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Cost of Purchasing Hearing Aids |
A question we get from time to time — especially from people just starting out to research hearing help — is, "Why are hearing aids so expensive?"
Reasons for price range
Everything is a matter of perspective. Even the price of hearing aids. An article by Dr. Jay McSpaden, (an audiologist and Board-certified hearing instrument specialist) that appeared in The Hearing Review, Vol. 12, No.10, pp. 30-34, 85 expounds on this. When comparing technologies and styles, it becomes evident that hearing aids actually haven't gone up in cost over the years. In fact, when you take into account inflation, the cost for operating an analog hearing aid is less today than it was 25 years ago. Hearing aids have gone up in price only when you include the digital products available within the last ten years. But, today, there are so many different products, styles, and options available that there is a very wide range of pricing. Today, we have options that didn't exist years ago. These are factors that affect prices, making it difficult to compare "apples to apples" when trying to determine price changes. But, even so, we have seen a reduction in digital costs in recent years, so that we are able to offer very good digital technology at better prices than we were able to offer for analog aids five years ago!
Other factors involved in costs
Admittedly, hearing aids are not inexpensive. It's important to keep in mind that when one purchases hearing instruments, one is paying for the technology, the research that goes into the technology, the end product, and the services — programming, adjustments, fittings — that are involved. Consider some other medical fields that require a good amount of treatment time from the healthcare professional, such as optometry or dentistry. The final selling price is largely affected by the costs of the services involved.
In 1976, E. Robert Libby did a study, comparing how instrument service charges related to other healthcare services. He found that all the fields were similar, with hearing aids generally not having as high service charges as other fields. Mr. Libby concluded that the professional services were the largest portion of the cost of the product, be they dentures, eyeglasses, or hearing instruments.
Today, this is still true. Hearing aids are costly to produce, fit, dispense, and service. The equipment and software alone that are required in a dispensing office are very expensive investments.
Purchasing helps
- Don't focus on the bottom price.
As with anything else, you get what you pay for. You don't want your hearing intruments to become just another statistic — worn only by your dresser drawer! The price should be reasonable for the market, but "cheaper" doesn't necessarily translate to getting a "good deal"
- Check into the background of the dispenser.
A good hearing aid dispenser could be a board-certified hearing instrument specialist or a licenced/certified audiologist. Find out how long they've been in practice, what brand or brands they provide and service. Check to see if they've had complaints filed; check with friends and associates for their recommendations.
Some audiologists prefer to concentrate on the diagnostic end of things and leave the hearing aid sciences to the hearing aid dispensers; others do a good job of both. A good hearing aid dispenser will perform excellent hearing testing, fittings, programmings and adjustments. If there are any unusual indicators evident in the initial exam, they will refer to an Ear/Nose/Throat Dr. and/or audiologist for further testing and examination.
Either way, it is important to find out if the specialist is comfortable with dispensing the latest technology. Can they explain the various differences in technology between different kinds of digital instruments? Are they always available during office hours, or do they close down and leave the office whenever things slow down? Do they provide more than one brand of hearing aid? Every brand of hearing aid focuses on different needs, so it is especially helpful if the dispenser provides more than one company's solutions.
- Find out what services are provided, and the charges involved.
Ask about the cost for a hearing exam. Oftentimes, audiologists do charge a fee; Hearing aid dispensers usually do not.
Ask if there is a charge for cleanings, battery doors, test updates.
Ask about warranties — for how long and if loss and damage is included.
Ask if there is a charge for adjustments, reprogrammings and the like. If not, will there be a charge after the warranty has expired?
Remember that you are paying for service, for continued care, not just for the instruments themselves.
The difference in dispensing offices
There is so much for a dispenser to keep abreast of these days with the constantly changing technology! If a dispenser is not motivated and interested enough to stay informed and practiced in the newest technology, his customers/patients will be at a disadvantage. There are different techniques for dealing with occlusion or feedback problems, for instance. But there are dispensers who are not always as skilled as they could be in dealing with some of these issues.
There are offices who employ a whole cadre of salespeople. They know how to sell a hearing aid, but they are limited in knowledge and expertise when it comes to dealing with individual needs. So, it's important that one realize that they are not just purchasing a product.....they are investing in a relationship with the specialist who will be taking care of their hearing needs, providing vital services for better hearing!
We see people from time to time who opted for the least expensive price when it came time to purchase hearing instruments, only to find that the dispenser's knowledge was limited and/or they purchased old technology. Needless to say, they are not happy with their experience. They come to us seeking help with feedback or occlusion, clarity problems, or any number of issues. They paid the other company to take care of these issues....but cannot get satisfaction. That is so unfortunate.
In our office, we provide unlimited, lifetime adjustments and programmings at no additional cost for the lifetime of the hearing aid when an individual purchases a hearing instrument from us. Some offices extend these services without charge to the customer only for the duration of the warranty, and then charge for these services once the warranty has expired. It's important to compare! All too often people will opt to purchase hearing aids from an office that offers a lesser price....but may not be available and up-to-date with fitting protocols to provide excellent, consistent service. Service is vitally important! We cannot stress this enough. Without it, a hearing aid wearer will not realize good satisfaction from their investment.
Sources:
Article by Dr. Jay McSpaden, The Hearing Review, Vol. 12, No.10, pp. 30-34, 85
Study by E. Robert Libby, 1976
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| (Article 0206, originally published February 2006) |
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