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Yes, this is true. I'm actually fortunate in that I'm completely deaf in one ear and "only" profoundly deaf in the other. That means I only have to spend $3000

Yes, this is true. I'm actually fortunate in that I'm completely deaf in one ear and "only" profoundly deaf in the other. That means I only have to spend $3000 instead of 2x that. It's ridiculous. My hearing aid is 6 years old and I'm sure it's about to fail, but I can't afford a new one right now. It's absolute insanity.

pakitan 8y ago
Do the $3000 hearing aids differ significantly than, say, this: https://www.amazon.de/Audiben-PSA-H%C3%B6rverst%C3%A4rker-Premium/dp/B016C3ZRBA/ref=sr_1_1_sspa/257-8471725-3551334?ie=UTF8&qid=1548271953&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=hearing+aids&psc=1 https://www.amazon.de/Audiben-PSA-H%C3%B6rverst%C3%A4rker-Pr...
- Jemaclus 8y ago
  I'm not sure. My hearing loss is bad enough ("profoundly deaf" --- basically, the next level down is "totally deaf") that I wouldn't try an off the shelf aid without an audiologist's support.
- burntwater 8y ago
  My $3,000 hearing aid (which has allowed me to hear better than I ever have before and is worth every dollar) has, for example, 2 microphones, 4 switchable DSP programs to match different sound environments, telecoil (essential in my work), a level of water resistance (sweat and dirt is the primary killer of my hearing aids, worn 18 hours a day), and with an external receiver I can directly receive bluetooth and external microphones.
  - wrycoder 8y ago
    That’s about $150 worth of parts.
    - burntwater 8y ago
      Plus R&D, plus technical and warranty support, plus 6 audiologist fitting appointments, plus all the other standard business expenses and, yes, profit. Parts are a minor piece of the puzzle.
  - Jemaclus 8y ago
    Yes, mine does the same. It's a really nice hearing aid. It's just a shame it's so expensive and not covered by insurance. I literally cannot function at a job without one, but insurance (or disability) won't cover it. Bizarre.
FPGAhacker 8y ago
Go to Costco, if you are willing to pass up oticons. I had a $6000 pair of hearing aids that were lost. I replaced them with $1600 pair from Costco. Most of the time I can’t tell the difference. When I can, I wouldn’t be able to say which is better, just that I notice they didn’t sound the same.
- Jemaclus 8y ago
  Yeah. I've demoed the Costco ones, but they weren't great. My hearing loss isn't just a minor loss. I'm classified as "profoundly deaf", which requires serious amplification. Unfortunately, Oticon and its ilk are the ones that allow me to be functional in the real world :/
adisinom 8y ago
I'd encourage HNers to try self-programming. I have Phonak HAs so I can buy the programmer (iCube) and software (Target) off ebay for $450 and a pair of hearing aids two generations old for $500-$1000. And if they break or I lose them, buy a replacement and the total is still less than buying from an audiologist. It's also more flexible. Hearing feedback? Run the feedback test/modeling program. Can swap hearing aids between ears. Friend lose a hearing aid? Let them borrow yours (suitably programmed) and use foam inserts for earmolds (can buy or take a soldering iron to foam earplugs).

pakitan 8y ago

Do the $3000 hearing aids differ significantly than, say, this: https://www.amazon.de/Audiben-PSA-H%C3%B6rverst%C3%A4rker-Premium/dp/B016C3ZRBA/ref=sr_1_1_sspa/257-8471725-3551334?ie=UTF8&qid=1548271953&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=hearing+aids&psc=1 https://www.amazon.de/Audiben-PSA-H%C3%B6rverst%C3%A4rker-Pr...

Jemaclus 8y ago
I'm not sure. My hearing loss is bad enough ("profoundly deaf" --- basically, the next level down is "totally deaf") that I wouldn't try an off the shelf aid without an audiologist's support.
burntwater 8y ago
My $3,000 hearing aid (which has allowed me to hear better than I ever have before and is worth every dollar) has, for example, 2 microphones, 4 switchable DSP programs to match different sound environments, telecoil (essential in my work), a level of water resistance (sweat and dirt is the primary killer of my hearing aids, worn 18 hours a day), and with an external receiver I can directly receive bluetooth and external microphones.
- wrycoder 8y ago
  That’s about $150 worth of parts.
  - burntwater 8y ago
    Plus R&D, plus technical and warranty support, plus 6 audiologist fitting appointments, plus all the other standard business expenses and, yes, profit. Parts are a minor piece of the puzzle.
- Jemaclus 8y ago
  Yes, mine does the same. It's a really nice hearing aid. It's just a shame it's so expensive and not covered by insurance. I literally cannot function at a job without one, but insurance (or disability) won't cover it. Bizarre.

FPGAhacker 8y ago

Go to Costco, if you are willing to pass up oticons. I had a $6000 pair of hearing aids that were lost. I replaced them with $1600 pair from Costco. Most of the time I can’t tell the difference. When I can, I wouldn’t be able to say which is better, just that I notice they didn’t sound the same.

Jemaclus 8y ago
Yeah. I've demoed the Costco ones, but they weren't great. My hearing loss isn't just a minor loss. I'm classified as "profoundly deaf", which requires serious amplification. Unfortunately, Oticon and its ilk are the ones that allow me to be functional in the real world :/

adisinom 8y ago

I'd encourage HNers to try self-programming. I have Phonak HAs so I can buy the programmer (iCube) and software (Target) off ebay for $450 and a pair of hearing aids two generations old for $500-$1000. And if they break or I lose them, buy a replacement and the total is still less than buying from an audiologist. It's also more flexible. Hearing feedback? Run the feedback test/modeling program. Can swap hearing aids between ears. Friend lose a hearing aid? Let them borrow yours (suitably programmed) and use foam inserts for earmolds (can buy or take a soldering iron to foam earplugs).