Dr. Chartrand answers a reader's question about a
"bargain" price for mail order hearing aids. Reader
inquiries may be sent through "Contact Us" or faxed
directly to 719-676-6882.
It's Your Hearing Health
By
Max S. Chartrand, M.A.,
DigiCare Hearing Research & Rehabilitation
RE: REAL COST OF MAIL-ORDER HEARING AIDS
Dear Dr. Chartrand: I saw an ad for a mail order
hearing aid that only cost $295. Why such a
difference in price from my local (dispenser)?---Mr.
A.T.
Dear Mr. A.T.: First of all, mail order hearing aids
are unregulated devices that attempt to circumvent
the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Hearing
Aid Rule, and are outlawed in many states in the
U.S.
Furthermore, there are a host of state and federal
regulations designed to protect the health and
safety of the public that are simply ignored to the
detriment of many unsuspecting and ill-informed
hearing impaired individuals.
In recent court cases, purveyors of such substandard
care and technology denied that their devices were
even “hearing aids”. So much for deception of those
who need it the most!
Essentially, you would be getting little or nothing.
As a result, what you DO pay is still too much.
When one succumbs to the siren song of cheap mail
order hearing aids, there are a host of essential
and wonderful things they miss out on:
1) Video otoscopy examination, an enlarged visual
examination of your ear to ascertain the presence of
serious ear conditions that may require medical
attention.
2) Complete and thorough hearing and speech
evaluation, including medical referral in cases that
meet the FDA Red Flag conditions.
3) Assessment of communicative needs, along with
counseling relative to empowerment under the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
4) Safe and appropriate ear impressions of your ear
by personnel properly trained and certified in
ergonomic prosthetics of the ear.
5) Appropriate and effective advanced hearing
technology, including digital programming, real ear
and soundfield verification, and aftercare services
that protect your investment for years to come.
6) Approximately 12-20 man-hours of hands-on
auditory rehabilitation training and hearing
instrument servicing during the first year alone,
and about 8-10 hours of behind-the-scenes work on
your behalf.
7) The comfort of knowing that you’ve received
instrumentation and care under the best standards of
practice, and have retained a professional who knows
you as a special individual and who will work hard
to meet your needs.
The list could go on, but the truth of the matter is
that legitimate, quality hearing care is, bar-none,
the best bargain for your healthcare dollars today.
In fact, in real dollars hearing health care offers
you ever-increasing benefits at a lower real dollar
cost that has steadily declined since 1948.
Our communicative health is much too precious to
leave to chance. Certainly, it is too vital to one’s
cognition, happiness, and well-being to entrust to
those who would circumvent best practice standards,
and the laws and regulations that were instituted to
protect your best interests.
Questions may be directed to
www.digicare.org or
faxed to Dr. Chartrand at (719) 676-6882. Due to
space limitations, questions may be edited. |
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