Help Buying Hearing Aids
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This page contains information for consumers about prescription hearing aids. In Minnesota, both audiologists and hearing instrument dispensers sell prescription hearing aids. By law, persons under 18 years of age must be evaluated by an audiologist before getting prescription hearing aids.
Since December 2016, most people over the age of 18 do not need to be evaluated by a medical doctor before obtaining prescription hearing aids. However, if a practitioner finds that you have one of eight conditions, they should refer you to a doctor to determine if the condition is medically or surgically correctable. These conditions include:
A practitioner may sell used or rebuilt prescription hearing aids. However, the practitioner must tell you the aids are used or rebuilt. Both the container and an attached tag must state that they are used. Buying used prescription hearing aids is not recommended.
We are excited to announce that we have partnered with Lexie Hearing to bring you the NEW rechargeable Lexie B2 Self-fitting OTC Hearing Aids. Powered by Bose, these hearing aids feature Bose self-fitting technology and are available for purchase on the Lexie Hearing website.
The buttons on each hearing aid control World Volume. A single press up increases World Volume by 5 steps. And a single press down decreases World Volume by 5 steps. Pressing the buttons on one hearing aid will adjust the World Volume levels of both hearing aids.
The Focus feature allows you to hear the direction you want to hear. There are 2 settings available for the Focus feature: Front and Everywhere. In Front mode, the microphones in the hearing aids focus on sounds in front of you. This setting can help you hear better in occasions like group conversations at a table in a restaurant. In the Everywhere setting, the microphones are not just focused on sounds in front of you, but all around you as well. This setting is ideal for occasions like walking on a busy street or at a park.
After removing the hearing aids, remove earwax and debris from the eartips and microphones using the provided hearing aid brush or a soft, lint-free cloth. It is recommended to replace the eartips every 3 months.
Hearing aids are generally not covered by medical insurance, though insurers sometimes offer optional hearing/vision/dental plans that may include coverage for hearing tests and hearing aid fittings.
Other options for paying for your hearing aids may include financing offered by your hearing care professional, credit from a third party like CareCredit, charitable organizations or help from family. Investigate all your options to find the best fit for your hearing needs and your budget.
Most health insurers do not provide coverage for hearing aids. To determine if your health insurance covers hearing aids, check with your individual plan. Most plans have a toll-free number for member services listed on the insurance card. Even if you have it, insurance coverage for hearing aids varies in the way it is administered. Here are some real-life benefit types for hearing aids:
State-mandated health care coverage for hearing aids will vary from state to state and several states have legislation about hearing aid coverage pending. If your state does mandate coverage, you will need to do a little research to find out about the amount covered and how often a claim can be made, as well as any other qualifiers for the coverage. Your hearing care professional can often provide some guidance as you search.
If you do not live in one of the mandated states, it does not mean that you do not have insurance coverage for hearing aids, it just means that your state laws do not require it. Check with your employer or benefits coordinator. Often healthcare systems, teacher retirement groups, city and state government employee groups and any other large employer or group will sometimes coordinate with a network of preferred providers to offer some level of discount or service. Be sure to check with these types of organizations if you are a member to see if there is a benefit.
The VA is the largest purchaser and provider of hearing aids in the United States. If you are a veteran or have a service connection, check with your local VA to see whether you qualify for benefits and hearing-related services, including the provision of hearing aids.
Hearing aids are tax deductible, as are most medical expenses. Your employer also may offer a health savings account (HSA), which lets you withdraw pre-tax dollars to pay for hearing aids. You can also use an HSA for hearing aid batteries, repairs and maintenance.
If you are a federal employee, the Federal Employee Health Plan covers medical problems with your ears, and some cover hearing aids, with the coverage varying among the plans. Discounts for some state employees are also available, and can be used with your insurance coverage.
Do you need help for hearing aids, or other hearing care assistance There are many charitable groups that will provide new or used hearing aids at a discount, or even free, if you meet the financial criteria. We have provided a list of national programs below, but this is not an exhaustive list of organizations. We also recommend reviewing the financial assistance page from HLAA, the Hearing Loss Association of America.
Website: www.easterseals.comOver 400 local service centers with varying services; some assist low-income adults and children with hearing aids and other rehabilitative devices. Visit their website and find your local office to get contact information.
If you are unable to get a third party to help pay for your hearing aids, you can consider programs that provide short-term loans or payment plans. Check with your hearing care provider for more details or consult with the following programs.
The information you find online about hearing aid insurance and funding can get you pointed in the right direction for finding hearing aid payment assistance. However, the best help for navigating your particular financial situation and your best resource for hearing aid funding sources will come from a local hearing care professional. Contact a hearing health professional in your area for help.
Where for decades it cost thousands of dollars to get a device that could be purchased only with a prescription from an audiologist or other hearing professional, now a new category of over-the-counter aids are selling for hundreds of dollars. Walmart says it will sell a hearing aid for as little as $199.
The OTC aids cost less partly because they do not bundle the services of an audiologist for a hearing evaluation, fitting, and fine-tuning the device. Instead, the new devices are intended to be set up by the consumers themselves, although manufacturers will offer technical assistance through apps and by phone.
Walmart said it will offer an assortment of OTC hearing aids, including some at $199 to $299 per pair from the South Africa-based company hearX, which also makes Lexie devices. Initially, the devices will be available at Walmart stores in Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. But the company expects to make them available nationwide soon.
Spurred by decades of complaints about the high cost of hearing aids, Congress in 2017 ordered the Food and Drug Administration to set rules that would enable over-the-counter sales, with hopes it would boost competition and lower prices. But the covid pandemic slowed the FDA effort, and last year President Joe Biden ordered the FDA to produce those rules. The final regulations were announced two months ago. Under the federal rules, the new category of hearing aids bypasses state dispensing laws.
Nancy M. Williams, president of Auditory Insight, a hearing health care management consulting firm, said she reviewed eight major OTC hearing aid products, from $499 to $1,299. Some look like earbuds or are nearly invisible, while some look like traditional hearing aids that wrap around the ear. The OTC aids she reviewed largely have limited or no Bluetooth connectivity, a feature that allows users to customize the devices, and only about half have rechargeable batteries. But all eight allow the user to personalize the devices based on the results of their hearing test.
The American Academy of Audiology, a professional organization for audiologists, posted information online for consumers about OTC hearing aids, and the Hearing Loss Association of America, a consumer advocacy group, also has online advice.
Audiologists usually buy hearing aids from manufacturers at wholesale prices and then set their own prices. Depending on the technology used in the hearing aids, be prepared to shell out $4,000 to $8,000 for a pair.
In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids are typically best suited for people with mild to severe hearing loss. As the name suggests, they fit completely inside the outer part of the ear, and all components are all contained in a hard plastic case. The ReSound LiNX Quattro (MIH), a popular customized ITE hearing aid, costs $3,167 for a single aid.
Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are typically used by people with mild to profound hearing loss. All components sit in a plastic case behind the ear, which is connected to a disposable plastic ear tip or custom earmold that delivers sound via a piece of clear tubing. Top BTE hearing aids, such as the Widex Moment and Oticon More, range in price from $2,698 to $3,247 per aid.
Designed for people with mild to severe hearing loss, receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids deliver sound through a tiny speaker that rests inside the ear canal with the help of a discreet plastic-encased speaker wire. The Signia Styletto X, a popular RIC hearing aid, costs $2,466 per aid.
Accommodating people with mild to severe hearing loss, in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids are custom-made to sit inside the ear canal and some of the outer part of the ear, and all components live inside a lightweight plastic shell. Starkey sells a variety of ITC hearing aids ranging in cost from $2,500 to $4,900 per aid. 59ce067264
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