OMG guys!

deafgal001 said:
Does medicare cover hearing aids? I know they will cover CI processor. Even cover replacements and repairs.
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contact Medicare and see if they cover hearing aids. Wyoming Medicaid/Equalitycare will cover new hearing aids if the old ones are at least 5 years old and no longer under warranty. No clue about Medicare but I'm sure that info can be found somehow.

I also found this online:
Does Medicare Cover Hearing Exams and Hearing Aids?
In general, Medicare does not cover routine hearing exams or hearing aids of any type. In some cases, diagnostic hearing exams are covered by Medicare Part B, but this is only when they are ordered by a doctor. If your hearing problem is due to a specific injury or disease—such as removal of brain tumour or head injury—Medicare may cover the charges. Your doctor or hearing specialist will be able to explain which hearing exams are covered by Medicare and the conditions for a diagnostic hearing exam.

You pay 100% of charges for routine hearing exams and hearing aids. If you are approved by your physician for a Medicare covered diagnostic hearing exam, you pay 20% of the charges. You must pay a $135 deductible for any Medicare Part B services and supplies before Medicare begins to pay its share. If a doctor, health care provider or supplier does not accept assignment, the amount you pay may be higher.
Source: http://www.medicare.com/equipment-and-supplies/hearing-aids.html
 
deafgal001 said:
Recruitment from Hearing Loss
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Yep the doctor did say something about my discrimination issues, and that whole link explained it better for me. I know even with a hearing aid, that's still going to happen. I'm still going to get words mixed up here and there and not hear everything perfectly.

Though, I'm happy to report after going back to the office today the hearing aid got adjusted. What's cool is he programed it to have the volume controlled by my cell phone! Yea my co-worker got a kick out of that one lol. Sorry if thats not new news but I'm a newbie with the digital hearing aid world lol. Today at work was much more comfortable than yesterday now that I can adjust the setting better.
 
ladysolitary85 said:
Though, I'm happy to report after going back to the office today the hearing aid got adjusted. What's cool is he programed it to have the volume controlled by my cell phone! Yea my co-worker got a kick out of that one lol. Sorry if thats not new news but I'm a newbie with the digital hearing aid world lol. Today at work was much more comfortable than yesterday now that I can adjust the setting better.
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It's news to me, how do they do that? Mine don't do that :-(
 
SimonJ said:
It's news to me, how do they do that? Mine don't do that :-(
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Go to your audiologist. They have a software on the computer that has to activate that feature. You have your phone on speaker and press ** then 2 for up 8 for down.
 
ladysolitary85 said:
Go to your audiologist. They have a software on the computer that has to activate that feature. You have your phone on speaker and press ** then 2 for up 8 for down.
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I am going next week, maybe I can get this done instead of trying those expensive HA's :lol:
 
Ok so overall review on that $2,500 RIC I loved it. Rarely any feedback, I loved having the volume control with my cell phone. I was noticing everything still sounded like a speaker but it was clear.

This week I am trying the $1,500 RIC and omg.... I gotta be honest I do NOT like it at all. Sounds are not as clear as the other one. Very sensitive to feedbacks with no cell phone volume control (which sucks because I can't always just show up at the audiologist's office for an adjustment), and to me it sounds as if when I'm talking and other people are talking... it sounds like their talking into a fan. Soooo freakin annoying! It's going to drive me crazy!

I think I've made up my mind and I'm going for the $2,500 one. Its just better quality to me. I was thinking my fiance (who is hearing) might of flipped about my decision but he completely agrees with it because he's even hearing the feedback from the $1,500 one. We can afford it, but its going to be a little hard for a bit. He went as far as asking his work if they do fundraising and that stuff and I guess they want to help as well. I'm slightly embarrassed yet touched about it at the same time, hard to explain. lol

My audiogram is coming soon to a post near you :D
 
ladysolitary85 said:
Ok so overall review on that $2,500 RIC I loved it. Rarely any feedback, I loved having the volume control with my cell phone. I was noticing everything still sounded like a speaker but it was clear.

This week I am trying the $1,500 RIC and omg.... I gotta be honest I do NOT like it at all. Sounds are not as clear as the other one. Very sensitive to feedbacks with no cell phone volume control (which sucks because I can't always just show up at the audiologist's office for an adjustment), and to me it sounds as if when I'm talking and other people are talking... it sounds like their talking into a fan. Soooo freakin annoying! It's going to drive me crazy!

I think I've made up my mind and I'm going for the $2,500 one. Its just better quality to me. I was thinking my fiance (who is hearing) might of flipped about my decision but he completely agrees with it because he's even hearing the feedback from the $1,500 one. We can afford it, but its going to be a little hard for a bit. He went as far as asking his work if they do fundraising and that stuff and I guess they want to help as well. I'm slightly embarrassed yet touched about it at the same time, hard to explain. lol

My audiogram is coming soon to a post near you :D
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I think it is probably a wise decision. :)
 
I just figure if I'm going to pay an arm and a leg out of pocket for awhile it needs to be something I can be 100% happy with.
 
I would think some get CI as they can't afford hearing aids because their insurance wont cover them.
 
Miracle Ear was sues once for making a false statement about their HA on a TV ad. Miracle Ear said their HA could help everyone with their hearing lost and this not true! I would never go a Miracle Ear dealer! They're only out to made money and do not care if their HA does no work for your . I seen people that brought a Miracle Ear HA for their parents or grandparents and they were really unhappy with the HA!
 
green427 said:
Congrats on your new ears!!

The price you paid is pretty much what HA's cost these days. The only 'cheaper' aids I've seen are sold in the Costco hearing aid kiosks. Prices are pretty damned good, however, the audiologists that work there were pretty much plucked from the streets and given a basic 5-minute training program. :roll:

What is really f*cked up is that insurance companies will not cover the cost of a $2500 aid, but will pick up the cost of a $60K CI.

Give it a few weeks, go back and adjust as necessary, and you should be happy with them later.
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Actually more like new ear lol. I'm completely deaf on my right side, 60% hearing loss in my left side.

I would love to try a CI for my right side. I've been told that the nerves are still alive so it can still be possible for me to hear from my right side. Honestly I think I would break down into tears if I heard from my right side only because I can't remember hearing from that side. But, finding insurance that covers is a pain.

Yea I think the only reason why the CI is covered is because its a medical, surgical procedure. Lame, I know.
 
whatdidyousay! said:
Miracle Ear was sues once for making a false statement about their HA on a TV ad. Miracle Ear said their HA could help everyone with their hearing lost and this not true! I would never go a Miracle Ear dealer! They're only out to made money and do not care if their HA does no work for your . I seen people that brought a Miracle Ear HA for their parents or grandparents and they were really unhappy with the HA!
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I am soooo glad I didn't go with them. What turned me off was they wanted me to either pay in full or get a co-signer (since I have no credit history). No in house financing plans.... no 30 free trial.

I love Starkey :)
 
myaudiogram-1.jpg


Ok so I know this is blurry but this is the best I can do to show you guys.
 
This is so uncool. I hate being an American sometimes. My insurance company doesn't want to pay for my hearing aid since my hearing is legally usable. I just hear sounds that would drive any hearing person nuts and need aids to filter out noises. They figure I can deal with it or pay cash, I get that. But people who are hard of hearing should all get access to whatever they need to hear as well as others. I am ashamed that we don't take better care of each other. I say we vote for Dave Chapelle. His healthcare plan: create fake Canadian I.D.'s for all U.S. Citizens so we can run up there and get it taken care of. :) Seriously, U.S. Healthcare needs to be rehabilitated
 
Hear2much said:
This is so uncool. I hate being an American sometimes. My insurance company doesn't want to pay for my hearing aid since my hearing is legally usable. I just hear sounds that would drive any hearing person nuts and need aids to filter out noises. They figure I can deal with it or pay cash, I get that. But people who are hard of hearing should all get access to whatever they need to hear as well as others. I am ashamed that we don't take better care of each other. I say we vote for Dave Chapelle. His healthcare plan: create fake Canadian I.D.'s for all U.S. Citizens so we can run up there and get it taken care of. :) Seriously, U.S. Healthcare needs to be rehabilitated
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I'm paying for my hearing aid completely put of pocket. I have a few suggestions though.

Try to apply for Care Credit if you can, it acts as a credit card but you can pay for it with reasonable payments. If I had the credit to do it this would of been my first option.

If you can't do that, try going to a place that has in-house financing, which is what I'm doing... yea its going to cost me $400ish a month for 6 months to pay it off, but at least I have that option.

If you can't afford that, I would recommend applying for the starkey donation program:

Starkey Hearing Foundation — Hear Now
 
Oh sweetie are you saying that for my sake? That is really sweet, don't worry about me. Once my book is on shelves and my singles are on the radio I'm gonna be clockin' mad ducatts. (making a lot of money for all you slang impaired) I am really flattered if you are saying that for my sake. Really :) I feel bad that America does this to other people. People who unlike me are not destined to ROCK THE PLANET! Someday I will make Millions of dollars and I will start a foundation to help hard of hearing persons get any apperatus they need. Hold me to it. Stay in touch with me and next year when I have a no. 1 albumb, hound me and say "What's up?, where's my cash Hear2Much!?!"

Haha... BTW I am not being dilerious, just hopefull. :) I will be on iTunes soon tho! Yay! and I really am releasing a published book soon. It has been endorsed by no. 1 best selling authors and supposedly is gonna be a best-seller itself. We'll see...

Thank you so much if you meant that for my sake ladysolidarity. Thank you :)
 
Ladysolitary85

I know that HAs are really really expensive, but you're making the right choice by getting the more expensive one with more adjustments, listening settings etc (I find that having a volume control and a program for quiet & one for noise are "must haves", FYI)

There's nothing more frustrating than settling for the less expensive HA - because of cost only to spend the next 2-10years WISHING you'd go the better HA!!

When I got my first HA - I got the entry level on (a Phonak MAXX digital BTE) ... which works great (so much better than nothing) ... however I found out after a few months that I really really would have been better with one that has more features - such as 2 or more hearing programs (for quiet and for noise), independently adjustable T-coil volume (the MAXX's mic & T-coil volumes are locked together) etc ... and I really wish I'd been able to get bluetooth (for cell phones and various audio devices!!)

While I like my HA - I really really wish that I'd spent more and got more features. At the time I got my first HA, my Audie thought that due to my specific hearing loss & APD that I wouldn't really like my HA very much, and wouldn't use it all the time - so encouraged me to save the money and get a more basic digital HA... which was a nice sentiment on their part - surprisingly the HA helped a lot and I typically wore it (while working) for 12-18hours a day ... about 15hours more daily than my Audie thought I would!

Next time, I'll be getting the RIGHT HA for me ... even if it costs more ...because it's always worth getting the best HA for your needs and over the life-time of the HA the extra money ends up costing pennies a day

 
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