UK resident who has given up on the NHS and am pleased with Costco KS-10 which make a big difference for me. Nevertheless I'm waiting for the big breakthrough with speech in noise and am fed up with manufacturers' absurd claims. The price which Costco were able these out at makes the normally priced ones seem a bit of a rip off. It's sad that the manufacturer fell out with them. 

If one is prepared to self program one shouldn't have to pay the protectionist (audiologist) price. The NHS pay the distributors in the region of £50 each for mid range hearing aids. Nobody with hearing loss should be prevented from getting the available technology on the basis of price.