Is there a cost to replacing the lithium-ion battery that comes in a rechargeable hearing aid or is the battery replacement free?

For devices still covered under the manufacturer's repair warranty, this is something that should be covered by the manufacturer's warranty. Some providers may charge a fee for their time to accept the repair, package it, and send it to the manufacturer but this isn't the case with all providers. 

Outside of the manufacturer's repair warranty, there is more likely than not a charge for the repair from both the manufacturer as well as the provider. This will vary widely depending on the manufacturer as well as the provider. 

This isn't a repair that can be performed in a provider's office. Lithium ion batteries require special care and handling and the cases on Lithium ion devices are sealed. Therefore, they must be returned to the manufacturer to have this service performed. 

Replacement during the warranty period is free through the manufacturer and we do not charge an office fee.  My Hearing Centers includes our complete care package with each purchase that provides replacement rechargeable batteries for the life of the hearing aid at no cost to the patient.  As mentioned before, the hearing aids to go back to the manufacturer for battery replacement.

That’s a great question, thank you! For Starkey hearing aids, replacement of the lithium ion battery is free when covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, which is usually 3 years, and is typically included in the up front cost. The Lithium ion battery should last about 5 years. Out of warranty, it can be replaced for about $249. Alternatively, with Starkey Hearcare you could maintain your repair warranty for about $249 per year, which would cover Lithium ion battery replacement, when needed.

This is going to vary office to office, practitioner to practitioner.  In my office, as long as it is done under warranty, there is no charge.  If it has to be done outside of the warranty, it is a standard repair charge.  For the hearing aids I work with, this is not a repair that can be accomplished in the office, as the aids are fully sealed.  This is a repair that must be performed by the lab, and the lab charges for those services outside of warranty.

This is a great question, and one of the concerns I have with most of the designs of these hearing aids. As others have suggested, there should be no charge to replace it while the hearing aid is under warranty (hopefully you got a 3 year warranty with your purchase). But out of warranty, the manufacturer is likely to charge the full cost of an out-of-warranty repair to replace the battery at their service center. This will likely cost the user $250 to $350 out of pocket, PER hearing aid.

So a couple points of advice to patients:

1. Keep track of your warranty dates. One month prior to warranty expiration, if your batteries have not already been replaced recently, ask your provider to send in the hearing aids regardless of how well the battery seems to be performing. If the battery is almost 3 years old, it is very unlikely to keep giving you a full day's use for much longer. The hearing aid companies that I work with encourage this, and are happy to replace the battery for you under warranty.

2. Consider getting an Oticon rechargeable hearing aid. Oticon is the only manufacturer that still uses a battery door design with their Lithium Ion batteries. This means that Oticon products do NOT need to be sent in for battery replacement. Your provider can and should replace the battery in their office. This means no down-time for you. With the battery door, you may sacrifice some water resistance and long-term reliability, but this product has been out since March 2019 and has proven to be reliable under most conditions as of May 2020. Resound, Widex, Phonak, Signia and Starkey all seal the battery in the hearing aid so it cannot be changed by your provider.