The hearing aid industry, like the eyeglass industry tries to drive the market to their 'dedicated professional dealers'. In defiance, I buy my eyeglasses on line from Hong Kong through Zenni Optical at a fraction of the price my eye doctor charges. I always use my latest eye-test results (so-called prescription) to order the glasses. My eye doctor is a "swell guy" but at $200 to $400 per pair and up, I find my quality, spring-temple Zennis with dozens of styles to be a much better buy. I'm a relative late-comer to eyeglass use and I don't look after them well. I can't see spending a lot of money on something I will likely break or otherwise ruin in rather short order. The Optometrists, Opticians and 'eye-wear professionals' would like to see the end of on line ordering and are pressuring the government. Probably just a matter of time. As we would expect, law-makers love making laws.
I totally understand the reasoning and realize that the professionals, through a so-called 'prescription', (in the guise protecting me) would like very much to maintain their Mafia like hold on the market. Too many laws! Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against a doctor or technician, like my auto mechanic, charging for services rendered. They invested a lot of time becoming proficient in their field. Indeed the measurements of these eye or ear techies are neccesary to get glasses or hearing aids that work properly. But to call it a 'prescription' and make it illegal for me to buy a device unless I buy it only from them is WRONG!
It has been a fairly long quest for me (a couple of years) and a learning curve, partly because the hearing aid industry zealously guards and protects its lucrative position. Cheap non-prescription ear amplifiers are readily available from China and some unscrupulous entrepreneurs take that opportunity to pedal substandard, sometimes unprogrammable products aimed at circumventing the hearing aid industry monopoly. I did in the past, try a low-price direct-from-China device and although there was an improvement, I was not entirely convinced I should fork out a few grand for 'real' hearing aids.
YouTube $400 vs $20 Watch this video to see a doctor and certified audiologist test the infomercial-hyped Miracle Ear at $400 USD compared to an AliExpress $20 pair. No Difference! Both Junk!
If a person inherits or purchases a used pair of expensive hearing aids how can one go about recycling them and make them work? I received as a gift from a close relative, a pair of used Phonak hearing aids that were fairly new when the beloved original owner passed away. In fact they were/are still under warranty. I believe, in the case of these 'new-to-me' hearing aids, since they were originally purchased in good faith and paid for with hard-earned cash and since they were gifted them to me, I felt obligated to recycle them and figure out how to make them work again. This is not to only to save money but to determine, by trial, if hearing aids might work for me. The ones I received were barely used to due to the original user's untimely demise but the settings on these aids were, as anyone would expect, completely wrong for me. (entirely too loud and not tuned to my 'prescription') rendering them totally unusable.
THE CHALLENGE
Here are the roadblocks that I ran up against. It's interesting and amusing to see how some of these obstacles seem placed by the manufacturers simply to sustain the high market price in the North American marketplace. Even an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor once suggested I look on line for hearing aids because he felt the industry was a racket! He told me "none of them were worth what they charged!" What luck when my sister sent me a pair to experiment with.
THE GAME
Molded to fit. This is kind of a scam since a loose fit is important to avoid what they call occlusion. (a feeling or a disagreeable audio sensation, that you get when you stick your fingers in both ears and speak.) The low notes kind of reverberate inside your head. In reality vents are actually drilled into moulded hearing aids to allow sound and air 'leakage' thus alleviating this occlusion phenomenon. So do they need to mould the shells to fit your ear? No, millions of quality stereo earbuds in daily use fit just fine with silicone rubber tips. This 'moulded thing' probably started as a sales gimmick touting comfort, then it was realized to be really an important key to stopping the re-use of the product and guaranteeing obsolescence. I honestly think the MAIN REASON for moulding the hearing aids is to make it more difficult to recycle and reuse them unless the new owner's ear canals are by some coincidence similar... which was luckily the case with my gifted pair! Physically they fit me just fine! Now to make them work acoustically...
LOCKED
Or electronically accessible/adjustable only through proprietary access devices. I purchased on eBay a hearing aid programmer made by Phonak, (the manufacturer of my aids) for about $260 that would allow electronic access to the aids. I found out however that once accessed, one can then only change the hearing devices through a proprietary and guarded software program, made available usually to select 'professional' individuals. (dealers) Fortunately there are always like-minded individuals on line that have copied and hacked the system and if you persevere, you will find the means.
WARRANTIES ARE VOIDED
Hearing aid warranties void if accessed/modified by non authorized persons. Some devices (Costco) even have a 'digital lock' or password protection which will prevent any "unauthorized personnel" from changing their settings. Bummer! Fortunately there is a movement to end this monopolistic practice through more laws called 'Right To Repair'.
IN SUMMARY
If someone doesn't feel they need the services of an audiologist to 'fit' their hearing devices and one wishes to circumvent the current system, the manufacturers make it very difficult to find any online do-it-yourself assistance. This all seems to be supported by government agencies who are lobbied by the manufacturers and other interest groups like audiologists that would try to drive you to their clinics to buy over-priced equipment. In addition, approximately half the total cost of a hearing aid is in the 'fitting' fees charged by the audiologist. This is after the fees that they receive for doing the hearing test and making the recommendations from their measurements (so-called prescription).
PRESCRIPTIONS
I totally agree that the audiologist should test my ears and map out the frequencies and levels that would allow me to increase amplification of those frequencies lost and at a level that would avoid any damage to my health. I agree with the spirit of the protections. That's their job and they should get paid. That being said, I am an adult and if I choose to endure an audio level that might harm me, so be it. The word prescription, meaning 'an instruction written by a medical practitioner that authorizes a patient to be provided a medicine or treatment' has been adulterated to imply in the pharmaceutical industry a sort of legal license, where it is against the law to even possess certain drugs without a 'prescription'. In this scenario drugs that could be over-used or abused are restricted and available only through a pharmacist. I'm sure the pharmacist would love it if everything in the drug store including the stale chocolate could not be obtained elsewhere but had to be bought on 'prescription'.
Glasses and hearing aids are not drugs. We do all kinds of crazy things with our hearing and procuring a device that may produce loud noises should not be regulated. Especially when it comes to hearing aids. What comes next? A permit to buy a guitar amplifier? How about a trumpet? A New Years Eve party whistle? As far as I know it is still legal for an individual to work on his own car or home appliance. Is working on your car or riding lawnmower or snowblower or appliance, with lethal voltages and loud noises any less 'dangerous' than adjusting and using one's hearing aid? Eyeglass and hearing aid companies seem to be trying to imitate the business model of our honest and forthright (not) pharmaceutical industry. Ha ha, lol!
OKAY, I'VE GOT IT...
As a life-long capitalist I certainly understand the reasons the companies try to manipulate and lobby governments and invent protections to help shield their market. I realize they have invested millions and without that protection, they may not have the same incentive to fund the kind of massive investment needed to invent a better product. I totally agree. But... Isn't that what free enterprise is all about? That's why China can make them cheap. They have little investment in the R&D. Companies reason that unless there is a pay off, why would a capitalistic Western corporation invest millions to make a better hearing aid? As an old, past manufacturer myself I can see how they feel they deserve to control the market to force consumers to pay the big bucks and recover their investment and more. But under the guise of 'prescription' protection? Come on! Give me a break! Next thing the gov will be regulating the volume control on my stereo. Cell phone makers have already engineered in limits on smartphone volumes available at the earphones. Of course there is an app for that. A booster app can be added that warns you of the danger but allows the volume increase.
A TRIAL
In my case I intend to try out these hearing aids and see if they work for me. If they do and I feel that they give me something that I didn't have before then I possibly may purchase new ones through the proper channel. At least I have the choice. I have an acquaintance that purchased devices worth thousands of dollars. The devices now permanently reside in his bedside cabinet. For whatever reason they did not work for him. Too bad he couldn't use the money wasted to go on a cruise or buy something he likes. Hopefully my trial will end more positively, but if not I haven't spent much to find out.
GOING NUTS
Recent research suggests that hearing aids can slow cognitive decline. Ultimately, the researchers concluded that "Hearing aids may have a mitigating effect on trajectories of cognitive decline in later life. Providing hearing aids or other rehabilitative services for hearing impairment much earlier in the course of hearing impairment may stem the worldwide rise of dementia." Of course I'm all for that! I have experience first hand the feeling of isolation when conversations around me seem muffled. I tended to turn inwards and ignore things going on around me. Even the news broadcasts were tedious and frustrating to watch. I was losing touch with my surroundings. This is not a good thing and I can see how it might affect the mind. "Use it or lose it?"
FYI
If you are interested, watch this video about Hearing Loss and Dementia:
THE GEEZER LOOK
My last and final thing holding me back was the feeling that by placing these things in my ears, I was drawing attention to the fact that I was really, really 'giving in' to my old age. After only a short time wearing these aids I can see that they are not all that noticeable and people really don't care. If they allow me to get back into conversations and make it so I can again appreciate the sounds of nature and the world around me, they are more than worth it on every level. If they can in any way alleviate the almost inevitable progression to dementia that many seniors face, then the outrageous price and vanity issues really mean nothing!
WILL I CONTINUE WITH HEARING AIDS? Stay tuned. My happiness level has definitely increased since I started wearing my 'new-to-me' hearing aids in the last few days. I intend to try these aids for the summer and render my final verdict then.
No comments:
Post a Comment