If you’ve never done it, the process can seem daunting. But even if you’ve been purchasing hearing aids for some time, there may be pertinent questions you haven’t asked in a long time, or perhaps never thought to ask at all.
For example, when you go to your audiologist to purchase a hearing aid, do you ask to see a hearing aid that includes a telecoil program or know how many microphones the hearing aid has?
Do you know what your hearing aid rating for cell phone use is and how to use that information when purchasing a cell or cordless phone? Do you talk about assistive listening devices?
Do you know how much the hearing aid itself costs and how much you are being charged for the services of the dispenser? Those services often include several return visits. Many consumers do not return to the dispenser at all, because they don’t want to “bother” the dispenser. It’s great to know that return visits are part of the package, and even better to know exactly how many return visits your dispenser provides.
When you purchase hearing aids, state law provides protections to consumers. Do you know how long you have for a trial period under state law? Consumers Union reported in April 2003 that a woman returned her new hearing aids to her dispenser during the trial period, a week after she got them. The dispenser charged $4,600 for the aids plus $270 in non-refundable “mold” and “preparation” fees. When she returned the aids, the dispenser charged a “restocking fee” of $690. She paid a total of $960 for a one-week attempt to try hearing aids that she determined she could not use. This woman did file a complaint, noting, “I’m unable to account for your charge of $690 for restocking. What does this cover?”
The above scenario would never occur at Audiology Associates. We give free test drives in your own environment for at least 30 days.
Consumer Checklist: Hearing Loss Association of America has created a Purchasing a Hearing Aid: A Consumer Checklist to help you ask the right questions about testing, dispensing and trial of hearing aids. Hope this helps you. Go to hearingloss.org and print it off.
For more information about hearing loss or available hearing aid technologies, contact Nola Aronson, M.A., Patrice Rifkind, Au.D., Ginny Newman, Au.D., or Nina Ball, M.S. with Audiology Associates at 661-288-1400.