Some of you sound experts should have insight on this. Why the heck are hearing aids $3,000 each? My brother has two. In a freak accident, he dropped the box, both hearing aids spilled out. The worthless dog he has pounced on them, and started chewing on them. He got them out of his mouth but they were damaged, possibly, beyond repair. These costs $3,000 each.

When I look at these things, I'm looking at less than $100, seems to me. Of course, you're paying for customizing, I realize that. But still... they seem SO overpriced.

Heck, Behringer should get into hearing aids and sell them for $300 each.

Much agreed, SLM. The electronics and professionalism involved in properly fitting a hearing device would definitely keep them from being Wal-Mart specials, but $3000 does seem over the top. Especially when we know that similar technology is used in our and other areas at a much lower cost. I think it's not so much a matter of supply and demand as it is a case of a captured audience.

Well, it's just a shame to milk so many people who so badly need something as precious as hearing. I'll be there some day. I have lost a LOT of hearing.

What baffles me is how they seem to be so HUGELY inflated. It's a free market, I don't know why someone hasn't come in and done it. Look at one some time. I swear, looks like less than $100 of circuitry.

Also, both my mom's and my brother's... I think there was a 3-year period of where they will repair it, as in, a warranty. I'm sure they factor that in an rightly so. But still... three grand each?

After that period, you're on your own. If there is a way to buy extended, I'd do it. Because both of them have had trouble with theirs beyond the 3-year period.

Something as precious as hearing, it's just a shame. That is a LOT of money. And BTW, neither of them claim they work very well.

The hearing aid industry is among the biggest con games that have been permitted to be perpetuated upon the public. Keep in mind that the human ear canal is not a feature that is anatomically unique to each individual. They're pretty much all identical in shape and the only thing that varies significantly is the size (Small, medium and large).

Once a hearing aid is firmly seated, it will not encounter feedback, which is the only problem any of them seem to have. Other than that, it's just an amplifier with a built-in mic.

You can purchase small, nearly invisible hearing aids from most sporting goods catalogs for under $200, and many now sell for less than $100. They're often used by deer hunters so they can detect a deer walking through the woods at great distances.

Many major hospitals with ENT departments off refurbished hearing aids to patients that are in lower income brackets. They've been donated by widows and widowers who no longer have a need for the deceased spouses hearing aid. The vast majority fit the person receiving them perfectly. No wax mold was made of their ear canal, no customizing of any kind, and they were not scammed out of $6000.

Additiionally, most individuals are led to believe they need to purchase a pair or hearing aids in order to have proper balance and that wearing just one of the overpriced devices could cause them to loose their balance and fall--what a crock. I've had a hearing aid for nearly 20 years, it still fits perfectly in my right ear, I don't loose my balance and I did not pay $3,000 for it. I lost most of my high frequency sounds when I was just 17 years old from 3-inch anti-aircraft guns firing just a few feet from my head. I was known as a first loader and stood between the gun's two barrels and slammed 45-pound shells into a revolving magazine as fast as possible. Because of that, I still suffer severe tinutus.

Bill, tell your brother to check out the local hospital's ENT department, or just look in one of the latest online Bass Pro or Cabella's catalogs.

Gary

Do we/they only need sound amplifiers, or is there something more involved going on with these aids? If your hearing is reduced that's one thing, but -as I found out with my last test - hearing loss involves many spectrums of the sound range and often inner, mechanical deficiencies that have developed over the years.

Most hearing aid wearers I know report the same low efficiency and complain of buzzing and squealing. Boosting the lost frequencies also boosts the noise range. Using an aid also masks the sound - you have this big (relatively) piece of plastic blocking your ear canal. It seems to be a no-win situation. No wonder older people would rather do without.

Great info, Gary.

[This message has been edited by cassp (edited 04-04-2005).]

I was hoping Mr. Knowledge, Gary, would respond. And I mean that as a compliment. Man, you know some stuff.

The problem with my brother is he is impulsive. He had a job interview the next day. Promptly signed on the dotted line for six grand more for two more, not waiting to see if the others can be fixed. Well, problem was, he figured he had to have something THAT morning, I guess. Anyway, that's his problem. He's the same guy who threw out a big t.v. set because of a poor picture and I said "Could it be your cable connection?" He said "Naw, it's several years old, it's shot." Got a new t.v., same thing. It was the cable.

I think my mom only has one hearing aid. I will tell her about the 'generic' ones you mentioned. Heck, I might buy one when I get some more dough. I'm getting pretty bad.

Back to overpricing... I'm just surprised the pricing hasn't been scandalized or at least the industry being shamed into lowering their prices. People like my mom shouldn't have to pay like that. So, thanks for the info. That is very good to know.

Gary, if you come back... I have lost high frequencies... do they offer specific 'tunings?'

All hearing aids have a small, wide-range, adjustable EQ system built in. If you look at the top of most hearing aids you'll see there is a master volume control, and a tiny trim pot on either side of the control. One is a volume trimmer, while the other is the EQ. You can adjust the EQ to amplify the frequencies you have lost, which in most males is the higer frequencies, and with females it's usually low frequencies. For example, if you wish to amplify the sizzle of finger snaps, hand claps, rim shots and cymbals hits from your keyboard you merely add more high EQ to the onboard mixer. If you wish to hear better bass and low frequency drum sounds, you crank up the mixer's low EQ. With most hearing aids, the adjustment is very similar to an older car radio's tone control, with a single knob adjustment.

Bill, I'm not all that smart, but I'm old and I've done a lot of things in my life. Among them when I first got married was to have the fortune to work in the medical field for 15 years as chief cardio-pulmonary technician. Back then the position was normally held by a physician, therefore, in order to do the job I had to undergo 6 months of intense training at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, then rotate through all of the medical services at the hospital I worked at in Baltimore. It was a grueling schedule that required 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, and one that required a lot of dedication. I learned a lot about medicine during those years, but I also had to endure the emotional pain of watching some very nice people die on a daily basis. After 15 years I burned out emotionally, walked away from that life, and never looked back. Nope, I'm not all that smart--just old. The old folks on the forum have a lot of life experiences, and some are willing to share them with others.

Gary

[This message has been edited by travlin'easy (edited 04-04-2005).]

My step-father has twice tried hearing aids. The last time he bought one, supposedly the best available, for $1500. It was programmed by computer, and he went back for it to be "tweaked" by the computer. It also came with a 3-month return option. He tried very hard to like it, but was constantly turning it up and down. He finally decided to return it and get his money back.
DonM

It's not just hearing aids. I take care of my father-in-law who is in a nursing home with lasat stage Alzhiemers. A recent pharmacy bill included 9 tubes of Zenoderm
( an ointment for bed sores)at a full-pay price of over %90.00 a tube. The man has Blue Cross coverage, which wasn't submitted. The Blue Cross price was $9.06. There is an over the counter substitute which I'm told is essentially the same thing, for $6.50.
9 tubes would last for over 9 months.

The Alzheimers medicine (Remedil) has a price through Blue Cross of around $60.00. If Medicare pays, it's $250.00. When the mistake to not submit to Blue Cross was made
the price was $366.00. This is from a place that charged over $65.00 for a "welcome basket".

The physician that visits the nursing home charges $160.00 per visit, and usually sends a physicians assistant. He looks at the charts of over 30 patients, rarely examines them, and charges each one the $160.00. That's $4800 for about an hour visit.

What a frustration...constantly trying to correct substandard care, stolen items, bruises and skin tears from untrained aids...overbilling, etc.

Sadly, older people are taken advantage of...they're the forgotten ones.


Russ

From Bass Pro Shops, these are outside the ear, about $200 each...

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=9598&hvarTarget=se arch&cmCat=SearchResults

From Cabela's, ITC (in the canal) $749/pair and you have to buy a PAIR of them...

http://tinyurl.com/5kneh

[This message has been edited by SemiLiveMusic (edited 04-05-2005).]