topic Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....? in Wellness

HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

Tinkrbl44 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:36:05 GMT

I have an elderly neighbor that has "given up" .... and I would like to help her, if possible.

This is a medical quality of life issue.

She used to wear two aids but lost one of them about a year ago and never replaced it. (Insurance is supposedly very pricey for replacing them.)

I just learned that now she lost the other one and when it turned up it was on the floor, broken. Probably stepped on.

She is not going to replace it either because "they cost $1700 and I can't afford that". Money is very tight for her, and I know nothing about this medical device and how things work.

Doesn't anyone finance hearing aids? Are there any grants or financial assistance for something this expensive? While most of us would think they are "medically necessary", she says most insurance plans don't cover them.

Any thoughts .... suggestions .... referrals? TIA!

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

151949 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:41:34 GMT

I think now a days they are way more than $1700 each. I would call her prescribing doctor's office and ask them your questions as they probably would know about any assistance available. Does she happen to have United Health Care as her supplemental insurance? They own a hearing aide company and give their customers very good deals on hearing aides.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

Kachina624 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:52:19 GMT

@Tinkrbl44. Very good of you to try and help. I'm surprised she could replace a hearing aid for $1700 as they're very expensive. She's right, insurance doesn't cover them nor does Medicare. Not being able to hear is very isolating as a person cannot participate in conversations. My poor dad had trouble hearing even with the hearing aids, especially in a setting with background noise.

Surely financing is available. Try to find an audiologist that is not affiliated with a specific brand.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

panda1234 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 18:15:04 GMT

I just purchased a pair for $4,200. There is a company that does intrest free financing called, CareCredit. Vets take this, if you have plastic surgery that insurance will not cover you can use this....different uses.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

NickNack — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 18:40:53 GMT

@panda1234 wrote:
I just purchased a pair for $4,200. There is a company that does intrest free financing called, CareCredit. Vets take this, if you have plastic surgery that insurance will not cover you can use this....different uses.

This is a great suggestion @panda1234! I just went to their website, and they do finance hearing aids. You can put in your zip code and state, and it will tell you the places in your area that accept it. The ENT practice that I use accepts it. I don't need hearing aids yet, though. I hope this will help your neighbor @Tinkrbl44.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

Mz iMac — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 18:53:11 GMT

@Tinkrbl44

Check out Audicus dot com.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

Scooby Doo — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 19:05:36 GMT

I would check around with different audiologists. My GD is hearing impaired. When she was younger her parents had financial restraints. One of the members of their church happened to be an audiologist. He had a pair of hearing aids that he donated to her. They weren't the newest technology, but they were still good. Patients of his will upgrade or get new devices and give him the older ones. He refurbishes them and donates to patients who cannot afford hearing aids. His services are not free, but the hearing aids are. See if you can find someone like him.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

Mz iMac — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 19:11:31 GMT

There's always Canada!

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

Imaoldhippie — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 19:20:34 GMT

I would think that audiologists offices would offer financing of some sort. I need them too but the cost scares me to death.

I think there should be a place where families could send or take their deceased loved ones hearing aids and donate them. They could be used for others in need. The soft plastic ear peaces could be made to fit for a reasonable price.

I also think used pacemakers should be donated to Vets to use in cats and dogs.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

RedTop — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 19:25:19 GMT

My mother’s hearing aids cost $2200 for the pair. While the office did not offer a financing plan, they accepted all credit cards.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

chrystaltree — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 19:43:01 GMT

They are expensive. Call the audiologist's office and explain the situation. Explain that she's on a fixed income and insurance doesn't cover hearing aids. Ask them if they can give her a discount and/or a payment plan. This is not an unusual situation, they'll do what they can for her.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

CelticCrafter — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 20:31:36 GMT

I was going to suggest CareCredit too. Most always they offer 0% financing for a certain amount of time, 1 or 2 years.

The only thing with them though is that when they bill you, it's not for say 1/12th or 1/24th of the amount you financed with them. I have no clue how they come up with the monthly payments so you have to be dilligent and figure out on your own what the payment should be so you are paid up when the time period is up.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

panda1234 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 22:27:34 GMT

@Imaoldhippie just a side note. I work part time and hearing loss is considered a disability. It was suggested to me to go to the Department of Vocational Rehab, every state has one, to see if I could get some help with this. They ended up giving me $1,400 towards the hearing aids.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

SeaMaiden — Fri, 22 Dec 2017 01:21:24 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 What happens to all the hearing aids of older people who say pass away? There should be a place where family could send used hearing aids that still work from family members who went to the great pie in the sky.... and then people who need hearing aids , but can not afford them could get some.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

tansy — Fri, 22 Dec 2017 04:58:55 GMT

Check Costco, @Tinkrbl44. It’s hard (maybe impossible) to beat their prices but there is no installment plan that I know of, other than putting them on a credit card. They are very liberal about replacing a lost or damaged aid, too.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

Imaoldhippie — Fri, 22 Dec 2017 15:17:41 GMT

@panda1234...........thanks for the info, I will look into that.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

panda1234 — Sat, 23 Dec 2017 01:38:12 GMT

@tansy You are correct about COSTCO. I purchased my first hearing from them and it was an unbeatable price.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 23 Dec 2017 14:42:34 GMT

@panda1234 wrote:
@tansy You are correct about COSTCO. I purchased my first hearing from them and it was an unbeatable price.

@panda1234 @tansy

Do you need to be a member? I know you can get prescriptions there without being a member.

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

summerwind — Sat, 23 Dec 2017 15:55:41 GMT

Oddly, you can rent-to-own hearing aids. I did a quick search with "rent hearing aids" and my town, and came up with a few, don't know how good they are. Also, check for "Financial Assistance and Donated Hearing Aids".

Re: HEARING AID FINANCING OR.....?

panda1234 — Sat, 23 Dec 2017 23:51:37 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 yes you do need to be a member. Don't get me started on the savings on contact lenses and eye glasses....worth the membership just for that.