Healthcare costs - not insurance The exorbitant cost of hearing aids

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Susie2017

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My father saw a notice for a 'free hearing test' and made an appointment. He has never complained of hearing loss to me. I have never heard him say that he cant hear what i said etc. To me his hearing is perfect in conversation but he says he has some difficulties in the pub etc if there are multiple people involved in the conversation. He went along and was told that he has a severe loss of hearing. He was told his reading should be 60 but its only 30. The price quoted for the hearing aid was 6500. But there is a 1000 grant and he was told he can claim some of the rest on his med 1. To me this is scandalous. He is still in charge of most of his faculties so he left the clinic and called me. My mother in law paid 1200 this week in a well know spectacles shop which i thought was bad enough. Any opinions ?
 
Susie2017 said:
Any opinions ?
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Yep, go somewhere else.

My dad got a similar quote. Luckily he couldn't afford it. Went to the gp, and got ear wax syringed out. Didn't need hearing aids.

Edited to add, even where hearing aids are required, there are much lower prices available.
 
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Varifocals, with auto-dim, anti-scratch coating in designer frames, plus matching prescription sunglasses?
 
No 1200 for two hearing aids. Any tips on where to get some at a more reasonable price especially as im fairly certain they will be left on a shelf somwhere most of the time.
 
@Susie2017
I'm guessing it was a well advertised name that your dad went to? If it's the one I have in mind, they've a reputation for upselling to more expensive models than needed. They will have cheaper options.

I can't recommend anyone, but for price comparison Boots and Specsavers are very transparent with pricing on their websites. They're not 'premium' models, but will give an idea of price (if you want to control hearing aid via smart phone for example, that feature might not be available). You'll have independent operators depending on where you live that will have a range of options available from different brands. Just bear in mind that it'll usually require follow ups to make adjustments, so service is important.

Does your dad have a medical card?
 
Slightly off topic, but Id recommend getting the hearing aids insured as an extra item on your house insurance. My Dad lost his and got them replaced by the insurance.
 
Also if someone goes into hospital, unless they are well able to look after them. might be wise to hold on to them.
 
If a person has a medical card they are entitled to free hearing aids and speaking from the experience of a person who had to buy their original hearing aids, the ones supplied by the HSE are just as good.
 
mathepac said:
Varifocals, with auto-dim, anti-scratch coating in designer frames, plus matching prescription sunglasses?
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I paid €423 last year for mine. Very nice frames were 119, I love them because the bit that sits on the nose is part of the frame so my hair doesn't get caught there. The prescription sunglasses were thrown in for free as part of a special deal they had.

My husband paid just short of 400 and got free prescription sun glasses as well. The frames were 219. And they're lovely.
 
Very expensive glasses. I try to get mine for under a 100 euro a pair, no designer models. Used to buy them in Tesco opticians. They get lost, sat on and battered by children. Spending more than that is unnecessary for me. Back to the hearing aids. Anyone recommend a cheaper route, ie less than 500 quid. Surely hearing aids should be less than the cost of a mobile phone? He has no interest in apps or smart functions. Just a basic reliable model. I m alarmed that a 79 year old be presented with a quote like this at an appointment. An aunt of mine paid 2500 of her savings for her husband who was 78 for two hearing aids. Within months he had a stroke and is in long term care - they are no longer used as he has dementia. A dentist also suggested referring my Dad for expensive implant surgery to replace a tooth, when a bridge or simpler less invasive procedure would have sufficed. I am alarmed at what could happen if my father could not pick up the phone to a family member to ask for a second opinion. The individuals charging these prices are good old fashioned con artists in my opinion. Dad has no medical card. Will try Boots as suggested.
 
Good hearing aids cost a few thousand. If he has health insurance they usually give a contribution
 
I am hard of hearing. The thing is that hearing aids worth 2,000 a unit (4000 if you need two) are not worth component wise that much. Component wise they are only worth perhaps 500 euros. (and that is being generous)

But they are selling them 3 or four times their actual worth. I asked why this is on various forums. The replies were as follows:

1) There is not enough people who are actually hard of hearing and as such they have to make them expensive for those who do need them, in order for themselves (the maker) to turn a profit. They are spending lots of money on RandD and thus have to make the hearing aids expensive to recoup that expenditure. i was the only person with bad hearing in my school (both primary and secondary). Thus you can apply that to the general population and see that not enough people need the product.

2) A lot of the companies are american and anything to due with health in america is expensive straight away.

3) Of those companies there are only 4 or 5 who make the top range hearing aids and they come together like a cartel to price their products at a similar price.

I am on a medical card and applied for the free hearing aids through the government but never heard back. I disagree with the poster who said that the government hearing aids are as good as the ones you pay 2000 + euros for (4000 + euros for two). I had government hearing aids all my young life and still could not hear to a good enough standard to work.

To compound or exacerbate the problem, the expensive hearing aids only last four to five years before you need new ones. And the price is only going to go up and not down.
 
Susie2017 said:
Very expensive glasses. I try to get mine for under a 100 euro a pair, no designer models. Used to buy them in Tesco opticians. They get lost, sat on and battered by children. Spending more than that is unnecessary for me. Back to the hearing aids. Anyone recommend a cheaper route, ie less than 500 quid. Surely hearing aids should be less than the cost of a mobile phone? He has no interest in apps or smart functions. Just a basic reliable model. I m alarmed that a 79 year old be presented with a quote like this at an appointment. An aunt of mine paid 2500 of her savings for her husband who was 78 for two hearing aids. Within months he had a stroke and is in long term care - they are no longer used as he has dementia. A dentist also suggested referring my Dad for expensive implant surgery to replace a tooth, when a bridge or simpler less invasive procedure would have sufficed. I am alarmed at what could happen if my father could not pick up the phone to a family member to ask for a second opinion. The individuals charging these prices are good old fashioned con artists in my opinion. Dad has no medical card. Will try Boots as suggested.
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They are not component wise worth more than a laptop. A hearing aid on sale for 2000 euros is only worth component wise about 400 euros. But for various reasons as i posted above, they sell them for more.

And yes it is a scam in ways. My mother wanted me to get new expensive hearing aids and i could afford them. I just dont think it is a good deal. I am basically being ripped off. I said to her would you buy a mobile phone for 2000 grand and she said no way.

Paying between 4000 and 6000 thousand for the best hearing aids is ridiculous. You could get a decent second hand car for that much.
 
Ireland is a high cost country for almost all medical goods and services . I am at the stage where I will need hearing aid(s). As regards hearing aids has anyone bought them abroad in the EU or in Northern Ireland or GB and how did it work out? I appreciate it wouldn't be the most convenient for after sales service; but is there a substantial price difference which would make it worthwhile, possibly combined with a short break abroad.
 
dubwx said:
Ireland is a high cost country for almost all medical goods and services . I am at the stage where I will need hearing aid(s). As regards hearing aids has anyone bought them abroad in the EU or in Northern Ireland or GB and how did it work out? I appreciate it wouldn't be the most convenient for after sales service; but is there a substantial price difference which would make it worthwhile, possibly combined with a short break abroad.
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I am not entirely sure as to whether you could get really good ones cheaper.

But i have read that there are only five or six companies that make the expensive ones and they all come together to control the market and price them really expensive.

Perhaps over in eastern europe you may find what you are looking for. I dont know really.
 
A company called Audicus in America sells them cheaper. 700 dollars for the best one (1400 if you need two). That is still really expensive given that i read on their website that the hearing aids component wise only cost 150 dollars to make in some factory in China.

But it is better than paying 3000 euros for one is guess.

I would have to look into it more to see if they are decent hearing aids. They might not even ship to europe as well.
 
I believe there is an online company that will supply branded h aid and also program it to your needs. You need to supply them with hearing test. Meanwhile there are plenty of 'scams' online so be warned. Also you do not have back up of audiology service. I lost mine when flipped off ear by facemask and it hurts to replace it. These days, no meetings etc to attend where I really appreciated it. It was not listed on house insurance as value was c 1200 euro. It is 5 yrs since I got my first one. Apparantly the technology for sound en hancement is not that different but advances are in the techie side such as App, bluetooth and rechargeable batteries.
 
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