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Where can I find affordable hearing aids? I am on a budget of only $1500 for 2, and would like to see a professional.

Kristin Davis, AuD

Doctor of Audiology

26 March 2019 - 3.93K Views

Most private practice audiologists have devices in that price range. It is a common misconception that the public must go to Big Box or retail chains for price options. Audiologists want to be able to help as many people as possible. Most practices pride themselves on having many options to meet all patients hearing and financial needs.

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Paul Dietsch

Professional Member

26 March 2019 - 3.89K Views

You may qualify for help. You may qualify for one of these programs

Another possibility is to get hearing aids that have been traded in to a reputable professional. There are people who can afford and want to upgrade every time there is something new. Their old hearing aids may be only a few years old and the technology may  still be excellent. The best professionals always find a way to help everyone. Don't shop hearing aids, shop professionals.

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Madison Levine

Hearing Healthcare Provider

26 March 2019 - 3.91K Views

There were so many thorough responses above but I will add a couple of points. If you can find a nonprofit organization with a practitioner you trust, then you can easily meet your price point. Some states provide hearing aids for free or low cost but a financial criteria must be met. 

I will say what most practitioners above have not said though, which is that in a regular clinical setting, $1500 is an extremely low price point for a pair of hearing aids and follow up care. Most providers will carry a product at this price but this is the most basic device that will do very little to assist you in noisy situations.

THE primary difference in hearing aid quality (and therefore price) is how much the hearing aids will automatically assist you in understanding speech in various types of noise. If you live a very quiet life, do not frequent restaurants or do many social get-togethers, a very basic device may suffice. 

If you are more socially active then I would suggest reevaluating your budget, getting recommendations from more than one clinic (Either a private hearing aid clinic or an ENT clinic since you will get better clinical recommendations and more qualified practitioners. A Hearing Instrument Specialist or an Audiologist can equally help you here as long as they are well reviewed and respected), and consider financing if you need to. 

My real advice is to get recommendations first and evaluate your budget afterwards. Don’t spend $1500 on something that does not meet your needs. I would rather see you get one that is better quality and save for the second than to get a pair of low budget hearing aids. 

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Shawna Jackson

Doctor of Audiology

26 March 2019 - 3.91K Views

There are 3 components to a successful hearing aid fitting: 1) The patient 2) the provider 3) the device. All three of these components must work for a successful fitting. Make sure you choose a provider that you are confident in providing you the best quality fitting based on best practices otherwise even $1500 is a wasted investment.

That being said, when trying to find a provider you can afford, I would recommend asking offices if they offer unbundled pricing. Unbundled pricing means that the hearing aid and the services are not charged as one. This will help you control costs related to purchasing a device. Also, find a provider that works with a variety of manufacturers and make sure the hearing aid is not privately labeled (otherwise can any licensed provider program this device) so if you are dissatisfied with the provider or the programming, you can bring it to another provider for assistance. If you purchase a private labeled device then you will not be able to do this.

Although I agree with some of the things that others have said, I would steer away from discount programs or third party organizations if possible as it limits your choices in providers and you will likely pay a greater price over time.

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Michael Rametta

Clinical Audiologist

26 March 2019 - 3.93K Views

When budget come into a discussion I always ask is it the upfront amount or the total amount that is the issue.  Many consumers are just not able to spend $4000-$6000 up front, but may have the ability to budget a monthly amount and actually afford higher technology hearing aids.  Ask your professional about financing, or even leasing, hearing aids of higher technology and/or quality.  You may find you are able to afford that level just by asking for payment options.
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Joe Perez

Hearing Healthcare Provider

26 March 2019 - 3.87K Views

Cost of hearing systems have reduced dramatically. $1500 will get you an introductory system that can provide a grand benefit in comparison to not wearing devices.  Your hearing ability dictates the style/ type/ tech level suitable for your case. I welcome questions and would be happy to help..
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Alison Metcalf

Hearing Healthcare Provider

26 March 2019 - 3.87K Views

You are very wise to see a hearing care professional!  They will advise you about your options so that whatever you choose is appropriate for your hearing loss and your needs.  They will also verify and validate your fitting so that you are confident with your investment.  This price point for hearing aids will be very basic with regards to features, but you will still get your hearing loss "prescription" met with appropriate amplification.  I would ask about an un-bundled price option that allows you to purchase the devices and have one or two in-person appointments so that you can get the proper education and support needed with your hearing aids.  Then, if you need further services, the audiologist will charge you an office visit on as-needed basis.  This will help to keep your costs down.  If you are a working adult, you may also qualify for services through your State Dept. of Vocational Rehabilitation.  They help people with disabilities find and maintain work in many forms, and providing for or helping with the cost of hearing aids is just one way they do this.
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Bhama Pathak, MA

Audiologist

26 March 2019 - 3.88K Views

I have been providing a pair of New hearing aids from reputable manufacturers (Oticon, Widex/Sivantos, Resound,)to patients on a budget of $1,500 for a long time without them having to go on the Internet, Big box store or Third-party vendors, although I honor referrals from all of them and all Insurance plans.

Hearing aid Fitting, Two years warranty and One-year Audiological Service is included.



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Charles Darby PhD, MA, BC-HIS, BC-HIS

Hearing Healthcare Provider

26 March 2019 - 3.9K Views

There are several ways to meet your budget.  However, you must understand that limited budget may force you into less desirable results.  I am not saying you can't find aids that will work for you but simple amplification may not be all that you need.  As technology increases, so does the price.  Should your particular loss require a higher level of technology to help with speech and understanding, as an example, the lower priced aids may not yield the results you expect.  So understand the expectation and work with your provider to find the right answer.

Be upfront with your provider.  If $1500 is absolutely the max that you can spend, there may be ways to get the required equipment at lower costs.  There are 3rd party online sellers that contract testing and fitting to local providers.  All brands may not be available but most of them have a nice selection at a reduced price. DO NOT buy online without a contracted provider involved!  To do so will not get you what is needed for your particular loss.  Also, you may have insurance benefits that would cover partial payment. Have your provider check your benefits.   Low monthly payments are also available.  Financing is a good way to get the needed equipment and pay over time.  If you meet certain financial or job status criteria, there may be state or local programs that will help with payment of hearing aids.  Sometimes, providers have opportunities to buy last year's stock or even refurbished units that can be highly discounted and still maintain factory warranties.   

Don't give up on getting what you need!  There may be hoops to jump through but a caring provider will work with you and find a way to get you the right equipment.

Good Luck.

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Sheri Gostomelsky, AuD

Doctor of Audiology

26 March 2019 - 3.83K Views

If you have difficulty locating a professional in your area, check with the American Academy of Audiology (www.audiology.org) or the Academy of Doctor's of Audiology (www.audiologist.org) websites to find an Audiologist  that can help you.  Best  of luck. 


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Chris Wahl, AuD

Audiologist

26 March 2019 - 3.83K Views

You get what you pay for. We’ve all heard that. It’s true!  You should trust the professional you’re working with to help you achieve your goals. The aim is to improve your hearing. You have to hear well everywhere you go. Sometimes it’s very noisy. The hearing aids that cost more help you more when it’s noisy! The hearing aids that cost less help you when it’s quiet but   when it is noisy they do not help you so much :-(  

 When you find a doctor of audiology or hearing care specialist who you trust begin to discuss the price.

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Aviva Tilson

Hearing Healthcare Provider

26 March 2019 - 3.86K Views

Before answering your question, I would like to congratulate you on making a decision to move forward with the purchase of hearing aids, and for wanting to make sure you are fit by a professional.

Knowing your budget is a great place to start with making this decision. There are a few different options for a budget of $1500. The first option is devices which are called PSAP's. (Personal Sound Amplifier's). PSAP's are of very basic technology and can be programmed by a professional to fit your hearing loss prescription. The second option is for your audiologist to find a set of hearing aids that are from an older platform that can fit your budget. Please reach out if you have any further questions.

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Efthymios Antonopoulos

Professional Member

26 March 2019 - 3.93K Views

The cost differs depending of where you live. Generaly in countries with better economy the cost is extremely high. Also you should check if in your country you have free health care access, if so you should see an audiologist first to explain what kind of hearing loss you have , if you need a hearing aid and what kind. Unfortunately , you have a small budget and you can buy only basic level hearing aids. I would recomend to increase your budget by making a deal if posible ,with your hearing aid provider to pay installments so you can buy the right product for your hearing loss. 

Best of luck!

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Mark Butler, AAS

Hearing Healthcare Provider

26 March 2019 - 3.94K Views

Many hearing centers offer free diagnostic evaluation and consultation.  Finding a good name-brand pair of hearing aids for $1500 may be more difficult depending on what provider you see.  Some offices do offer entry-level brand hearing aids in that price range.  Another option is to go through a third-party provider such as TruHearing.  They sell direct to the consumer and contract with local providers to do the hearing test, fitting, and follow-up visits.  You typically get a much better price on the hearing aids but will have to pay per office visit after the first few follow-up visits.  Their current pricing starts as low as $695 per hearing aid for some of the brand name entry level products.  Keep in mind that technology drives price.  The more you spend the higher level technology you get and the better the performance of the hearing aid.  
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Lily Hughes

Professional Member

26 March 2019 - 3.94K Views

First, NO MATTER where you get the hearing aids, get an evaluation from an Audiologist. Only an Audiologist is licensed to comprehensively evaluate hearing and provide a diagnosis. From this medical diagnosis, you will find out if you are a candidate for hearing aids or maybe have other options (i.e. some hearing loss is temporary or treatable with surgery or implants, etc). Plus, hearing evaluations are often covered by insurance, so don't get caught up in the "free" thing.

When choosing where to find cost-effective hearing aids the take-home message is that "NO hearing aid, however expensive, is useful unless it is fit using best practices with a professional who has been well trained." Think of it this way: you wouldn't just go to a box store for a prosthetic leg or order one online...you'd want it to be professionally fit and get continued care as long as you owned the device so that you could use it successfully. The same goes for hearing aids. Your first option is to look into an Audiologist at an ENT clinic and/or Hospital, especially non-profit. They often have low-cost hearing aid options and work with multiple brands and styles. You also could check out Costco, but be very careful to "interview" the professional while here. What is their training, experience, education? Sometimes they hire Audiologists as well. While their hearing aids are cheap (which is the Costco way), keep in mind you are getting what you pay for, which is slightly older, de-featured, locked technology. For example, some new features are not allowed in these hearing aids. They also do not have tinnitus support programs. Additionally, the software is locked, meaning you HAVE to go to a Costco if you need adjustments, etc.

Hope this helps!

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