purplecatty
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2007
- Messages
- 3,792
- Reaction score
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I have Nucelus N5 processor and had it for 1 1/2 year after upgrading from Nucelus N24.
Last night, My wife had an accident and damaged 2 of my rechargeable batteries which was "locked" into charging base (twist lock socket). The twistlock base of batteries were ripped off. Charging base (which have 4 sockets) are fine. I was pretty upset over it because I needed it for my Dock Clerk job which are dangerous that I spend most of time waltzing around forklifts, tugs, and speeders (It's a 15 ft long Ride-on electric "hand truck" and it goes very fast (12mph). Also to communicate with Managers and employees as well. Although I do not understand anything over intercom or walkie talkie neither phone. I rely on reading lips and hear same time to understand better (I would say 70% of the times). Basically I was pissed off and had to use 675 type battery case that uses two 675 CI power hearing aid batteries for my N6 processor. Battery only last me 5 minutes until I check 6 pack battery, It turned out it's a High Power type for my wife's hearing aid. Not CI type.
This morning after work, I had a Live Chat with Cochlear Amercas and she told me it cost $210 for pair of rechargeable battery. Warranty for batteries been expired cuz it's past 1 year. I went through the roof and angry. I told her it's a really big rip off. I told her I am not a Millionaire!!! She said it is a special technology in battery. I told her I know alot about electronics and it's a Lithium Polymer battery!! It is not expensive!! I compared it to $100 Lithium Ion power drill battery to $100 for tiny CI battery!!! I told her I would rather spend $20 for each rechargeable battery than spend $100 for one! I told her I needed replacement battery for my job because I waltzing around with forklifts, tugs and speeders and have to hear around me for Safety and communication with manager and employees!!!. She suggest me make payment with Cochelar credit, I told her NO! I do not want any more credit bills, I have bills and have creditor after me for medical bills. She suggested me try donation which is a used CI equipment. I told her NO! I do not want used batteries. I just want new cuz I want it last more than 8 hours each work nights! I pointed out that price of battery is risking my job!! I simply cannot afford it!!!
Then I asked her if I can talk with her Supervisor. I waited for few minutes then finally she responded that she will send me 1 free rechargeable battery. I said fine just one! Should I send broken one back (1 for 1, Not 1 for 2). she said yes. It will be mailed through Fed Ex and will arrive Monday.
After that, I click to send chat to Email and close chat. After that there is questionnaire asking how is the service. I selected Neutral and last two asking me why I rate it. I typed short paragraph prodding about price which hurts retired people who live on limited budgets and many CI users who need it on job or normal life. It's not fair to pay so much just to hear!!!
as for Improvement-- Lower the price that EVERYONE Can afford and I would buy 4 or more with price that I can afford.
I know you MAY NOT agree with me on point view on pricing of CI parts. It made me very very angry for them ripping off CI users charging $105 for rechargeable battery, $100 for coil lanyard with audio jack (for listening walkman ect) ect. Remember parts wears out quickly and if you are on SSI or tight with budget. You may think I'm crazy for not understanding it's a medical equipments. I tell you it's a BIG BS!!!
Why?? Because I studied Electronics. This made me think differently. I get so angry that Audiologist charging $5,000 for just a canal hearing aid. As you aware that microchips, microphone, speaker, volume control and switches or buttons worth just fractions of price at factory. Factory sells them $100 each and Audiologist sells them 500% to 1000% price range. As for CI processor, they're basically microchips with erasable memory, pair of microphones, switches, coil section basically pair of wound wire thinner than human hair. Rechargeable battery is 3.7v Lithium Polymer type which you can find anywhere in website under $10. All Cochlear Companies, Cochlear Americas, Med-El, and Advanced Bionics sells them 500% of price range. Why would we have to spend so much just to hear and parts wears out quickly and they expect us to use insurance or out of our pocket paying at exorbitant price! In matter of fact some of CI users are wearing it everyday for safety purpose! Companies are risking lives of CI users and even risking user's job as well. I wish we can have grassroot effort to fight against CI companies to put a stop on pricing practice that hurts every CI users. Make price affordable that we can buy replacement parts at a price of 3 or 4 McDonalds Big Mac Meal. Also stop them from ordering Audiologist throwing away equipments for remapping old CI processors to force CI Users to upgrade at their expense if Insurance don't cover. They're controlling our live and our jobs. Don't let them control, It's our body and our rights to hear things through CI or Hearing aid and we have right to afford without burden of hefty prices.
My dad who is retired (he does not know anything about electronics) also is angry about Audiologist ripping off retired people. Retired people living on limited budget and they need to hear but cannot afford at all. My aunt wears hearing aid and she said 12 pack batteries cost $12, it only last her 3 to 4 hours between change. I told her about Microbattery and helped her order one, She was so grateful that I helped her save tons of money.
Am I making sense?? If you don't agree with me, sorry that you don't understand.
Catty
Last night, My wife had an accident and damaged 2 of my rechargeable batteries which was "locked" into charging base (twist lock socket). The twistlock base of batteries were ripped off. Charging base (which have 4 sockets) are fine. I was pretty upset over it because I needed it for my Dock Clerk job which are dangerous that I spend most of time waltzing around forklifts, tugs, and speeders (It's a 15 ft long Ride-on electric "hand truck" and it goes very fast (12mph). Also to communicate with Managers and employees as well. Although I do not understand anything over intercom or walkie talkie neither phone. I rely on reading lips and hear same time to understand better (I would say 70% of the times). Basically I was pissed off and had to use 675 type battery case that uses two 675 CI power hearing aid batteries for my N6 processor. Battery only last me 5 minutes until I check 6 pack battery, It turned out it's a High Power type for my wife's hearing aid. Not CI type.
This morning after work, I had a Live Chat with Cochlear Amercas and she told me it cost $210 for pair of rechargeable battery. Warranty for batteries been expired cuz it's past 1 year. I went through the roof and angry. I told her it's a really big rip off. I told her I am not a Millionaire!!! She said it is a special technology in battery. I told her I know alot about electronics and it's a Lithium Polymer battery!! It is not expensive!! I compared it to $100 Lithium Ion power drill battery to $100 for tiny CI battery!!! I told her I would rather spend $20 for each rechargeable battery than spend $100 for one! I told her I needed replacement battery for my job because I waltzing around with forklifts, tugs and speeders and have to hear around me for Safety and communication with manager and employees!!!. She suggest me make payment with Cochelar credit, I told her NO! I do not want any more credit bills, I have bills and have creditor after me for medical bills. She suggested me try donation which is a used CI equipment. I told her NO! I do not want used batteries. I just want new cuz I want it last more than 8 hours each work nights! I pointed out that price of battery is risking my job!! I simply cannot afford it!!!
Then I asked her if I can talk with her Supervisor. I waited for few minutes then finally she responded that she will send me 1 free rechargeable battery. I said fine just one! Should I send broken one back (1 for 1, Not 1 for 2). she said yes. It will be mailed through Fed Ex and will arrive Monday.
After that, I click to send chat to Email and close chat. After that there is questionnaire asking how is the service. I selected Neutral and last two asking me why I rate it. I typed short paragraph prodding about price which hurts retired people who live on limited budgets and many CI users who need it on job or normal life. It's not fair to pay so much just to hear!!!
as for Improvement-- Lower the price that EVERYONE Can afford and I would buy 4 or more with price that I can afford.
I know you MAY NOT agree with me on point view on pricing of CI parts. It made me very very angry for them ripping off CI users charging $105 for rechargeable battery, $100 for coil lanyard with audio jack (for listening walkman ect) ect. Remember parts wears out quickly and if you are on SSI or tight with budget. You may think I'm crazy for not understanding it's a medical equipments. I tell you it's a BIG BS!!!
Why?? Because I studied Electronics. This made me think differently. I get so angry that Audiologist charging $5,000 for just a canal hearing aid. As you aware that microchips, microphone, speaker, volume control and switches or buttons worth just fractions of price at factory. Factory sells them $100 each and Audiologist sells them 500% to 1000% price range. As for CI processor, they're basically microchips with erasable memory, pair of microphones, switches, coil section basically pair of wound wire thinner than human hair. Rechargeable battery is 3.7v Lithium Polymer type which you can find anywhere in website under $10. All Cochlear Companies, Cochlear Americas, Med-El, and Advanced Bionics sells them 500% of price range. Why would we have to spend so much just to hear and parts wears out quickly and they expect us to use insurance or out of our pocket paying at exorbitant price! In matter of fact some of CI users are wearing it everyday for safety purpose! Companies are risking lives of CI users and even risking user's job as well. I wish we can have grassroot effort to fight against CI companies to put a stop on pricing practice that hurts every CI users. Make price affordable that we can buy replacement parts at a price of 3 or 4 McDonalds Big Mac Meal. Also stop them from ordering Audiologist throwing away equipments for remapping old CI processors to force CI Users to upgrade at their expense if Insurance don't cover. They're controlling our live and our jobs. Don't let them control, It's our body and our rights to hear things through CI or Hearing aid and we have right to afford without burden of hefty prices.
My dad who is retired (he does not know anything about electronics) also is angry about Audiologist ripping off retired people. Retired people living on limited budget and they need to hear but cannot afford at all. My aunt wears hearing aid and she said 12 pack batteries cost $12, it only last her 3 to 4 hours between change. I told her about Microbattery and helped her order one, She was so grateful that I helped her save tons of money.
Am I making sense?? If you don't agree with me, sorry that you don't understand.
Catty
