Hearing Aid complaints
- Thread starter dhgunit
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somedeafdudefromPNW
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People who grew up with losses don't like political correctness or medical definition. It has become a sense of self-identity.
Deaf/hard-of-hearing, not hearing-impaired.
Blind/low vision, not vision-impaired.
And so on.
You find this more often with people whose interpretation of the world through their "sense losses" all they've ever known. Impairment imply that they have lost something, and their quality of life declined because of it-- well, what about those who were born with it? Have they lost anything?
People who grew up with losses don't like political correctness or medical definition. It has become a sense of self-identity.
Deaf/hard-of-hearing, not hearing-impaired.
Blind/low vision, not vision-impaired.
And so on.
You find this more often with people whose interpretation of the world through their "sense losses" all they've ever known. Impairment imply that they have lost something, and their quality of life declined because of it-- well, what about those who were born with it? Have they lost anything?
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We are deaf, not dead.
Oops. Typo. Fixed it. LOL
Good answer, I didn't know "hearing impaired" was a PC term. I will stop using it as I am a staunch opponent to political correctness.
I don't want to offend people, but I am also not going to carry a PC dictionary around either.
No, if you are born deaf I would agree that you certainly haven't lost anything.
In Britain the NHS has contracts with hearing aid manufacturers and pays from £60 each, for hearing aids suitable for mild hearing loss, up to £112 each for superpower HAs like mine. These prices demonstrate that HAs for severe or profound losses cost more, I know that these prices are correct because I work for the NHS.
Those with greater losses generally require more features, my HAs have t-coil, directional microphones and direct audio input, these features may not be required by those with a lesser hearing loss, so obviously, if bought privately, their HAs will cost less.
I don't have these features because I just feel like having the latest gadgetry, I have them because I need them in order to hear as well as possible. Without these 'extra' features I wouldn't be able to hear on the telephone or use my fm system, which is so vital in lectures and meetings at university, and at work. As a nurse I also need direct audio input to use an amplified stethoscope.
somedeafdudefromPNW
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The irony of "hearing impaired" and "visually-impaires" is that people who lost their hearing or sight later in life finds being called "deaf" and "blind" offensive.
So you still might want to hold onto your dictionary.
The irony of "hearing impaired" and "visually-impaires" is that people who lost their hearing or sight later in life finds being called "deaf" and "blind" offensive.
So you still might want to hold onto your dictionary.
I read a lotta the threads but may not comment because I don't feel like I have the experience/background to justify a comment. I started losing my hearing in last couple years and am in my 30's. But I can say that as previously hearing person, going to husband's audi to get his BTE HA's previously , vs. going there more recently since joining this community and becoming hoh, I see the audi office and the field very differently now, as opposed to before. I'm not saying anything in regard to anyone personally - but my perspective has changed.
I see the medical/"fixing" perspective and the lack of knowledge of deafness/Deaf culture as insensitive at best and damaging at worst...even if the office has just one d/Deaf person coming there<vs. bunches of older people who lost their hearing from injuries, age, etc.> , when a consumer comes there and their language and cultural needs are not meant, I see that as debilitating. And I realize that a consumer goes there to purchase a product but within that context I still think awareness of d/Deafness important
I id myself as hard of hearing. Not "hearing impaired"
and political correctness isn't about having pretty euphemisms - it's ideally to get people thinking about the balance of power and privilege, about whose perspective is utilized as standard.
I see the medical/"fixing" perspective and the lack of knowledge of deafness/Deaf culture as insensitive at best and damaging at worst...even if the office has just one d/Deaf person coming there<vs. bunches of older people who lost their hearing from injuries, age, etc.> , when a consumer comes there and their language and cultural needs are not meant, I see that as debilitating. And I realize that a consumer goes there to purchase a product but within that context I still think awareness of d/Deafness important
I id myself as hard of hearing. Not "hearing impaired"
and political correctness isn't about having pretty euphemisms - it's ideally to get people thinking about the balance of power and privilege, about whose perspective is utilized as standard.
This is due to your government, not hearing aid manufacturers.
I have hearing aids that can fit profound hearing losses that cost $1,099 and I have hearing that cannot fit profound or even severe losses that cost $3,200.
It isn't based on how bad your hearing is from the manufacturer (quite possible it is from the British government though) but rather what processor technology is used in the hearing aid.
I suppose you are saying that for $1099 you would provide a basic analogue HA with none of the features I mentioned. I had these as a child and struggled to hear anything in a noisy classroom.
I think you have missed the point I am trying to make. It has nothing to do with the British government, I was just using that to illustrate the difference in prices between HAs for mild loss and those for severe or profound loss which need more features.
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We don't grade and categorize people according the "level" of hearing loss around here. Many hearing people are obsessed about labeling people "deaf," as we've discussed in the late-deafened thread. Besides, understanding speech is not a function of the "level" of hearing loss.
Please venture out of this one thread to read more.
Please venture out of this one thread to read more.
I didn't miss your point, I am just saying your point is wrong.
And I have a feeling nothing I say can change your mind. But hearing aid prices are not based on the severety of loss.
dorothybaez
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Not everywhere.....but at enough places......
Because you expressed a willingness to answer questions. Then people asked, and you refused to answer.
Um... NO. But I spent all day today wearing $5500 hearing aids. The man is still fiddling with them to fix them so they can help me. I think consumers have a right to know.
Okay, so don't. And, no, I can't figure it out, and I suspect that nobody else can either.
yizuman
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I wonder why dhgunit has to come here and make a defense against the "criticisms" of the hearing aid industry?
Me thinks he's either losing money from the business or is afraid the criticism would spread and hurt his business in the long run.
I just think it's pointless to try and make a defense against those who've already made up their minds regarding this particular industry and it would just be a waste of time "beating on a dead horse" issue.
Yiz
Me thinks he's either losing money from the business or is afraid the criticism would spread and hurt his business in the long run.
I just think it's pointless to try and make a defense against those who've already made up their minds regarding this particular industry and it would just be a waste of time "beating on a dead horse" issue.
Yiz
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Ya'll, I just bought a pair of progressive lens glasses direct from China for $50. The same pair would have cost somewhere between $200-$300 here. Great frames and perfect lenses. How long before China starts selling HAs on the internet?
Here's info about buying glasses on the internet. I've bought 4 pairs online. Botti gets all of her cool glasses online. Too bad that I need progressive lenses.
GlassyEyes | Find Your Next Affordable Eyeglasses Online
Here's info about buying glasses on the internet. I've bought 4 pairs online. Botti gets all of her cool glasses online. Too bad that I need progressive lenses.
GlassyEyes | Find Your Next Affordable Eyeglasses Online
whatdidyousay!
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How do I know if you're not a con artist! I think it's really odd for you being posting for company here for free! I would never buy any thing off a web site like this! I thought people were not allowed to run a sale pitch on this web site! Sorry dude , not in a million years would use you! How about posting the name of your company along with it address and phone number and give us some names people that brought a HA from you !
I just wanted to say that I LOVE my audi. All repairs (whether they need to be sent to the manufacturer or not) are free, wax guards are free, and they have the cheapest prices, and nicest people that I have found in the Louisville, ky area.
Just saying, they aren't all bad.
Just saying, they aren't all bad.
I will try and help out a little bit here.
1) I am not sure what you mean by the "actual costs of R&D"? Do you mean all R&D activities related to a company or of simply a single product? It is very hard to get line-item R&D expenditures. That said, R&D expenditures on whole are typically public information if a stock is traded. I refereed to one manufacturer's annual report, and it showed about a R&D expenditures of about 6% of sales. Looking into the same annual report, EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes), also commonly known as operating profit, was about 27%. Sales and marketing costs were also nearly 25%.
2) Companies do not give out all information because they do not want their competitors knowing what they are doing. There is a certain amount that must be given out, but they tend to hold it tight.
3) HAs are medical devices. Like it or not, that means they are regulated and for those in the USA they are also FDA controlled devices. The regulatory implications of a medical device are not easy nor do they come cheap. Furthermore, the GMP required for the manufacturing drives cost up significantly.
4) There is not set cost for creating a hearing aid. As you may know, with any product, the longer it is in production, the more profit it makes. There are certain capital investments (for example is a new pick & place machine needed) that get amortized over time. You may be surprised to know that early in a products life it may actually be selling for less than it costs to make. In addition, you must also amortize all the R&D that went into to the product development.
5) When you start looking at R&D you must figure that the newest hearing aid that you have is already three years old (or more) from when the R&D money was spent. Lets for arguments sakes (this is not a real number), say that R&D cost $100M. That means the company spent $100M three years ago (again this is very simple) assuming about an 8% return on capital, the cost of that $100M three year ago is now about $125M. This means, that if the company put $100M into investments other than a new product, they could have about $125M today. This means that product must return a better return that the risk free that a company can invest money otherwise, they will simply put it in a bank and collect interest.
I think that many people here really think that audis and the companies are trying to "fix" people. "Fix" may not be the right word but people in the industry want to help people. It no different than pacemakers to "fix" heart beats or titanium bone plates to "fix" broken bones.
As I have stated before, I am not HOH or deaf and have very little actual insight into what a HOH or deaf persons life is like. I do however, have ties with the hearing industry.
I read this forum because it helps me get insight and know what people like and dislike.
C1
I do not know what a HA's wholesale cost is. In fact, I would highly suspect that wholesale cost, like most products, is variable. If you buy 20 HAs of one type at a time they may cost X but if you buy 2 HAs at a time they cost Y. This is a very typical business model and that is the reason why big box stores have a lower price than the mom and pop store. They negotiate prices for large quantities.
C1