Remember also that if a pair of hearing aids cost you $5000 and they last you five years then that’s cost you a $1000 dollars a year for your hearing. Here in the U.K. most companies offer lifetime aftercare of the hearing aids too.
As a hearing loss person myself. I noticed your speech is very good. I tend to slur my words a bit. Been a wearer of hearing aids 50+ years. I also do not know others like myself, that’s why I subscribed to your channel to listen to others like myself. Interesting.
@@DefiniteHearing yes I had some speech therapy when younger and speak ok. I only get a few people commenting on my speech not being perfect, but a lot are also surprised when they find out I’m hearing impaired.
Around here good aids come in at around $8,000 per pair with no/little insurance coverage. So an important question: how long do aids normally last? Ouch. Little wonder OTC and Costco are thriving.
Hi, Emily! I wear the Beltone Achieves, which are basically locked ReSound hearing aids. I chose them because of the audiologist’s reputation and ratings. I can’t express just how great they are. I’m not sure if we even have a ReSound dealer here. But, I’m really grateful that I can afford them. I keep watching videos as the OTC ones come out. Maybe one day, that will be the way I go. Thanks for all you do!
I’m so glad you like them! Yes, GN makes ReSound and Beltone, however, the Beltones shouldn’t be locked (they can but really shouldn’t be) locking aids can be a shady practice aid programmers use to maintain control of patient devices. They can prevent other providers from making changes because that provider put a password or lock on the devices you paid for. Just make sure you know the password to unlock them. If not, I recommend sticking with the aids and provider you love for now but exploring other options (definitely provider wise) when it is time for a new pair of aids.
@@DefiniteHearing - yes, I’ve sort of decided that 3-4 years from now, I’ll look elsewhere. I do entirely trust the Dr., but when there are potentially thousands of dollars on the line, I’m sure there are many great ones out there!
I finally figured out you meant $1500 - $3000 per ear not pair. I was quoted 5 - 7 k for a pair at the ENT practice I go to. That price seemed awfully high so I went to costco and bought a pair of Phillips hearing aids for $1500 . Oticon and Philips are made by the same manifactuer and the Philips are essentially the same as the high end Oticons. I am in the early weeks of wearing these and we shall see if the programming and support fail due to cost cutting but so far it doesn't appear that way. I will say I do hear conversations better but I really don't like wearing them and they make my ear canal.sore.
That is HIGH. Also, an ENT is NOT an audiologist. An ENT is a doctor of the ear. An Audiologist is a doctor of how sound interacts with your ear (more important for hearing device fitting). Way to follow your gut and get something cost efficient. Take it to a licensed audiologist and see if they’ll help you refine them. Do you have custom ear moulds? The aids shouldn’t make your ear canal sore.
My mom is 97 yrs old. The dog ate another one of her hearing aids that fell out in her house. Why doesn't she know when one falls out? She has these expensive ITE devices and this is the second or third time this year this has happened. What is the best advice for getting something that she won't be losing. She had a set of the Behind the Ear devices and the first time she combed her hair it got knocked off and fell on the floor. Maybe we just need to work more with her on that front.
If she doesn’t notice they fall out, they’re not working properly for her. I’d know right away if mine fell out. Ensure they’re sitting properly in her ear and turned on. Also, I recommend getting her hearing aid retention lines. That way, if they fall out, they’re stuck on the retention line and not on the floor.
I went to Beltone today, had the test and tried out a pair of aids. The sell four levels of aids but have only the highest level, price wise, for me to try. If I cannot try out the less expensive ones, how could I possibly choose? I think this tactic is sketchy, at best? The price? Nearly $7000 or $240 per month for three years, a nice 24% interest rate. I have no idea what to do next. This will be my first pair.
YIKES. Yes, listen to your gut. That pricing and availability is a major red flag. Aids shouldn’t be more than $2500-3000 each, keep in mind that’s a “big 6 brand”, top tier all the bells and whistles. Beltone isn’t a “big 6 brand”. Research another audiologist in your area and get their recommendations.
Re sound here in Portugal the unit costs about seven thousand euros. personally, I believe that apple bought Beats they could produce a better and cheaper unit
That’s a neat bit of information! Check out the Orka 2. I don’t know if it is available in Europe but it is made by ex-Apple people! It’s such a neat set of hearing aids.
Thanks for the thoughtful video. I would just add that Costco provides affordable, professional solutions for quite a bit less than private Audiologists on average, and is a much better solution than OTC aids.
@@DefiniteHearing I forget exactly, but medicaid covers some parts of getting tested, ear-molds, and a hearing aid and medicare covers the other parts. If you have both insurances you can end up with a free hearing aid worth $1,500 per ear. Medicare and Medicaid forbid any extra charges to patients, but if you want to pay extra under the table for any upgrades, a lot of places can make that happen.
I also agree that Phonak probably is the best brand that tends to provide the most natural sound. I had no luck with resound, my audiologist also said that they are more prone to tinny sound than phonak is, which I agree on that a lot. Starkey also is awful, never tried widex or oticon but my audiologist said the phonak is better
I don't know who else to ask this bizarre question but... I saw a little worm crawl up my hearing aid tube and didn't have enough time to stop it....and it crawled inside the hearing aid... I put it inside an empty glass for hours and it never left. Don't think it came from my own ear, god forbid, because I left them on the table for almost 2 days and that's when I spotted the worm can't get an audiology appointment in a week. Obviously I couldn't explain this to the doc over the phone without coming across as nuts.
I can confidently say I’ve never heard of this happening. That said, I think you’ve done the right thing. Keep the aid out and your audiologist can give you a loaner while it is sent in to be repaired, meaning so the work can get removed.
@@DefiniteHearing I know...only happens to me. Problem is, I don't think it affected the hearing aid on the inside but still don't want to put the aid back my ear. thanks for your reply and I'll let you know happens
@@DefiniteHearing update- went ahead and explained what happened to the audiologist and got a weird look... 😅fortunately the hearing aid was replaced free of charge
i cant afford mine, i bought cheapest pair audibel had and they sound horrible, they teased me with the higher quality ones to show me how my hearing loss was affecting me but i couldnt afford those, im returning them tomorrow i dont know what i will do
My ability to understand what I’m hearing is good with hearing aids. If it wasn’t or my loss was more severe (I have a moderate to severe loss) then I’d likely qualify for a cochlear implant.
I love the sound quality of ReSound. I did have them before and the transition is easier with in a brand upgrade than switching brands. So I’m saying for me, ReSound is the best. Figure out what is best for you by listening to your audiologist’s recommendations and trying different brands out!
@Definite Hearing how is the battery life going since you brought them? My Phonak Audeo Paradise P70 RT is terrible. I had Phonak replaced the battery 3-4 times and they replaced the hearing aid completely on the last repair with a brand new device. The battery in the replacement is OK but not great. It supposed to last for 16 hours but it only lasts for around 12 hours. I am thinking about once my warranty is up and Phonak can no longer repair it out of warranty anymore I may go with Resound as I haven't heard of any battery issues like what I have.
My 4 year old needs hear hearing aids(amplifiers) Are children priced higher or lower..this video was very informative but haven’t been able to get a gauge on this
Amplifiers are not hearing aids. Amplifiers are inferior devices that increase all noise volumes. Hearing aids are smart devices that account for the sounds your child needs to hear and boosts those accordingly. I recommend taking your child to a pediatric audiologist and expressing your concerns. The pediatric audiologist should give you the guidance to fit your child with the right hearing aids to put them on the path of communication success. Do not underestimate the power of the right hearing aids for your child. They’re worth the cost. Look into state assistance programs to get quality devices at a discount for your child.
Hello I have a question you might be able to help me with. I have a lady from church who is dieing of cancer and she asked me today while at her house "Chris do you know of any hearing aids i can buy so i can hear better? " She said i have insurance but after doing my own research it looks like insurance won't be helping with hearing aids. She's close to 85 years ago , shes on personal care everyday now and she just wants to be able to hear while she is still around. Any thoughts that wont cost her $3000 for her to possibly only have them for a month or two or however long she will be with us ? Thanks for your youtube page
@@DefiniteHearing thanks for replying back to me. So the problem is that she is bed ridden now. She is basically in a hospice type setting at her home with a caregiver.
The absolute BS of America. that people have to hold fund raisers to hear. WTF why is nothing ever covered when I need it. Why am I paying hundreds monthly to get zero benefit. And now half the doctors are turning their practice into concierge service or want to charge fees on top of your insurance costs for their services. Or sometimes they don't accept insurance at all. This system is broken beyond repair!
@DefiniteHearing Okay, maybe I was being dramatic in saying it's broken beyond repair. Look, I'm here for a reason and will stay but after experiencing the system of other first world counties, the health care system here is at best badly run and at worse a totally inhumane money grab. I'm lucky to be able to afford the extra cost, but many people are not. It's gross. The fact that you guys are used to making fundraisers to get humane care is crazy to the rest of the developed world. And America is rich. They could fix this if they wanted to, but they don't.
Your videos have an interesting "human" side. The elehear might make a first choice for me, but as you say my loss may be "too profound" (down 20 db at 500hz) .. a sales `advisor` mAn said to me // you hear with your brain which i believe is more true than audiologist think.
Thank you! I think having hearing loss enables me to speak about it in a way others can’t. I agree with that statement. The ear sends hearing messages to the brain and it is the brain’s job to make sense of it. Hearing and understanding are two different things. The latter is crucial in communicating effectively.
Remember also that if a pair of hearing aids cost you $5000 and they last you five years then that’s cost you a $1000 dollars a year for your hearing. Here in the U.K. most companies offer lifetime aftercare of the hearing aids too.
Just got a pair from amplifon. I am on my trial period. Kinda scared but hope its a good company
Yep. Crazy. Quality of care can greatly differ as a result.
As a hearing loss person myself. I noticed your speech is very good. I tend to slur my words a bit. Been a wearer of hearing aids 50+ years. I also do not know others like myself, that’s why I subscribed to your channel to listen to others like myself. Interesting.
Thank you for subscribing!! I work very hard on my speech and had a good start thanks to my parents and others. It doesn’t just come automatically!
@@DefiniteHearing yes I had some speech therapy when younger and speak ok. I only get a few people commenting on my speech not being perfect, but a lot are also surprised when they find out I’m hearing impaired.
Around here good aids come in at around $8,000 per pair with no/little insurance coverage. So an important question: how long do aids normally last? Ouch. Little wonder OTC and Costco are thriving.
Where are you located? That’s so expensive.
Mine have lasted 3-5 years.
Terrific video. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, Emily! I wear the Beltone Achieves, which are basically locked ReSound hearing aids. I chose them because of the audiologist’s reputation and ratings. I can’t express just how great they are. I’m not sure if we even have a ReSound dealer here. But, I’m really grateful that I can afford them. I keep watching videos as the OTC ones come out. Maybe one day, that will be the way I go. Thanks for all you do!
I’m so glad you like them! Yes, GN makes ReSound and Beltone, however, the Beltones shouldn’t be locked (they can but really shouldn’t be) locking aids can be a shady practice aid programmers use to maintain control of patient devices. They can prevent other providers from making changes because that provider put a password or lock on the devices you paid for. Just make sure you know the password to unlock them. If not, I recommend sticking with the aids and provider you love for now but exploring other options (definitely provider wise) when it is time for a new pair of aids.
@@DefiniteHearing - yes, I’ve sort of decided that 3-4 years from now, I’ll look elsewhere. I do entirely trust the Dr., but when there are potentially thousands of dollars on the line, I’m sure there are many great ones out there!
I finally figured out you meant $1500 - $3000 per ear not pair. I was quoted 5 - 7 k for a pair at the ENT practice I go to. That price seemed awfully high so I went to costco and bought a pair of Phillips hearing aids for $1500 . Oticon and Philips are made by the same manifactuer and the Philips are essentially the same as the high end Oticons. I am in the early weeks of wearing these and we shall see if the programming and support fail due to cost cutting but so far it doesn't appear that way. I will say I do hear conversations better but I really don't like wearing them and they make my ear canal.sore.
That is HIGH. Also, an ENT is NOT an audiologist. An ENT is a doctor of the ear. An Audiologist is a doctor of how sound interacts with your ear (more important for hearing device fitting).
Way to follow your gut and get something cost efficient. Take it to a licensed audiologist and see if they’ll help you refine them. Do you have custom ear moulds? The aids shouldn’t make your ear canal sore.
My mom is 97 yrs old. The dog ate another one of her hearing aids that fell out in her house. Why doesn't she know when one falls out? She has these expensive ITE devices and this is the second or third time this year this has happened. What is the best advice for getting something that she won't be losing. She had a set of the Behind the Ear devices and the first time she combed her hair it got knocked off and fell on the floor. Maybe we just need to work more with her on that front.
If she doesn’t notice they fall out, they’re not working properly for her. I’d know right away if mine fell out.
Ensure they’re sitting properly in her ear and turned on.
Also, I recommend getting her hearing aid retention lines. That way, if they fall out, they’re stuck on the retention line and not on the floor.
@@DefiniteHearing oh GOD the dog mustve been very hungry. Lol
I went to Beltone today, had the test and tried out a pair of aids. The sell four levels of aids but have only the highest level, price wise, for me to try. If I cannot try out the less expensive ones, how could I possibly choose? I think this tactic is sketchy, at best? The price? Nearly $7000 or $240 per month for three years, a nice 24% interest rate. I have no idea what to do next. This will be my first pair.
YIKES. Yes, listen to your gut. That pricing and availability is a major red flag. Aids shouldn’t be more than $2500-3000 each, keep in mind that’s a “big 6 brand”, top tier all the bells and whistles. Beltone isn’t a “big 6 brand”. Research another audiologist in your area and get their recommendations.
Re sound here in Portugal the unit costs about seven thousand euros. personally, I believe that apple bought Beats they could produce a better and cheaper unit
That’s a neat bit of information! Check out the Orka 2. I don’t know if it is available in Europe but it is made by ex-Apple people! It’s such a neat set of hearing aids.
Thanks for the thoughtful video. I would just add that Costco provides affordable, professional solutions for quite a bit less than private Audiologists on average, and is a much better solution than OTC aids.
Definitely! Thanks for adding that.
I never really got physically comfortable wearing a hearing aid. And another thing, Medicare and State Medicaid may cover some costs too.
Great mention. I haven’t used those resources to buy aids. Have you? If so I’d like to know the process.
@@DefiniteHearing I forget exactly, but medicaid covers some parts of getting tested, ear-molds, and a hearing aid and medicare covers the other parts. If you have both insurances you can end up with a free hearing aid worth $1,500 per ear. Medicare and Medicaid forbid any extra charges to patients, but if you want to pay extra under the table for any upgrades, a lot of places can make that happen.
I also agree that Phonak probably is the best brand that tends to provide the most natural sound. I had no luck with resound, my audiologist also said that they are more prone to tinny sound than phonak is, which I agree on that a lot. Starkey also is awful, never tried widex or oticon but my audiologist said the phonak is better
i note that a pair of Phonak Naida P90 in Hong Kong which costs US$10,000. What's the price in US ? thx
I don’t know the exact price but Phonak aids are about $3000 each.
@@DefiniteHearing ouch 3K a lot of dollar.
I don't know who else to ask this bizarre question but... I saw a little worm crawl up my hearing aid tube and didn't have enough time to stop it....and it crawled inside the hearing aid... I put it inside an empty glass for hours and it never left. Don't think it came from my own ear, god forbid, because I left them on the table for almost 2 days and that's when I spotted the worm
can't get an audiology appointment in a week. Obviously I couldn't explain this to the doc over the phone without coming across as nuts.
I can confidently say I’ve never heard of this happening. That said, I think you’ve done the right thing. Keep the aid out and your audiologist can give you a loaner while it is sent in to be repaired, meaning so the work can get removed.
@@DefiniteHearing I know...only happens to me. Problem is, I don't think it affected the hearing aid on the inside but still don't want to put the aid back my ear.
thanks for your reply and I'll let you know happens
@@DefiniteHearing update- went ahead and explained what happened to the audiologist and got a weird look... 😅fortunately the hearing aid was replaced free of charge
@scream4depp way to get a new hearing aid! That’s what matters
i cant afford mine, i bought cheapest pair audibel had and they sound horrible, they teased me with the higher quality ones to show me how my hearing loss was affecting me but i couldnt afford those, im returning them tomorrow i dont know what i will do
Negotiate price and shop around. Don’t settle for a price you can’t afford.
Hi Emily! May I ask, why you don’t wear cochlear implant? Doctor said that hearing aids working not good as a cochlear implant. I’m confused ((
My ability to understand what I’m hearing is good with hearing aids. If it wasn’t or my loss was more severe (I have a moderate to severe loss) then I’d likely qualify for a cochlear implant.
Do you love then because they were gifted to you? I don't meant that in a bad way..just curious.
I love the sound quality of ReSound. I did have them before and the transition is easier with in a brand upgrade than switching brands. So I’m saying for me, ReSound is the best. Figure out what is best for you by listening to your audiologist’s recommendations and trying different brands out!
What rechargeable hearing aids do you have?
ReSound ONES
@Definite Hearing how is the battery life going since you brought them?
My Phonak Audeo Paradise P70 RT is terrible. I had Phonak replaced the battery 3-4 times and they replaced the hearing aid completely on the last repair with a brand new device. The battery in the replacement is OK but not great.
It supposed to last for 16 hours but it only lasts for around 12 hours.
I am thinking about once my warranty is up and Phonak can no longer repair it out of warranty anymore I may go with Resound as I haven't heard of any battery issues like what I have.
My 4 year old needs hear hearing aids(amplifiers) Are children priced higher or lower..this video was very informative but haven’t been able to get a gauge on this
Amplifiers are not hearing aids. Amplifiers are inferior devices that increase all noise volumes. Hearing aids are smart devices that account for the sounds your child needs to hear and boosts those accordingly.
I recommend taking your child to a pediatric audiologist and expressing your concerns. The pediatric audiologist should give you the guidance to fit your child with the right hearing aids to put them on the path of communication success. Do not underestimate the power of the right hearing aids for your child. They’re worth the cost. Look into state assistance programs to get quality devices at a discount for your child.
Hello
I have a question you might be able to help me with.
I have a lady from church who is dieing of cancer and she asked me today while at her house "Chris do you know of any hearing aids i can buy so i can hear better? "
She said i have insurance but after doing my own research it looks like insurance won't be helping with hearing aids.
She's close to 85 years ago , shes on personal care everyday now and she just wants to be able to hear while she is still around.
Any thoughts that wont cost her $3000 for her to possibly only have them for a month or two or however long she will be with us ?
Thanks for your youtube page
Hearing aids typically have a 30 day trail period. Go to an audiologist and they’ll help her get a pair that actually helps her ❤️
@@DefiniteHearing thanks for replying back to me.
So the problem is that she is bed ridden now.
She is basically in a hospice type setting at her home with a caregiver.
What otc do u use and how much?
I wear traditional hearing aids but also review OTC aids. I wear the ReSound ONE BTEs, they cost about $2,500 each.
How is it, while riding a bike
Windy and loud unless you have noise reduction.
noise reduction is what I should be looking for with the hearing aids. If I want to use them riding a bike. Thanks for the help
The absolute BS of America. that people have to hold fund raisers to hear. WTF why is nothing ever covered when I need it. Why am I paying hundreds monthly to get zero benefit. And now half the doctors are turning their practice into concierge service or want to charge fees on top of your insurance costs for their services. Or sometimes they don't accept insurance at all. This system is broken beyond repair!
And yet, I’d rather live in America compared to any other country.
Also, false, it is not broken beyond repair. If it is it is “We the People’s” fault.
@DefiniteHearing Okay, maybe I was being dramatic in saying it's broken beyond repair. Look, I'm here for a reason and will stay but after experiencing the system of other first world counties, the health care system here is at best badly run and at worse a totally inhumane money grab. I'm lucky to be able to afford the extra cost, but many people are not. It's gross. The fact that you guys are used to making fundraisers to get humane care is crazy to the rest of the developed world. And America is rich. They could fix this if they wanted to, but they don't.
Your videos have an interesting "human" side. The elehear might make a first choice for me, but as you say my loss may be "too profound" (down 20 db at 500hz) .. a sales `advisor` mAn said to me //
you hear with your brain which i believe is more true than audiologist think.
Thank you! I think having hearing loss enables me to speak about it in a way others can’t.
I agree with that statement. The ear sends hearing messages to the brain and it is the brain’s job to make sense of it. Hearing and understanding are two different things. The latter is crucial in communicating effectively.
There is people who watch this video, they don’t live in America wake up,