Insurance?

[Hear Again]

shygirl,

That's right. It does come down to supply and demand. I couldn't think of the correct term when I wrote my post.

 

[overthepond]

I am sorry to say that i feel for the americans to have to pay for their hearing aids which their deafness weren't their own fault and cannot provided due to the fact they are cosmetic!!! I hope one day you lot would win the fight to have insurance changed.

Good luck ladies and gentlemen.

 

[kimpossible2]

Insurance coverage.. You're kidding right?

I recently had to purchase a new hearing aid. MY insurance did and does not cover hearing aids. I have never had my insurance cover them as they classify hearing aids as "not a necessity," regardless of the level of loss. I spent $3200 for a single new aid. It originally costs $4200 but I was able to negotiate because I was a self pay. In the State of Illinois they no longer provide financial assistance for hearing aids, again regardless of the level of loss or need. I found myself rejected every resource I tried for assistance and in my case, the aid was unrepairable. So, I had no choice as I was at risk for losing my job. In the end, I borrowed from two people and am currently making payments. Its just ridiculous that its not covered under insurance.

 

[kimpossible2]

As for the marketing piece..

It is absolutely about the marketability of the product when it comes to pricing. I had manufacturers admit that pricing was driven by the fact that they knew people need them, that most buyers are baby boomers with money, that simply the demand is low in terms of count, but that the need is great. People will buy them because they need them, its a guaranteed market. Its disgusting that they get away with the price gouging, but unless there is massive outcry, who is really going to care?

 

[DJYumene]

I recently had to purchase a new hearing aid. MY insurance did and does not cover hearing aids. I have never had my insurance cover them as they classify hearing aids as "not a necessity," regardless of the level of loss. I spent $3200 for a single new aid. It originally costs $4200 but I was able to negotiate because I was a self pay. In the State of Illinois they no longer provide financial assistance for hearing aids, again regardless of the level of loss or need. I found myself rejected every resource I tried for assistance and in my case, the aid was unrepairable. So, I had no choice as I was at risk for losing my job. In the end, I borrowed from two people and am currently making payments. Its just ridiculous that its not covered under insurance.

I live in Nevada; My insurance is given to me by my workplace through the Union (union benefit). My previous insurance from my old workplace did not offer assistance for HA's. I think its on a few insurances, its just very rare to find it. I wish it was on more insurances, but I guess a lot of them don't see it as a necessity so it's not on there. -sigh- maybe in the future it will be on more ...

 

[naisho]

I know the feeling you guys are going through. I do not have much in my favor for hearing aid assistance. Throughout my life I had to live and pay for it without insurance aid.

Kimpossible2 is right, it is all market gouging of the companies that set the price for them. Not all of us have the $$ to immediately fork over for the latest hearing aid fad or tech, we have to settle for what we can use.

Too bad the way the world works; The needs of the many outweight the needs of few.
They probably have more insurance coverage over optometry and optical related expenses compared to hearing related, and that's probably where all the extra cash and plans went..


On the other hand, look at the bright side. You don't see us [deaf] going too crazy over mp3 player quality, TV/home entertainment systems, bluetooth headphones & headsets, cellphones, annoyed at the loudness of the lawnmower & related devices, just about everything of the HiFi and audio world.
We save money in this form. 　(=´∇｀=)

 

[Hear Again]

Not all of us have the $$ to immediately fork over for the latest hearing aid fad or tech, we have to settle for what we can use.

This is the very reason why some CI candidates are using out-of-date hearing aids.

 

[DJYumene]

Not all of us have the $$ to immediately fork over for the latest hearing aid fad or tech, we have to settle for what we can use.

This is the very reason why some CI candidates are using out-of-date hearing aids.

It is expensive, that is so true, after I saw it on my insurance plan, I was like "Nice!" ... may not seem like much to some people, but for me, it's a big help.

But now since all the hassle I've been having, I'm going to just get my old ones fixed to use, until I save up all the money needed to buy new ones.

 

[Hear Again]

It is expensive, that is so true, after I saw it on my insurance plan, I was like "Nice!" ... may not seem like much to some people, but for me, it's a big help.

But now since all the hassle I've been having, I'm going to just get my old ones fixed to use, until I save up all the money needed to buy new ones.

It's a shame, isn't it? I wish some of the people who work at insurance companies could spend a week in our shoes to get a better idea of what it's like to be D/deaf or HoH.

By the way, I feel the same way about blindness technology. There is absolutely no reason (besides R&D) why a Braille display has to cost $6,000 and a fully functional screen reader $700-800.

 

[DJYumene]

It's a shame, isn't it? I wish some of the people who work at insurance companies could spend a week in our shoes to get a better idea of what it's like to be D/deaf or HoH.

By the way, I feel the same way about blindness technology. There is absolutely no reason (besides R&D) why a Braille display has to cost $6,000 and a fully functional screen reader $700-800.

Oh, wow, I had no idea that braille displays cost's that much. I don't see why it should be that much. Because of supply issue too, or companies just like to jack up the prices so high? Makes no sense.

If they did walk in a Deaf/HoH shoes then they might get a better idea, I agree all the way.

 

[Hear Again]

Oh, wow, I had no idea that braille displays cost's that much. I don't see why it should be that much. Because of supply issue too, or companies just like to jack up the prices so high? Makes no sense.

If they did walk in a Deaf/HoH shoes then they might get a better idea, I agree all the way.

I don't know about the market for the Deaf and HoH, but one of the reasons why blindness technology is so expensive is because blind people are a minority compared to the sighted. There are also a limited number of companies who make adaptive products.

For example, there are only 3 companies that make screen readers: Freedom Scientific, GW Micro and Dolphin.

 

[DJYumene]

I don't know about the market for the Deaf and HoH, but one of the reasons why blindness technology is so expensive is because blind people are a minority compared to the sighted. There are also a limited number of companies who make adaptive products.

For example, there are only 3 companies that make screen readers: Freedom Scientific, GW Micro and Dolphin.

Oh, Wow, I did not know that. Only three companies make screen readers, that's not many. I would have thought there would be more. Would the price hike be from supply issues plus R&D?

I always learn something new when I read your posts.

 

[Hear Again]

Oh, Wow, I did not know that. Only three companies make screen readers, that's not many. I would have thought there would be more. Would the price hike be from supply issues plus R&D?

I always learn something new when I read your posts.

shygirl.

Yes, I believe the high cost of blindness technology is due to supply (lack thereof given the limited market) as well as R&D.

 

[jasin]

The problem with your analogy is that the computer market is much bigger than the hearing aid market.

Also, the population of those who use computers is far, far greater than the population who use hearing aids.

Thus, my argument is valid.

You have to give a reason or an argument for your argument being valid when its been shown to not be valid. You, however, did not do that. Therefore, your argument is still not valid.

 

[jasin]

They are over 10 years old (just about) ... I don't want them to keep breaking down ... I think it will be cheaper in the long run to get new ones than to have to keep paying for repairs ...

Unless you have water damage or some very, very serious oxidation inside your aids the electronics in them will not breakdown. The only electronic component still being used in electronics today that would breakdown enough, from normal everyday use, to the point that could no longer be used is a capacitor and they don't use them in hearing aids.

 

[DJYumene]

Unless you have water damage or some very, very serious oxidation inside your aids the electronics in them will not breakdown. The only electronic component still being used in electronics today that would breakdown enough, from normal everyday use, to the point that could no longer be used is a capacitor and they don't use them in hearing aids.

No water damage, and I rarely used them unless I need to (when I was younger I would never want to wear them); I am just now starting to use them again ...

But I notice that after a while the sound becomes fuzzy and static-y ... so its hard to use them for long periods of time. Could just be because they have been sitting collecting dust most of the time, idk? ... I'm going to take them in to get them fixed Monday.

What is a oxidation? Never heard of it ...

 

[Shi-Ku Chishiki]

Insurance, HA's and the Cost Factor..

When it comes to insurance and HA's, along with the cost there of...

Shi-Ku Chishiki ShiKu.Chishiki@Gmail.com

 

[Hear Again]

Unless you have water damage or some very, very serious oxidation inside your aids the electronics in them will not breakdown.

This isn't true. When I wore digital hearing aids, I constantly had problems with the internal amplifier shorting out.

 

[jasin]

This isn't true. When I wore digital hearing aids, I constantly had problems with the internal amplifier shorting out.

Things don't short out from normal everyday use. Most electronic components are hermetically sealed.

 

[jasin]

I agree with Hear Again, The reason why they are so expensive is because demand is low as compared to computers ... Hear Again and Naisho pretty much said it all already *nods*

Excessively increasing the price of a product does not entice people to buy that product. Especially in times of recession when jobs are being lost.