I need help to choose a Hearing Aid

this is the first time i am getting hearing aids. i went to hear,USA recommended by united health care; i was very impressed with the dr. who i had the appointment with. i was so impressed that i left with the hearing aids. she used computer software to customize the devise for me. however they were very expensive. i have 90 days too get a complete refund. so i am now trying them out. they are behind the ear devise, "SIGNIA" with a good app in my iphone however i feel i spent too much on them and could possibly get others i like just as well for less. they were $2,499 each the list price was $4295. each and she said they had a 50% holiday special on. my son got ones that just go in the ear canals and you cant see any sign of them from the outside. i think i would prefer that as i wear a mask and eye glasses and they can fall out when i take the mask out. my left ear it is hard for me to get the thing in my ear canal. any advise would be appreciated. i do have an appointment at costco in a month so i will compare them

I did not have a good experience with Costco hearing aids. The "fitter" was not an audiologist. Returned the HA's after 6 months for full refund. Better luck with audiologist at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem.

@newhorizons

So glad you went to an audiologist. Costco is not for everyone but can be affordable for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. No, none of them are audiologists and you are basically at the mercy of who does your fitting…there are some very good ones and some not so good as people have told me. And I am happy to see you went to a hospital affiliated Audi
Good luck and wishes for better hearing.

FL Mary

Thank you.

just to add another note. i find my hearing aids interfere with my mask and eye glasser and fall out at times when i take either my mSK OR EYEGLASSES OFF. THEY GET tangled with them and the aids fall out. they are too expensive to lose has anyone had any experience with EARGO i got a free sample of the part that goes into your ears but i cant get them in. they got great reviews

Hello everyone. Not quite sure where to start with this discussion, so will share what I often share with people who are considering hearing aid help. It's a shame the system is so confusing. Audiologists and hearing instrument specialists do basically the same thing. Add over the counter hearing aids to the mix and it gets even crazier.

Everyone should know that those who are audiologists with an AuD after their name, have doctorate level degrees in the field. Hearing instrument specialists (HIS) may have no more than a high school diploma, but have likely served an internship of some kind. Costco, Sams Club, and other 'big box' providers employ providers at both levels; AuD and HIS. Not every Costco has an audiologist on staff, but within their corporation they have AuDs who do training. Confusing, right?

Hearing aids are incredibly expensive. Paying $5000 + for a pair of well fit hearing aids is not uncommon. It's important to know that proper fitting isn't an exact science. Everyone's hearing loss is different. Ear canals vary. A bit of aural rehabilitation and counseling can make a big difference. YOU are the only one who can decide whether what you are getting with hearing help is helping you.

Real ear measurement is extremely important, but many providers don't do it. Many don't even have the equipment to provide it. Of course if you buy OTC you are not going to get it.

Reality is, YOU have to decide whether or not the hearing instruments you purchase are helping you. If they are not, take them back. Of course that means you have to have a plan that allows you to return them.

The best way to know if hearing aids are making a difference is to use them in all the places you want and need to hear. Even well fit hearing aids will not bring back perfect hearing. They are 'helpers'. Do they help you? Do they make a difference in noisy settings. Are they improving your social life?

Back to the beginning here. Do you think a provider with a doctorate level degree in the field might be able to provide greater support than someone with less experience and education?

Lots to think about. Keep trying if your first 'try' isn't successful. Most people can and will get good help from modern hearing aids that are well fit and adjusted to the diagnosed hearing loss.

I put my HAs in first and then my glasses over the wire or tube that goes from the unit to my ear which I feel somewhat anchors my aids when I remove my mask. That said, I am VERY careful when removing my mask and check to assure the aids are where they are supposed to be before moving on. Yes, these are a big bite out of the budget so I sure don't want to have to replace one.

Check with your insurance as you may be eligible for some reimbursement for certain aids.

@julieo4

Great advice as always. I have offered to go with anyone who is thinking of needing their first hearing aid(s). I didn’t know anyone with hearing loss 40+ years ago, like a lot of us, and navigated through it all on my own.
If @barbsie or anyone else new to all of this can find someone who actually wears hearing aids, they should start there with questions and maybe, hopefully, get steered in the right direction. Today you can goggle anything but a lot of people don’t think to do that for hearing aids. Many here did and came across this wonderful forum and there are so many blogs out there.

It’s like buying a new car on your own but not as life changing. I goggled and asked around on my last new car 5 years ago. If you see some stranger wearing aids and can get up the courage to ask them questions, I bet they would only be too happy to share with you. We are a nice bunch of people lol.

As an aside, my oldest grandson has a prosthetic leg from over the knee down. Right after he got it , I noticed a man on the Costco return line who had one and approached him. Didn’t ask him why but told him about my grandson and went from there. He was only too happy to answer anything.

FL Mary

I’ve always thought that my hearing aids were money well spent. Being able to hear better is a life changer, as I was becoming an introvert because I could not join in conversations because I couldn’t hear. I was 51 when I got my first hearing aids. I got them at lunch hour from work. Came back to a lunch office party. Oh My! The difference was amazing. I heard things that I didn’t know were noisy, AC, phone connection board etc , plus thought ‘why are these ppl talking so loud.
It truly is improving your health and well being. Hearing aids should be covered by insurance!

Here are four suggestions followed by my hope for the industry.

1) Test two brands with similar features and costs at the same time and, if possible, over 30-45 days at one time.

2) Look on YouTube for an Arizona doctor and his podcasts. Sorry-can’t remember or find his name something like “Dr. Cliff”

3) Check out this animated guide and PDF summary that are available for free on the Ida Institute website: https://idainstitute.com/tools/partnering_for_great_hearing_care/

4) Be aware of low-cost hearing aids and then costs for every visit to the audiologist or specialist and for supplies and services.

Said another way, plan for total costs over at least three years.
That said I now have Starkey Evolv AI (May 2022) after Phonak ? (2014).

I live in a rural area with limited easy, prompt access to an audiologist (only one).

I found the specialists who are knowledgeable about the Brands they represent and who make adjustments for each patient are usually quite good but also not always available when needed.

My take is Phonak is marginally better and marginally more expensive.

Both companies/ manufacturers have an 800 # to call and this helps, just not on weekends.

I like that I can email my Starkey specialist with a need, e.g., reduce background static on a custom setting, and he can make adjustments from whatever office he is in. (

Sometimes we have to schedule a telephone appointment so that I can also connect through my iPhone app to check whatever on my end.

This service saves me three hours of driving and usually takes 15-25 minutes.

Lastly, I hope the industry gets better in two ways:
-creating a matrix with standard definitions for comparisons that is available online and promoted through websites like this so people know about it, and

-better training for specialists on how to communicate orally more effectively.

By “effectively”, I mean using a matrix like I just described to point out the features and benefits of their product in comparison to others in words first-time hearing aid consumers can understand.

Someone said these specialists have mostly communicated with audiologists in the past. With the US FDA authorizing the sale of hearing aids over-the-counter (OTC) this year, their role changed

There is definitely a need for better education for the public and better [retail] customer service training for specialists who are technically-oriented.

Hope this helps