September 22 Meeting Wrap-Up

Toni starting her great presentation about “Ins and Outs” about buying hearing aids

Long-time HLAA member Toni Barrient led us through “The Consumer’s Guide to Purchasing Hearing Aids.” The items she covered can also be applied to finding the best cochlear implant provider. Her talk was based on HLAA’s Consumer Checklist, which can be downloaded from https://www.hearingloss.org/wp-content/uploads/HLAA_Purchasing_HearingAid_Checklist.pdf?pdf=Checklist

Chapter meeting transcript is here.

Find a patient-centered hearing provider who will meet your needs. https://www.hearingtracker.com is like Yelp for checking out providers in your area. There are differences between audiologists (8 years of training) and hearing instrument dispenser (licensed to sell & fit hearing aids).

Also covered were

Also see the separate post on this website about locked hearing aids.

Know your rights before purchasing a hearing aid. California law requires a minimum 45-day trial period. Hearing aids can be returned for a refund before the trial period ends. Ask for in-office demonstrations in different sound environments. Get a purchase agreement in writing; read before signing. Make sure the agreement and device are compatible with expectations.