Hearing Aids Cost and How to Buy Them
People with hearing loss or other hearing difficulties have a huge variety of hearing aids to choose from. The hearing aids cost varies by device. With the advent of TeleHealth (remote online health services), you can now also buy hearing aids on the internet, as well as from the traditional audiologist.
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The hearing aids cost varies widely, depending on the type and features of the hearing aid itself, where you buy it and any services involved in addition to the device itself. If you are a first time hearing aid buyer, than it probably is best to get in-person, professional assistance when making your purchase. If you are an experienced and educated hearing aid user, then buying online could be a good way for you to save money.
Buying Through An Audiologist Or an Online Seller
The traditional way to buy a hearing aid is through a hearing professional, known as an audiologist. This profession is very similar to an optometrist, except for hearing instead of vision. An audiologist will test your hearing, prescribe a certain type of hearing aid, and then sell it and “fit” it on you. He’s the one deciding on the hearing aids cost for you. They also will be able to answer any questions or concerns that you might have. In addition, audiologists usually provide additional services such as battery changing, adjustments and cleaning, and even warranty and insurance services.
A newer way to get a hearing aid is through an online seller on the internet. These sellers will fill your hearing aid prescription and then ship the device to you. Thanks to remote medical technology, some of these online sellers can even remotely perform a hearing test on you. This avenue of buying your hearing aid will almost always be cheaper, but will lack personal care and attention as well as most of the related services that a physical audiologist’s office provides. Nevertheless, if you are in need of a lower hearing aids cost, it might be the right option for you.
Bundled Service Packages
Hearing aids will require ongoing care and maintenance. Because of this, it could be a smart move to buy your hearing aid as part of a bundled service package. This type of package is available through most audiologists and some online sellers. The bundled services usually include: hearing tests, replacing batteries, cleaning, simple repairs, adjustments and even insurance to replace a lost hearing aid.
Hearing Aids Features
Modern hearing aids are advanced hi-tech devices. They are not just simple sound amplifiers, as evidenced by the following common available features:
– Personalized Fine Tuning: Multiple channels to adjust the volume of certain frequencies, geared to your specific type of hearing problems.
– Frontal Sound Directionality: which uses multiple omni-directional microphones to focus on the sounds in front of you.
– Speech Enhancement: amplifies spoken words in person, movies, TV, and from other sources of audio.
– Noise Suppression: automatically cancels or lowers the volume of extraneous noise.
– Rechargeable Batteries: eliminates the need for replacing and installing costly disposable batteries.
Hearing Aids Cost
The overall average modern hearing aids cost is $2,700. The price range from online sellers is $600 – 2,500. The price range from audiologists is $1,400 – 8,600. Audiologists provide the most professional and personal services plus have the most advanced models, as evidenced by their prices.
There are two good sources to buy a professionally prescribed, advanced hearing aid at a good price:
1) Listen Lively: A fully online audiology clinic that sells ReSound brand hearing aids and gives professional and personal care remotely through telehealth. This remote care model allows Listen Lively to provide audiology grade devices for a more affordable price.
High End: $2,400 Rechargeable
More Affordable: $1,850 Battery-Powered
2) Costco: The famous warehouse club store chain actually sells over 10% of all hearing aids purchased in the US. You have to buy a Costco membership to buy your hearing aid here, but they can sell you a professionally prescribed, audiologist quality hearing aid for a hearing aids cost of only $1,399.
Insurance Coverage
Most health insurance plans do not cover hearing aids, although some might cover hearing exams. Regular Medicare (A and B) do not cover any kind of hearing aid expense. However, many of the newer Medicare Advantage (Part C) Plans do cover at least some of the costs involved in buying a hearing aid. Check with the private insurance companies that sell these plans to see if they offer this coverage.
