was overwhelming to say the least. As a consequence I really struggled to the extent that I was considering not getting aids. My second provider has been nothing short of amazing - she suggested Phonak and Resound would be the best for my hearing loss - they were both ordered on a trial basis and and REM was conducted with both at the initial fitting. One year down the track I am a very happy user. I love the Dr Cliff videos - they are so informative and have really helped me in my journey.
Wow! Wish California's law was more widespread. I'm about to go into a trail period (just waiting for the new ear mold to come in), and if I remember right, it's $375 if I return everything. But I know I need something new. In this age of maximum telework, it's becoming painful to constantly hold the phone by my aid for all the teleconferences. Bluetooth compatibility is no longer a "want" but a "need."
I'm not sure you made a case against trial periods. Instead, you made a case against poorly trained and poorly regulated professionals. It seems to me that some sort of trial period should be a part of a proper fitting. If mandating a trial period by law is an attempt to correct a defect in the profession, maybe the solution is for the profession to fix itself and then negotiate with the relevant legislatures to revise any mandates to accommodate the newly competent professional procedures. Another way to do it would be to require insurance to cover these (necessary) devices - and allow insurance companies to force appropriate procedures on the providers. In any event, I think that trial periods are a straw man. The real problem is a lack of checks on the professionals. BTW, I applaud your attempts to educate the public as to the mine field they have to cross when buying hearing aids in the US.
Hi jbtg, thanks for the feedback. In general, I think my approach with this video was not necessarily to say that all trial periods are bad. I actually do trial periods as well, but as you said, the problem is with how they are administered.
I wish Idaho had a set trial period. What you said is. Pretty accurate. My provider has followed your model nearly verbatim. Sadly, after conversations with 30 or so other hearing aid wearers, I believe that no provider has a really suitable device to deliver acceptable hearing performance. Without that you're all pedaling junk at massively inflated prices.
HI. Great video thanks. I do want to say though that on the flip side, I have found my hearing aid trials incredibly useful and have not experienced anything like what you describe. I use Harley Street Hearing in the UK> I am totally blind, no eyesight and for me, selecting the right hearing aids has been incredibly difficult, in fact I'm still going through the process. I've had hours long conversations with my audiologist way above and beyond the call of duty. I've tried about 6 different types now and each time, we have almost a 2 hour session, sit down with them, program and tweak them, then he sends me away, keeps in contact to see how I'm doing etc etc. The fact is, most hearing aids just don't work very well for blind people for multiple reasons, the main one being they try and alter and process sound radically in the environment to help you hear better, but this compromises my ability to know what's around me. So for me, trialing the hearing aids has been incredibly useful and the feedback with my audiologist has been 2nd to none :) just wanted to point out there is a good side to these as well, but can definitely see where things could go bad.
I’m going to make a video about my HORRENDOUS experience with my “trial period” speaking to EVERYTHING you mentioned! LITERALLY, just got a call from my insurance company that’s holding up my process because the 1st “audiologist” did EVERYTHING you said you hated; which I didn’t know I was getting into! I’m sooooo annoyed!
As a long time hearing aid purchaser I can tell you for certain, you WANT to have a legally required trial period. It protects you and your money. Most states have them. Alas not Arizona, as you might expect given the political leanings of the state. Hearing aids are expensive, and often things go wrong and you will not be happy with your purchase. Without an enforced trial period, you are at the mercy of the hearing aid seller. Having several thousand dollars at stake can make even the best seller find ways to rationalize why it's best for you to keep hearing aids you don't like. As this video kind of proves.
I currently do not wear hearing aids exactly because of the trial periods and the providers lack of using best practices. I started with an Octicon More rechargeable, then went to a Phonak with a Cros device, with a size 13 battery, because according to the audiologist, the rechargeable versions with the cros device did not last long enough and the Phonak had a larger battery. I then went to a Octicon Real that was rechargeable. None of them were ever set correctly, and although they would make adjustments, no best practice methods were used. He would sit at his desk, make some adjustments on the computer, and ask me if they sounded better. Guess what, yes they did sound better than before but they still ended up having problems.
Nailed it! My first trial period experience was exactly as you described. I was so disappointed that I returned the devices and suffered with hearing loss for another year. Eventually got hearing aids but as you know they are less than ideal. Looking forward to my new ones next week!
Almost verbatim - though i had analogue aids at the time, was wanting to go to a digital variety, was fitted shoved out the door and i did go back for adjustments at one point but it didn't help anything - never did REM, no comprehensive testing, no questionnaire, nothing. I wound up returning the aids (big fight to get all my money back thank goodness i knew california law re: HAs). I went another couple years finally found the guy that fitted me for the Bolero's i have now AND he was phenomenal. It was a huge lesson for me and now that i live in a different state, in the market for new HA's - this time around i know not to settle (thankfully already have an audiologist i love).
I have been an appreciative user of aids since 2006. First I would have let years go buy had not a trial period not been available. It wasn’t totally free but my risk was only $250. Your criticism of the trial period is the poor service risk which is the same whether there is a trial period or not. Why would a poor service provider provide better service when the client does not have the no risk option. You pride yourself on providing excellent service. Did you back off with trial options? Poor service is poor service.
I’m quite fortunate that I go to an audiologist that follows best practices. I’m in the process of getting new aids. It’s between Widex Moment and Oticon OPN S. The audiologist programmed the Widex first, then we took some time to tweak them to my satisfaction in the office, then she had me wear them for a week. I brought back a list of what I liked and what I didn’t like. I’m currently wearing the Oticon. Again, the audiologist programmed them based on my hearing results, then we spent time tweaking them to my satisfaction. I’m doing the same things to try to do a fair comparison and when I return them tomorrow, I’ll have another list of likes and dislikes, then we’ll see where we go. I have found, so far, the Oticon seem to allow me to hear speech better, while the Widex lets me hear music better.
tell it like it is why don,t you .. smiling audiologist and smiling pretty young attendant .. all too easy to get carried away to be friendly back to their gushing pat on back .
It is interesting to me that after all these years (over 40 years) that I have been wearing 2 BTE hearings aids, I have never thought about "best practices" and certainly had no clue what REM was... I had one audiologist growing up who was outstanding because my father was around to advocate for me but when he passed, finding another "outstanding" audiologist on my own has been very difficult. Although 4 years ago I think I found one that I can trust. This audiologist trialed a completely new hearing technology (CROS HA) with me due to my poor word recognition in the left ear and because I was contemplating a CI but opted out. Also, my old hearings were >7 years old. She was totally up front about the possibly that this new tech may not work for me but reminded me that we needed to work quickly due to the trial period. Argh. That frustrated me because it takes a long time to process and understand sound in many different situations. I compare new hearing aids to learning a new language. So I don't know if there is a better technology for my hearing loss, trial periods are long enough in my option. I started watching your channel to better educate myself and because I am researching ADLs options to help during the pandemic with most if not all people wearing masks. All I can say is wow...Doctor Cliff, your videos are so informative. As I reflect back on my experiences with audiologists, I realized I haven't been asking the right questions nor have I advocated for myself fully. I am curious, are your patients expressing frustration with not being able to lipread with mask users and what solutions have you learned or suggested? I know, everyone's hearing loss is different :) Thanks for your videos. D
I agree with you! I was going to go through a "free trial period", but stopped when the audiologist wanted a credit card to charge me $300 for the "free" trial. When I asked about REM, I received a blank stare.
Thanks Dr Cliff. By the way your dog was very patient with you using it as a prop.😀 Thankfully my hearing aids don't wake me up needing to go outside or go to a vet because it ate something he should not have. We had a lovable Labrador who my wife claims had a cellulose deficiency because he would eat anything, even paper, especially money, which would turn up later out in the yard. Seriously you are exactly right about trail periods especially in the instance where a persons existing aids are poorly programmed and they are comparing them to newer aids. This brings up the question, when should REM be performed after the initial fitting? Is it best practice to do a REM yearly along with a audiogram/SNRL testing? Another great video by you to keep those of us with hearing loss informed!
LOL, yeah she wasn't too happy about being in the video. I believe REM is best at the first fitting, however it is still valuable at a 2nd or 3rd visit if the provider actually uses it to program your hearing aids to your prescription. REM should ideally be completed at future visits if there have been changes to hearing thresholds, or if there has been an earmold/dome change of any significance.
I was happy for a trial so I could see what the apps and features were like which made me wait and still waiting for those features to bet better. I completely agree just have new filters made my hearing aids sound better. I use to go in for them to get them replaced but now I do it. Pretty much my audiologists suggests getting new HAs since they have newer technology. Last time she said the newer Widex had more bandwidth which I’m sure is true and probably helpful.
A big problem here, is that it takes at least a month before a schedule with an audiologist opens up. Then it takes another month for the hearing aids to come in. And when they do, the audiologist has less than 20 minutes to spend setting them up, because they still have another 30 clients to see on that given day. And then, good luck getting another visit with the audiologist for readjustment a month later. So it is best to get it right the first time, because there may not be a second!
I appreciate the information that you provide in this video. My overall concern is that with the repeated visits to fine tune a new set of hearing aids. The cost of each visit can become a burden. This might make some folks reluctant to keep their new hearing aids and just return them for a refund and then walk away without any hearing improvement or just keep them and be satisfied with minimal improvement.
Typically the cost of the additional fitting visits are included in the cost of the hearing aids. If a clinic is completely unbundled, sometimes this isn't the case, but their overall costs are lower anyway.
I returned the puppy. I'm not sure my previous provider was "lazy" (she's a big fan of YOU by the way); but we started with a recent REM that I had taken elsewhere (a branch of HearUSA) and with her recommendation that we start with Starkeys, as that was the brand I was using before migrating to the Bose Hearphones. (I asked to start with a Widex, because I liked all the bells and whistles of its design, but eventually did move to Starkey, which did sound a little more natural.) We did a lot of periodic adjustment and she *extended* the trial period without qualm. AND we worked with the Starkey rep (who, based on my perceptions, suggested we move back one model to the previous build, which used technology similar to my first pair; and she was right, it was better … but it still didn't do the job). I don't think there was any bad faith, but I think maybe we started from a shaky foundation. As I said before, I LOVE the Hearphones; but I think, based on your first reason in this video, and your notion that my next REM be conducted THROUGH the Hearphones, I would be best to start the process again from a totally clean slate. (If you have any other suggestions, please let me know.) I would add this to you, personally, though. It's a compliment but I also mean it as an issue. I think you may be a very exceptional audiologist. You're one of those people who does more than practice his craft responsibly; you have the talent and perspicacity to note patterns and truisms that haven't been codified before, and that codification allows you to think out of the box. I'd bet a few bucks right now that if I took my particular case to ten random (but reputable) audiologists here in NYC, I'd be lucky to find ONE who'd say, "Let's conduct a REM through your Hearphones." That may seem like common sense to you but I promise you, it's borne of uncommon insight.
Returned my $6200 Signia from audiologist. My goal was to address tinnitus, had some issues with app (known issue but not to audio light). charging/not charging, etc. ended up returning and getting the Kirkland signature. After 3 months seeing improvement on tinnitus.
The trials my son had were very different than the ones we purchased. They just simply did not. We're taking them back Bait and switch. I'm very unhappy
As a youngster in my 20s going for a referred hearing test soon, I’m completely new to all of this stuff so I thank you for the gold mine of information in your channel! I now have a bunch of notes to bring with me to make more informed decisions :)
Here in British Columbia, the guideline we use is: if there is a change in hearing of more than 15 dB at two or more frequencies, or of more than 30 dB at any one frequency. I am not sure what the original source is of that data, but that's what our licensing body recommends.
Thank you so much for this video. I am going through a trial period now, that auto adjusted the aids they had in the office. So far I'm getting "some" benefit. Thanks to you, I now know what should be done for me to get the most benefit and I will try one of the Colorado audiologists you recommend.
I'm scheduled for my hearing aid fitting soon and am conflicted after watching the video. Should I be asking some of the questions via email before the appointment and if I deem the appointment was lazy, then do I demand I a higher service from an audiologist that maybe too lazy to up their game or switch audiologists and thus frustratingly begin the whole journey again including the appointments costs? ($100 per appointment in Australia).
It really dust depends on how well you want to perform with your hearing aids and if you want to ensure you are receiving the most benefit from them. If you are okay with underperforming or not knowing if you are achieving your max, then continue with the status quo.
@@DrCliffAuD Yes you're right actually. I would be much happier to take my time and invest more in a relationship knowing that I'll reap the benefits of that investment over multiple years. This channel is the sole reason why I've managed to overcome the stigma of wearing hearing aids and actually makes me excited to get one!
I came back to this vid as I hit the end of trial week #1. The HA's (Signia Pure Charge&Go 7X) seem to be meeting my hearing expectations. Programming needs a little tweaking, but I expected that. But... The app is a "screen door on a submarine" for utility and versatility. The HA's won't do Android streaming (audiologist thinks the do - Signia says they don't) - remote mic gizmo required for Android (not Apple) streaming. BIG FAIL and dealbreaker. The trial at least, I think, gave the HA's a fair audition (no pun intended), and now I know they're going back, tied to a cute puppy. Well, actually... don't have a puppy to send back. ;) I wouldn't have found any of this out any other way I can think of.
Yes all the hearing aide providers, haven't done real ears measurement for my trial period. I have become so frustrated. They are mad at me when I return the hearing aides. I don't even want to try again, always so disappointing.
I’ve been going through this. I am on my 3rd trial. The audiologist said if these don’t work then Cochlear is my only option. I am so frustrated and confused.
I was fitted with phonak audeo bte hearing aids back in 2016-2017. I went home, played my piano and it sounded like tin. Returned the hearing aids during the trial period and ended up getting a baha instead. Surgery and all. Amazing music clarity now.
I got a trial through a guy who'd make a smarmy used car salesman blush. I appreciated it because there was no exchange of money. When I went to another few places for their advertised free trial. They wanted payment in full before the trial. I walked. Costco's deal was the best. I went for it. I am delighted.
Trail period over in 2 days,aud said phonak 90r REM is installed in soft ware so she don't have to do it like I Explained u do it...is she correct.. Need help asap....thks much
Thank you very much for your thoughts about the trial period (and the other very appreciated reviews you publish). I really think it is very thru problem. But now what could be the very best solution in which no one suffers. For me I had the REM done with my trial for the custom made Starkey Livio Edge AI2400 ITC wireless. Had some issues with them so I could not use them as expected in a very short trial period, but liked them very much. In the mean time discovering the new model Evolv was coming out soon and rather wanted to wait for them so I returned the Livio. Waiting for months already now before I could have a try out of the Evolv ITC. There is an older technique Phonak Paradise type coming up now which also has a wireless ITC, the Virto. Comparing now these two in a trial period would be a great challenge to me. But who is going to pay the consultancy with REM- testing, fine- tuning and custom mold fitting for these two most expensive high end HA's next to the try-out of the Livio's I had... I don't think the audiologist is going to let me rip him. At the other hand there seems to be no other real solution available for this financial deal as you can imagine. Well let me hope not every customer will be as unsettled as I am...
Yes! I'm also concerned about the limited time and lack of trial of multiple brands. I am upgrading to Resound One from Quattro. I have custom earmolds on order. So I wonder, does my trial begin upon receiving earmolds or on day one when they sent me home with the new hearing aids? I have a cookie bite hearing loss. I find it disheartening when two people stand next to each other and I may only understand one of them. Simply because one person's voice may be in a lower range or monotone.
Hi doc I went to an audiologist for a pair of hearing aids , she recommended a pair of signia active pro, but expects me to buy them even though they haven't got a set for me to try, Should i insist that I need to try them first ‽ As its a lot of money to hand over for hearing aids that I can't even see or try Any advice? Thank you for your very informative videos ilove watching 👀👌 I live in Ireland but I wish you had a practice here as you talk a lot of sense
Thanks. Very informative as I'm just going into the process and will be picking up my hearing aids in two days. Good to know what I should be expecting for good service and fitting.
@Doctor Cliff, AuD He actually did a quick fit on my first visit but only on a demo pair. I noticed that at least I could hear every word he was saying across the room even from the quick-fit so when the new set comes I'm expecting a more detailed programming and fitting.
Trial periods are not a problem, but typical provider practices are based on your video. Perhaps more people should return their devices which may cause providers to do a better job.
Also there may be some room for nuance: Most first -time HA users cannot handle the recommended NAL-NL2 prescription right away, so we often use acclimatization manager to turn it down to help them get used to it and wear it more. So an argument could be made to use first fit at the first appt, focus more on orientation, then perform the REM at the next appt 2 weeks later. If they are previous users that were previously fit properly with good usage, definitely run REM at the initial fitting.
I have worn hearing aids since I was 4 months old and when I got my new hearing aids they gave me 2 different kinds to see what I liked better a phonak marvel RIC and phonak marvel BTE to see what I liked better. I have used BTE is it was fun trying something new. I ended up going with the phonak marvel RIC because I liked the rechargeable option that the BTE did not have for my hearing aids. My audiologists did real ear Measure on both of them. She gave me the option because since I am now a teen they let me try the RIC to see if I liked it
Great video ,Its great to get a dose of informed sense from you .I just got one of those free 90 day trials in the post . I've been specially selected to try out the best hearing aid in the world etc etc . The level of service here is abysmal . If I ever make it to the US I will be visiting you . Thankyou !!
We stopped doing demos and we don't really do traditional trial periods because we unbundle everything. We do the hearing test, then schedule a hearing aid consult (fee charge) if they want to discuss getting possible hearing aids. At the hearing aid consult, if they choose to order hearing aids, we will order the aids and wait for them to arrive. When the hearing aids arrive we schedule a HA fitting, with RE, and 2 follow-ups. If the patient is not happy with their hearing aids after the 2 FUs, we can exchange them for a different kind, or they can get a refund, but its for the hearing aids only. They will not get their money back for any of the appointments. I also encourage patients to use (or at least fix ) their current hearing aids if they are still getting benefit as long as we get a new audio. This video is a nice reminder of why I'm glad we don't do it that was anymore.
Listening to this video I realize my previous understanding of the trial period was that it's mainly time for the client (feeling under pressure) to find a HA to adapt to. I didn't realize a great deal of work needs to be done by the audiologist as well. The relationship is not just dispenser gives to buyer, and you've got this trial period to get used to it. It's a very active back and forth until optimal hearing and comfort is achieved - ideally.
So, let me get this straight. You think that laws designed to protect consumers from unscrupulous care providers should be abandoned because some care providers are unscrupulous and do not do their job properly? That makes no sense.
My last hearing aids was ten years older - very analog although it is phonak product. New hearing aids changed my life for better, Alhamdulillah. I don't know if good-old analog hearing aids can be tuned to my challenges as I never heard that well as I do now. Then again, it was different audiologist and now I have changed audiologist due to location and hearing products to Oticon. I am sure new phonak audeo marvel are much better now. But can 10 years old analog phonak can compete with new phonak audeo marvel r90 and oticon opn s1? Not to mention, the Bluetooth functionality with the assistance of speech assistance device and TV support. Massive difference and I needed that improvement back in my college years. Struggled big time with lecture classes and everything. Trying to make up for everything with new Oticon OPN S1 and to new challenges as well, Alhamdulillah. But can 10 years old analog compete today hearing aids if retuned accordingly?
Dr. Cliff, How many of your patients actually try more than two hearing aids before making a decision on one? Do you in your practice keep stock of certain hearing aids or do you order all of them from the manufacture as need by the patient? When trying different hearing aids is there a time that the patients goes with out a hearing aid if waiting on the next trial device to arrive?
Less than 2% elect to try a second hearing aid. This is a product of spending a lot of time to select the best devices at the start. I don't keep stock of hearing aids. If they elect to try a second set, they keep the first set until the new ones arrive.
I just started watching you and I'm amazed at all the hearing aids available now! I've had mine for a few yrs. but I have tinnitus and it's so annoying. My hearing isn't real bad but I need to find an audiologist that is truthful and has knowledge of what's new. It's hard for me to be in a group of people and carry on a conversation because of background noise. I don't know who to go see for a through diagnosis. I live in VA. Please help! Thanks
I've have Signia hearing aids for 2 yrs. but I really don't hear very well-with them. Do I have to pay for another hearing test if I don't buy new hearing aids ? I may just need them reprogrammed so I can hear better. Is there a fee for this too? I bought my hearing aids from a military hospital but they no longer take care of my hearing needs. I live in Front Royal VA. Thank you for your help
This is SO true - thanks Doc! When I received one a few years ago I was almost being pressed by the audiologist to accept it. I ended up accepting a hearing aid that I wasn't 100% sure of that it would properly work due to the fact that it was my first and I had big problems adjusting to all the noise.
Another great vid. Thanks Dr. Cliff. A quick question. I went to my audiologist and was given an exam, then talked to the "sales" person who poped a pair of reSound ones in and started giving me the low down on cost. I was surprised to hear from them that if I used my Medicare, it would get me the devices and a year of service, but if I ponied up 50% more and purchased the device directly from them w/o Medicare, I would get 5-7 years of service with the devices. I am scheduled to go back on 9/29 to make my decision. It seems kind of wack to me. Why would they want me not to use Medicare? Thanks!!
every time ive had a trial period REM has been done and they been programmed to my prescription. im a superr picky person and I have returned the haearrg aids if I dont see any sigmnificant improvment. after years of wearing hearing aids I feel I have a good idea of they should sounds like and what their imitations are. no matter how good of a branc they are are they always sound a little artificial. Im cxrrently waiting for my new pair of hear ing aids my audiologist ordered for me to trial (Phonak ) hes going to program then and adjust them to my prescxription and will trouble shoot with me while i tria them out for a cxouplew of weeks. He told me i DONT need premium level and will start me with the mid level ones. he says that even though im moderate to slightly moderate severe my hearring loss is quite flat and i need all the chanells avai. this wil save me at least $1000 or more on my pair of hearing aids. I agree though that most plaqces will offer y0u a demo pair and hope for the best and thanks to you and your tips on best practices and what to look for. I steer clear of any place that dsoesnt ofollow best praxcttices. thank you for all your you tube content
My first experience with an audiologist was awful. He determined that I needed but one hearing aid, sent me home with it and had me return in a week at which point he pressured me to keep the single device and "learn to live with it." Among other problems with the HA, was severe whistling from the slightest breeze as well as the constant feeling of imbalance since one ear was being amplified and the other "good ear" was not. Fortunately, I left the office never to return, despite a couple of annoying follow-up phone calls in which they kept pressuring me. I had to demand they stop contacting me.
Thank you Dr. Olson. Your fair and honest assessment of hearing aid trials is fantastic. I really appreciate you!
I just got oticon intent aides from the VA. I'm a new hearing aide user. I wish the VA would have taken more time to help me understand how they are supposed to help me hear better and go over maintenance. Your videos have helped a lot
Thanks Dr Cliff. I’m going for an exam tomorrow and expect to face a "trial" period. Before we get that far I’ll make sure we line out exactly how the trial will go and how it will be evaluated. If it doesn’t look like what you have defined, I’m out the door before we start.
I'm actually really grateful. I just got my first set of hearing aids, the Signia Pure Charge & Go 7X, 16 days ago and will be returning them for a full refund. Although I love all the features, either the right or left earpieces go completely dead on me. Just stop working. Signia replaced them quickly within a few days claiming this problem was an outlier. When I picked up the replacement the Hearing Aid Specialist I've been working with claimed the issue could have been caused by the hearing aid getting wet from perspiration (or humidity) and gave me a drying box. Then the same day I picked up the new set in the morning by 6:00 pm the left earpiece went dead. It had a medium level charge according to the App. and I had been indoors in A/C all day. The only time I went outside with them in 104º heat (I live in Phoenix) was
Sounds like the devices were actually duds, not the receivers. It is doubtful that an IP68 device would sustain moisture damage that quickly. Personally, I believe that durability of a device is the #1 priority. As you can attest to, if the device doesn't function, it doesn't matter how many features it has.
Thank you Dr Cliff. I have been following your RUclips videos to educate myself for quite sometime.
I've been wearing hearing aids for some 15 years. I still prefer trial period.
Whether or not a trial period is offered, an unprofessional practician would not follow the best practice, or worse. A free trial gives patients a chance to experience what is really like, how you😃 feel with your individual preference, before settling down on that new pair of hearing aids. It's also a layer of consumer protection when you encountered mal-practice or something not quiet right, whether it's human, hard or software error, when fitting.
Of course, it also come down to how the trial is administered. 2 weeks trial is bit too short. And, if the aids were not properly programmed and REM, then the trial is meaningless.
In a perfect world, if you found a best practician with the best practice, then come and go with the best hearing aids. We wish.😀
I'm Lucky. I trailed 2 brands for 2 weeks each. After my selection, the Audi did REM & other adjustments. I consider him My Personal Audi. He knowledge & caring service far surpasses Costco who I dealt with for 7 years. Money well spent.
Hello Cliff - I am getting my fist pair new hearing aids soon. They have been ordered for me by a dispensary that is a preferred provider by my insurance company. I am very uncomfortable with service I obtained at our first meeting as virtually NO time was spent discussing my options or needs. They were simply working from my audiogram and information sent by my ENT. Can you please tell me how dispensaries differ from audiologist and what level of service i can expect from them? I would really appreciate the help as I feel my quality of life and that of my young children hang in the balance. Thanks, in advance for the help. - Charles
You did not bring out that cute puppy to make your point. lmao Love it!
I'm a little nervous now after watching this video. I have insurance where I get a 45 day trial period for hearing aids. Geesh. I hope I don't have any trouble with my provider. The one i am going is is one of three that were in network. I hope I get my full benefit and I don't have to come back several times to change out. I also hope the hearing aids I choose will fit and work properly. I'm nervous now 😬. Thanks. Lol
Yep, you're rolling the dice. Hopefully insurance isn't dictating the care too much. That was the reason I left insurance networks.
@@DrCliffAuD I love my Insurance. Their really easy to talk to and deal with and thus far, I've had no problems. However, this will be the first time dealing with them about hearing aids. So I am hoping that everything runs smoothly. Forty five days is a loooong trial period, however, on the bright side, I get the chance to try these out in louder environments like the gyms and grocery stores and such. Most aids I've seen have the Bluetooth so of course I need to try to take calls and answer calls with the aids. Although it's a long trial, it gives me plenty of time to experiment. I also need to make it clear to my provider, I'm not paying for the aids, My insurance will cover the cost. Thats their money not mine. I don't want to waste their money or my time. So yea, its going to be interesting for sure. I do hope all goes smooth. I don't blame you for getting out lol. I would have too.
Almost every video you mention best practices, real ear measurements. Don't forget get to mention veterans can get hearing aids from the VA. For little to no cost. I pretty sure you done a video about it. Signing up for eligiblity is fairly simple an fast. But it might take longer to get seen at your local VA clinic depending on their work load.
Amen Brother! Semper Fi.
How about a video on IQbuds2max...predicting it will be brutal
Literally performing a review of them right now. Just did some objective testing of their amplification capabilities yesterday.
Cant wait to see it
Interested to know if you sell hearing aids online and if you program them an aud wants to sell them to me for $6000.00 for a pair of signs charge and go 7AX T coil what price would you have for them thank you
Of course, you're opposed to trial periods. For far more obvious reasons.
Ron, makes me think you didn't watch the whole video. 🤔
I thought the video was great - it really explained well what happened to me when I first got hearing aids - my first provider did not follow best practice and wouldn't do REM until after I had purchased aids. It was overwhelming to say the least. As a consequence I really struggled to the extent that I was considering not getting aids. My second provider has been nothing short of amazing - she suggested Phonak and Resound would be the best for my hearing loss - they were both ordered on a trial basis and and REM was conducted with both at the initial fitting. One year down the track I am a very happy user. I love the Dr Cliff videos - they are so informative and have really helped me in my journey.
Wow! Wish California's law was more widespread. I'm about to go into a trail period (just waiting for the new ear mold to come in), and if I remember right, it's $375 if I return everything. But I know I need something new. In this age of maximum telework, it's becoming painful to constantly hold the phone by my aid for all the teleconferences. Bluetooth compatibility is no longer a "want" but a "need."
I mean what California does is pretty standard in europe.
I'm not sure you made a case against trial periods. Instead, you made a case against poorly trained and poorly regulated professionals. It seems to me that some sort of trial period should be a part of a proper fitting.
If mandating a trial period by law is an attempt to correct a defect in the profession, maybe the solution is for the profession to fix itself and then negotiate with the relevant legislatures to revise any mandates to accommodate the newly competent professional procedures.
Another way to do it would be to require insurance to cover these (necessary) devices - and allow insurance companies to force appropriate procedures on the providers.
In any event, I think that trial periods are a straw man. The real problem is a lack of checks on the professionals.
BTW, I applaud your attempts to educate the public as to the mine field they have to cross when buying hearing aids in the US.
Hi jbtg, thanks for the feedback. In general, I think my approach with this video was not necessarily to say that all trial periods are bad. I actually do trial periods as well, but as you said, the problem is with how they are administered.
I wish Idaho had a set trial period. What you said is. Pretty accurate. My provider has followed your model nearly verbatim. Sadly, after conversations with 30 or so other hearing aid wearers, I believe that no provider has a really suitable device to deliver acceptable hearing performance. Without that you're all pedaling junk at massively inflated prices.
HI. Great video thanks. I do want to say though that on the flip side, I have found my hearing aid trials incredibly useful and have not experienced anything like what you describe. I use Harley Street Hearing in the UK> I am totally blind, no eyesight and for me, selecting the right hearing aids has been incredibly difficult, in fact I'm still going through the process. I've had hours long conversations with my audiologist way above and beyond the call of duty. I've tried about 6 different types now and each time, we have almost a 2 hour session, sit down with them, program and tweak them, then he sends me away, keeps in contact to see how I'm doing etc etc.
The fact is, most hearing aids just don't work very well for blind people for multiple reasons, the main one being they try and alter and process sound radically in the environment to help you hear better, but this compromises my ability to know what's around me. So for me, trialing the hearing aids has been incredibly useful and the feedback with my audiologist has been 2nd to none :) just wanted to point out there is a good side to these as well, but can definitely see where things could go bad.
I’m going to make a video about my HORRENDOUS experience with my “trial period” speaking to EVERYTHING you mentioned! LITERALLY, just got a call from my insurance company that’s holding up my process because the 1st “audiologist” did EVERYTHING you said you hated; which I didn’t know I was getting into! I’m sooooo annoyed!
As a long time hearing aid purchaser I can tell you for certain, you WANT to have a legally required trial period. It protects you and your money. Most states have them. Alas not Arizona, as you might expect given the political leanings of the state. Hearing aids are expensive, and often things go wrong and you will not be happy with your purchase. Without an enforced trial period, you are at the mercy of the hearing aid seller. Having several thousand dollars at stake can make even the best seller find ways to rationalize why it's best for you to keep hearing aids you don't like. As this video kind of proves.
I currently do not wear hearing aids exactly because of the trial periods and the providers lack of using best practices. I started with an Octicon More rechargeable, then went to a Phonak with a Cros device, with a size 13 battery, because according to the audiologist, the rechargeable versions with the cros device did not last long enough and the Phonak had a larger battery. I then went to a Octicon Real that was rechargeable. None of them were ever set correctly, and although they would make adjustments, no best practice methods were used. He would sit at his desk, make some adjustments on the computer, and ask me if they sounded better. Guess what, yes they did sound better than before but they still ended up having problems.
Nailed it! My first trial period experience was exactly as you described. I was so disappointed that I returned the devices and suffered with hearing loss for another year. Eventually got hearing aids but as you know they are less than ideal. Looking forward to my new ones next week!
Almost verbatim - though i had analogue aids at the time, was wanting to go to a digital variety, was fitted shoved out the door and i did go back for adjustments at one point but it didn't help anything - never did REM, no comprehensive testing, no questionnaire, nothing. I wound up returning the aids (big fight to get all my money back thank goodness i knew california law re: HAs). I went another couple years finally found the guy that fitted me for the Bolero's i have now AND he was phenomenal. It was a huge lesson for me and now that i live in a different state, in the market for new HA's - this time around i know not to settle (thankfully already have an audiologist i love).
I have been an appreciative user of aids since 2006. First I would have let years go buy had not a trial period not been available. It wasn’t totally free but my risk was only $250. Your criticism of the trial period is the poor service risk which is the same whether there is a trial period or not. Why would a poor service provider provide better service when the client does not have the no risk option.
You pride yourself on providing excellent service. Did you back off with trial options? Poor service is poor service.
Going in tomorrow morning for a hearing aid fit. Glad I found your video.
I’m quite fortunate that I go to an audiologist that follows best practices. I’m in the process of getting new aids. It’s between Widex Moment and Oticon OPN S. The audiologist programmed the Widex first, then we took some time to tweak them to my satisfaction in the office, then she had me wear them for a week. I brought back a list of what I liked and what I didn’t like. I’m currently wearing the Oticon. Again, the audiologist programmed them based on my hearing results, then we spent time tweaking them to my satisfaction. I’m doing the same things to try to do a fair comparison and when I return them tomorrow, I’ll have another list of likes and dislikes, then we’ll see where we go. I have found, so far, the Oticon seem to allow me to hear speech better, while the Widex lets me hear music better.
tell it like it is why don,t you .. smiling audiologist and smiling pretty young attendant .. all too easy to get carried away to be friendly back to their gushing pat on back .
It is interesting to me that after all these years (over 40 years) that I have been wearing 2 BTE hearings aids, I have never thought about "best practices" and certainly had no clue what REM was...
I had one audiologist growing up who was outstanding because my father was around to advocate for me but when he passed, finding another "outstanding" audiologist on my own has been very difficult.
Although 4 years ago I think I found one that I can trust. This audiologist trialed a completely new hearing technology (CROS HA) with me due to my poor word recognition in the left ear and because I was contemplating a CI but opted out. Also, my old hearings were >7 years old. She was totally up front about the possibly that this new tech may not work for me but reminded me that we needed to work quickly due to the trial period. Argh. That frustrated me because it takes a long time to process and understand sound in many different situations. I compare new hearing aids to learning a new language. So I don't know if there is a better technology for my hearing loss, trial periods are long enough in my option.
I started watching your channel to better educate myself and because I am researching ADLs options to help during the pandemic with most if not all people wearing masks.
All I can say is wow...Doctor Cliff, your videos are so informative. As I reflect back on my experiences with audiologists, I realized I haven't been asking the right questions nor have I advocated for myself fully.
I am curious, are your patients expressing frustration with not being able to lipread with mask users and what solutions have you learned or suggested? I know, everyone's hearing loss is different :)
Thanks for your videos. D
Doctor Cliff, your passion for helping people hear better shines through. Thank you :)
My pleasure!
Huh I get 6 months per hearing aid I try for free. Thanks Norwegian state.
I agree with you! I was going to go through a "free trial period", but stopped when the audiologist wanted a credit card to charge me $300 for the "free" trial. When I asked about REM, I received a blank stare.
Thanks Dr Cliff. By the way your dog was very patient with you using it as a prop.😀 Thankfully my hearing aids don't wake me up needing to go outside or go to a vet because it ate something he should not have. We had a lovable Labrador who my wife claims had a cellulose deficiency because he would eat anything, even paper, especially money, which would turn up later out in the yard. Seriously you are exactly right about trail periods especially in the instance where a persons existing aids are poorly programmed and they are comparing them to newer aids. This brings up the question, when should REM be performed after the initial fitting? Is it best practice to do a REM yearly along with a audiogram/SNRL testing? Another great video by you to keep those of us with hearing loss informed!
LOL, yeah she wasn't too happy about being in the video. I believe REM is best at the first fitting, however it is still valuable at a 2nd or 3rd visit if the provider actually uses it to program your hearing aids to your prescription. REM should ideally be completed at future visits if there have been changes to hearing thresholds, or if there has been an earmold/dome change of any significance.
I was happy for a trial so I could see what the apps and features were like which made me wait and still waiting for those features to bet better.
I completely agree just have new filters made my hearing aids sound better. I use to go in for them to get them replaced but now I do it.
Pretty much my audiologists suggests getting new HAs since they have newer technology. Last time she said the newer Widex had more bandwidth which I’m sure is true and probably helpful.
The new Widex hearing aids do not have more bandwidth.
A big problem here, is that it takes at least a month before a schedule with an audiologist opens up. Then it takes another month for the hearing aids to come in. And when they do, the audiologist has less than 20 minutes to spend setting them up, because they still have another 30 clients to see on that given day. And then, good luck getting another visit with the audiologist for readjustment a month later. So it is best to get it right the first time, because there may not be a second!
I appreciate the information that you provide in this video. My overall concern is that with the repeated visits to fine tune a new set of hearing aids. The cost of each visit can become a burden. This might make some folks reluctant to keep their new hearing aids and just return them for a refund and then walk away without any hearing improvement or just keep them and be satisfied with minimal improvement.
Typically the cost of the additional fitting visits are included in the cost of the hearing aids. If a clinic is completely unbundled, sometimes this isn't the case, but their overall costs are lower anyway.
Thanks Cliff for educating me more in each video.
As always, TERRIFIC and valuable information! Thank you Dr. Cliff😊
Hey Teresa, glad you enjoyed it! 🤗
I returned the puppy. I'm not sure my previous provider was "lazy" (she's a big fan of YOU by the way); but we started with a recent REM that I had taken elsewhere (a branch of HearUSA) and with her recommendation that we start with Starkeys, as that was the brand I was using before migrating to the Bose Hearphones. (I asked to start with a Widex, because I liked all the bells and whistles of its design, but eventually did move to Starkey, which did sound a little more natural.) We did a lot of periodic adjustment and she *extended* the trial period without qualm. AND we worked with the Starkey rep (who, based on my perceptions, suggested we move back one model to the previous build, which used technology similar to my first pair; and she was right, it was better … but it still didn't do the job). I don't think there was any bad faith, but I think maybe we started from a shaky foundation. As I said before, I LOVE the Hearphones; but I think, based on your first reason in this video, and your notion that my next REM be conducted THROUGH the Hearphones, I would be best to start the process again from a totally clean slate. (If you have any other suggestions, please let me know.)
I would add this to you, personally, though. It's a compliment but I also mean it as an issue. I think you may be a very exceptional audiologist. You're one of those people who does more than practice his craft responsibly; you have the talent and perspicacity to note patterns and truisms that haven't been codified before, and that codification allows you to think out of the box. I'd bet a few bucks right now that if I took my particular case to ten random (but reputable) audiologists here in NYC, I'd be lucky to find ONE who'd say, "Let's conduct a REM through your Hearphones." That may seem like common sense to you but I promise you, it's borne of uncommon insight.
Not sure what you mean by "started with a recent REM that I had taken elsewhere". What does that mean?
Returned my $6200 Signia from audiologist. My goal was to address tinnitus, had some issues with app (known issue but not to audio light). charging/not charging, etc. ended up returning and getting the Kirkland signature. After 3 months seeing improvement on tinnitus.
The trials my son had were very different than the ones we purchased. They just simply did not. We're taking them back Bait and switch. I'm very unhappy
As a youngster in my 20s going for a referred hearing test soon, I’m completely new to all of this stuff so I thank you for the gold mine of information in your channel! I now have a bunch of notes to bring with me to make more informed decisions :)
After the initial fitting and REM, how much of a hearing change should require a reprogram and another REM.
Here in British Columbia, the guideline we use is: if there is a change in hearing of more than 15 dB at two or more frequencies, or of more than 30 dB at any one frequency. I am not sure what the original source is of that data, but that's what our licensing body recommends.
Thank you so much for this video. I am going through a trial period now, that auto adjusted the aids they had in the office. So far I'm getting "some" benefit. Thanks to you, I now know what should be done for me to get the most benefit and I will try one of the Colorado audiologists you recommend.
Good call. Best of Luck!
I'm scheduled for my hearing aid fitting soon and am conflicted after watching the video. Should I be asking some of the questions via email before the appointment and if I deem the appointment was lazy, then do I demand I a higher service from an audiologist that maybe too lazy to up their game or switch audiologists and thus frustratingly begin the whole journey again including the appointments costs? ($100 per appointment in Australia).
It really dust depends on how well you want to perform with your hearing aids and if you want to ensure you are receiving the most benefit from them. If you are okay with underperforming or not knowing if you are achieving your max, then continue with the status quo.
@@DrCliffAuD Yes you're right actually. I would be much happier to take my time and invest more in a relationship knowing that I'll reap the benefits of that investment over multiple years. This channel is the sole reason why I've managed to overcome the stigma of wearing hearing aids and actually makes me excited to get one!
I came back to this vid as I hit the end of trial week #1. The HA's (Signia Pure Charge&Go 7X) seem to be meeting my hearing expectations. Programming needs a little tweaking, but I expected that. But... The app is a "screen door on a submarine" for utility and versatility. The HA's won't do Android streaming (audiologist thinks the do - Signia says they don't) - remote mic gizmo required for Android (not Apple) streaming. BIG FAIL and dealbreaker. The trial at least, I think, gave the HA's a fair audition (no pun intended), and now I know they're going back, tied to a cute puppy. Well, actually... don't have a puppy to send back. ;)
I wouldn't have found any of this out any other way I can think of.
I fully agree it is generally used as pressure techniques
Yes all the hearing aide providers, haven't done real ears measurement for my trial period. I have become so frustrated. They are mad at me when I return the hearing aides. I don't even want to try again, always so disappointing.
I’ve been going through this. I am on my 3rd trial. The audiologist said if these don’t work then Cochlear is my only option. I am so frustrated and confused.
I was fitted with phonak audeo bte hearing aids back in 2016-2017. I went home, played my piano and it sounded like tin. Returned the hearing aids during the trial period and ended up getting a baha instead. Surgery and all. Amazing music clarity now.
I got a trial through a guy who'd make a smarmy used car salesman blush.
I appreciated it because there was no exchange of money. When I went to another few places for their advertised free trial.
They wanted payment in full before the trial. I walked.
Costco's deal was the best. I went for it. I am delighted.
Trail period over in 2 days,aud said phonak 90r REM is installed in soft
ware so she don't have to do it like I
Explained u do it...is she correct..
Need help asap....thks much
Thank you very much for your thoughts about the trial period (and the other very appreciated reviews you publish). I really think it is very thru problem. But now what could be the very best solution in which no one suffers. For me I had the REM done with my trial for the custom made Starkey Livio Edge AI2400 ITC wireless. Had some issues with them so I could not use them as expected in a very short trial period, but liked them very much. In the mean time discovering the new model Evolv was coming out soon and rather wanted to wait for them so I returned the Livio. Waiting for months already now before I could have a try out of the Evolv ITC. There is an older technique Phonak Paradise type coming up now which also has a wireless ITC, the Virto. Comparing now these two in a trial period would be a great challenge to me. But who is going to pay the consultancy with REM- testing, fine- tuning and custom mold fitting for these two most expensive high end HA's next to the try-out of the Livio's I had... I don't think the audiologist is going to let me rip him. At the other hand there seems to be no other real solution available for this financial deal as you can imagine. Well let me hope not every customer will be as unsettled as I am...
Yes! I'm also concerned about the limited time and lack of trial of multiple brands.
I am upgrading to Resound One from Quattro. I have custom earmolds on order. So I wonder, does my trial begin upon receiving earmolds or on day one when they sent me home with the new hearing aids?
I have a cookie bite hearing loss. I find it disheartening when two people stand next to each other and I may only understand one of them. Simply because one person's voice may be in a lower range or monotone.
Hi doc I went to an audiologist for a pair of hearing aids , she recommended a pair of signia active pro, but expects me to buy them even though they haven't got a set for me to try,
Should i insist that I need to try them first ‽
As its a lot of money to hand over for hearing aids that I can't even see or try
Any advice?
Thank you for your very informative videos ilove watching 👀👌
I live in Ireland but I wish you had a practice here as you talk a lot of sense
Thanks. Very informative as I'm just going into the process and will be picking up my hearing aids in two days. Good to know what I should be expecting for good service and fitting.
If you're picking up your hearing aids in a few days, it means they didn't do just a "quick-fit" trial at your first visit. You should be okay.
@Doctor Cliff, AuD He actually did a quick fit on my first visit but only on a demo pair. I noticed that at least I could hear every word he was saying across the room even from the quick-fit so when the new set comes I'm expecting a more detailed programming and fitting.
Trial periods are not a problem, but typical provider practices are based on your video. Perhaps more people should return their devices which may cause providers to do a better job.
Also there may be some room for nuance: Most first -time HA users cannot handle the recommended NAL-NL2 prescription right away, so we often use acclimatization manager to turn it down to help them get used to it and wear it more. So an argument could be made to use first fit at the first appt, focus more on orientation, then perform the REM at the next appt 2 weeks later. If they are previous users that were previously fit properly with good usage, definitely run REM at the initial fitting.
helpful info
I have worn hearing aids since I was 4 months old and when I got my new hearing aids they gave me 2 different kinds to see what I liked better a phonak marvel RIC and phonak marvel BTE to see what I liked better. I have used BTE is it was fun trying something new. I ended up going with the phonak marvel RIC because I liked the rechargeable option that the BTE did not have for my hearing aids. My audiologists did real ear Measure on both of them. She gave me the option because since I am now a teen they let me try the RIC to see if I liked it
Great video ,Its great to get a dose of informed sense from you .I just got one of those free 90 day trials in the post . I've been specially selected to try out the best hearing aid in the world etc etc . The level of service here is abysmal . If I ever make it to the US I will be visiting you . Thankyou !!
You really need to work with Elizebeth Warren in government. Your knowledge and honesty is really lacking in the law.
Hi Dr Cliff,
Looks like you just have auto captions in this video. Any chance you could add better captions?
Bring on the FX-322 and SPI-1005 Please!!!
I know right!?!?!
Which states is the FX-322 CROS technology hearing aid available in?
Do you know if Advanced Bionics will release a new processor soon? In a year or something, I can get new Cochlea Implants on July 2021 💕
Hey, sorry to hijack your video. I’ve sent over some interesting tinnitus info on Facebook Messenger (Oliver Anthony). Worth a look.
California audiologist here: Just b/c you have a trial period doesn’t mean you don’t do REM. You should still do it.
Can you tell me how to pair Livio Hearing aid to My PC?
We stopped doing demos and we don't really do traditional trial periods because we unbundle everything. We do the hearing test, then schedule a hearing aid consult (fee charge) if they want to discuss getting possible hearing aids. At the hearing aid consult, if they choose to order hearing aids, we will order the aids and wait for them to arrive. When the hearing aids arrive we schedule a HA fitting, with RE, and 2 follow-ups. If the patient is not happy with their hearing aids after the 2 FUs, we can exchange them for a different kind, or they can get a refund, but its for the hearing aids only. They will not get their money back for any of the appointments. I also encourage patients to use (or at least fix ) their current hearing aids if they are still getting benefit as long as we get a new audio. This video is a nice reminder of why I'm glad we don't do it that was anymore.
It's still some kind of trial - Aids can be returned. Fair for everyone.
Listening to this video I realize my previous understanding of the trial period was that it's mainly time for the client (feeling under pressure) to find a HA to adapt to. I didn't realize a great deal of work needs to be done by the audiologist as well. The relationship is not just dispenser gives to buyer, and you've got this trial period to get used to it. It's a very active back and forth until optimal hearing and comfort is achieved - ideally.
So, let me get this straight. You think that laws designed to protect consumers from unscrupulous care providers should be abandoned because some care providers are unscrupulous and do not do their job properly? That makes no sense.
If that's what you got out of that video then you totally missed the point.
My last hearing aids was ten years older - very analog although it is phonak product. New hearing aids changed my life for better, Alhamdulillah.
I don't know if good-old analog hearing aids can be tuned to my challenges as I never heard that well as I do now. Then again, it was different audiologist and now I have changed audiologist due to location and hearing products to Oticon.
I am sure new phonak audeo marvel are much better now. But can 10 years old analog phonak can compete with new phonak audeo marvel r90 and oticon opn s1? Not to mention, the Bluetooth functionality with the assistance of speech assistance device and TV support. Massive difference and I needed that improvement back in my college years. Struggled big time with lecture classes and everything. Trying to make up for everything with new Oticon OPN S1 and to new challenges as well, Alhamdulillah.
But can 10 years old analog compete today hearing aids if retuned accordingly?
No
Dr. Cliff, How many of your patients actually try more than two hearing aids before making a decision on one? Do you in your practice keep stock of certain hearing aids or do you order all of them from the manufacture as need by the patient? When trying different hearing aids is there a time that the patients goes with out a hearing aid if waiting on the next trial device to arrive?
Less than 2% elect to try a second hearing aid. This is a product of spending a lot of time to select the best devices at the start. I don't keep stock of hearing aids. If they elect to try a second set, they keep the first set until the new ones arrive.
😃😀😄 best presentation
The trial period has got to be better than walking out the door with no refund right at all.
Don't get me wrong, there should be a right to a refund except for the cost of performing the fitting.
I just started watching you and I'm amazed at all the hearing aids available now! I've had mine for a few yrs. but I have tinnitus and it's so annoying. My hearing isn't real bad but I need to find an audiologist that is truthful and has knowledge of what's new. It's hard for me to be in a group of people and carry on a conversation because of background noise. I don't know who to go see for a through diagnosis. I live in VA. Please help! Thanks
Where in Virginia?
I live in Front Royal but I can drive down the mountain to Fairfax or anywhere in northern VA.
I've have Signia hearing aids for 2 yrs. but I really don't hear very well-with them. Do I have to pay for another hearing test if I don't buy new hearing aids ? I may just need them reprogrammed so I can hear better. Is there a fee for this too? I bought my hearing aids from a military hospital but they no longer take care of my hearing needs. I live in Front Royal VA. Thank you for your help
I don’t trust any trial period s for any product. Period.
LOL, why is that?
Puppy dog close, not puppy dog clothes.
LOL, did I mess up the closed captions? 😂
This is SO true - thanks Doc!
When I received one a few years ago I was almost being pressed by the audiologist to accept it. I ended up accepting a hearing aid that I wasn't 100% sure of that it would properly work due to the fact that it was my first and I had big problems adjusting to all the noise.
Another great vid. Thanks Dr. Cliff. A quick question. I went to my audiologist and was given an exam, then talked to the "sales" person who poped a pair of reSound ones in and started giving me the low down on cost. I was surprised to hear from them that if I used my Medicare, it would get me the devices and a year of service, but if I ponied up 50% more and purchased the device directly from them w/o Medicare, I would get 5-7 years of service with the devices. I am scheduled to go back on 9/29 to make my decision. It seems kind of wack to me. Why would they want me not to use Medicare? Thanks!!
I don't believe Medicare by itself covers hearing aids. If you know different, let us know.
every time ive had a trial period REM has been done and they been programmed to my prescription. im a superr picky person and I have returned the haearrg aids if I dont see any sigmnificant improvment. after years of wearing hearing aids I feel I have a good idea of they should sounds like and what their imitations are. no matter how good of a branc they are are they always sound a little artificial. Im cxrrently waiting for my new pair of hear ing aids my audiologist ordered for me to trial (Phonak ) hes going to program then and adjust them to my prescxription and will trouble shoot with me while i tria them out for a cxouplew of weeks. He told me i DONT need premium level and will start me with the mid level ones. he says that even though im moderate to slightly moderate severe my hearring loss is quite flat and i need all the chanells avai. this wil save me at least $1000 or more on my pair of hearing aids. I agree though that most plaqces will offer y0u a demo pair and hope for the best and thanks to you and your tips on best practices and what to look for. I steer clear of any place that dsoesnt ofollow best praxcttices. thank you for all your you tube content
Your post is unreadable, full of spelling errors.
My first experience with an audiologist was awful. He determined that I needed but one hearing aid, sent me home with it and had me return in a week at which point he pressured me to keep the single device and "learn to live with it." Among other problems with the HA, was severe whistling from the slightest breeze as well as the constant feeling of imbalance since one ear was being amplified and the other "good ear" was not. Fortunately, I left the office never to return, despite a couple of annoying follow-up phone calls in which they kept pressuring me. I had to demand they stop contacting me.
So your second audiologist was good?