Tami Klink
Journalist
http://community.livinglakecountry.com/blogs/hears_to_life/

*Note – As stated before, I recently decided to investigate what’s out there for an alternative to spending thousands of dollars on a hearing aid.  These are my opinions.  The company that I chose to do this investigation on has given me their full permission to write about any and all findings and I have not been compensated, gifted or given any other type of service that a normal paying customer would not receive.  The staff was not told of my ‘project’ and I will be returning the BTE Hearing Aids to the company.

Well, it’s been almost 3 weeks since I started this little project.  My goal was to find an alternative for those out there that simply cannot afford or don’t have the insurance coverage that will cover the cost of hearing aids/testing/fitting/ect.  I’ve talked to quite a few people and have received emails from even more with their own stories on the frustrations associated with hearing loss and hearing aids.  Many thanks to David Wright, President and COO of America Hears for being a willing participant and letting me come to my own conclusions.

When I first contacted him, he sent me an email with a quote in it from the early days of their company getting started.  I think it sums up what all of us feel and think when it comes to the price of our hearing aids.  “When we first started out, I told Henry Smith, our Founder and CEO, that we could charge thousands of dollars for our hearing aids.  I also said that we could include 2 round trip tickets to Europe and a 42” plasma television.  My partner replied, No, let’s just give them a great deal on the hearing aids.” 

Here are the conclusions, in my opinion, of the America Hears product.

Pros:

1. PRICE!  When you look at how much companies/audiologists/manufacturers are charging for all of us HOH to hear and stay in the hearing world, it’s almost like buying a used car every 3-5 years.  There are a lot of us out here that don’t have insurance that will cover any of this.  So, when you are looking at (in my case) an average cost of $3,000 - $4,000 per hearing aid, a lot of HOH just don’t have the money to pay for these things.  At $995.00 per aid (BTE Freedom LOF), this is around 25 – 30% of what it would cost me to go somewhere else.  That’s a big difference!
2. Service – I called AH 3 times with questions on the aid itself as well as programming when using their software.  I was connected with the correct person quickly every time.  I did not feel like they were rushing to get me off of the phone and felt like I had a team working with me.  They had the same goal as I did, to fine tune as well as find an aid that would work best for me.  There were no excuses from any of them when I had a complex question/problem and we worked to find a solution together.  Once they received my Audiological Eval./Hearing Test, I received my aids (2) within 4 working days.  The additional items that came with the aids (see list in column on Arrival of AH Aids), were much appreciated and enabled me to learn more about the process/set-up/programming in a user friendly way.
3. Quality/Sound of the Hearing Aids – This was the first time that anyone has been able to fit me with an ‘open fit’.  So, I’ve been living life the past 3 weeks being able to hear the sounds that I hear normally (I have a mid-high tone loss, but hear the low tones just like a person with no hearing loss).  It was a very comfortable fit and yes, I am not looking forward to going back to my 1 year old HA’s with the ear mold.  I was able to hear the sounds (birds, crickets, ect.) that I hear with my current aids and once we corrected the feedback, had no problems.  With the 1 year warranty, this is pretty standard in the industry.  There is an extended warranty available which I would probably do just so I don’t have to worry about repair bills (if needed) after the warranty period expired.  I’ve had a total of 13 (I wear one in each ear)  HA’s over the past 27 years.  Some were in the ear and others (recently) were BTE.  AH carries both.
4. Software – Learning how to program/fine tune my HA’s was a big step for me.  I really appreciated being able to put programs on the HA’s based on what environment I would be spending time in.  (You can put 4 different programs on the aids that I tried out and then push a button or wave a wand over the aid to change them based on the environment that you are in).  It was also fun to check out all of the levels of my aids based on my loss.  And, it saved me from having to make appointment and additional trips to an audiologist since one (yes, a real audiologist) were just a phone call away.  This really does give more control to the person with the hearing loss.  And, it is also quite an education to see what all is involved in the programming process.
5. Trial Period – 60 days!  And, if you are not completely satisfied, they will give you 100% of your money back (undamaged aids and accessories).  There are a lot of places out there that will charge you hundreds of dollars if you try and return your HA’s.  Be sure that you read the fine print on your contract at these places before you walk out of the door.
6. Repairs – In my case, if I need to send my HA’s in for repair via my audiologist, it takes at least 10 days to get them back.  AH has a turn around time of approximately 3 days.  There is a charge for new tubing, earmolds/open fit fittings and that can be found on their website or by making a phone call/sending an email to them.

Cons:

1. You have to have access to a computer/laptop with internet access.  If you don’t you will not be able to use the software to fine tune or put new programs on your hearing aids.  We all know that the person that is programming our aids does not ‘hear’ sounds the way that we do.  There is always going to be some fine tuning that needs to be done no matter where you get your HA’s.  So, if you have the patience and are willing to learn new things, this is for you.  I found that with the step by step instructions that came with the HA’s as well as the patience from the staff at AH, I didn’t have any problems with this. 
2. You don’t see anyone.  If you are the type of person that really needs to go and see someone, this might not be for you.  I compare it to having a Cadillac vs. an economy car.  But, if you are looking to save thousands of dollars and have more control over your hearing needs, you will probably like this.
3. You need to have an audiological evaluation/hearing test that is less than 6 months old.  I know!  Some places will get you in the door and start the high pressure sales technique on you or make you feel guilty about not having the training or background to do this.  Keep in mind, that they are really starting to get worried about this new way of getting hearing aids.  Most places know that they are probably charging you too much and they don’t like the fact that there is a company out there that is approved by the FDA, has all the licensing and professionals on staff and is still able to sell you a product that will meet your hearing loss needs.
4. For those with a Cochlear Implant or are under the age of 18, AH will not sell you HA’s.  They really do believe that this segment of the population needs to be seen in person.  If you have a hearing loss that they cannot fit, they will also tell you that.  You will not hear “We can help you” irregardless of your circumstances.  After all, the last thing that they want is to have to deal with negative publicity or be responsible for not being able to fulfill your hearing loss needs.
5. If you are not good with fine motor skills, this could possibly be difficult for you.  You need to be able to work with the HA to attach different things such as fittings, software flex connectors, ect.  It’s not hard, but for those that have a hard time working with small pieces; this may not be a good fit for you.
6. Colors – There is a limited choice.  So, if you are into the new bright colors, you will have to decide if this is important enough to go somewhere and pay for them.

There you have it!  So, what am I going to do in 3-4 years when it’s time to get new HA’s?  I would have to say that I will probably go this route.  I like the control with the software as well as the quality/sound of the HA’s.  And, being able to save lots of money has a really big influence on my decision.