Finally got my hearing aids. I figured out how the freebie system works. It's not so much a money limit but number of features and your degree of deafness.
There is a govt site that lists all aids available as freebies. However it depends on your level of deafness which one(s) you can choose. The scale goes Mild, Moderate, Moderately Severe, Severe & Profound loss. I was diagnosed at Moderately Severe in one range. I think you have to be at least moderately severe before you qualify for freebies. It's what you audiologist records and then orders aids to suit.
The hearing centre I went to only handles Siemens / Sivantos / Signia. There were 9 but one was for profound loss that I didn't qualify for. I got the basic over the ear set which I only know I am wearing when some sound that I'ver not heard for a long time come through. I can almost hear myself think.
The freebies have a rating of 1PX meaning that are basic. There are PX3/5/7 which cost extra as do those with bluetooth.
I can hear stuff that I didn't realise that I was missing - like the dog on the hard floor, the dishwasher (and I thought the new one we bought was quiet, turns out it was my hearing). Still got selective / domestic deafness.
Congratulations on getting your hearing aids. As you already know they make a difference. I got hearing aids back in 2015 through the government system (I'm not pensioner age but as a wife/dependent of a pensioner I qualified under the government system) and last year I changed to a new hearing aid and a cochlear implant (they work together as a pair), which I needed private health cover for, as I no longer could follow conversations. If you haven't already may I suggest you pay the yearly maintenance fee (I think it is around $40 but I haven't checked for some time) so you can get replacement batteries and any fix it jobs done for free. Hearing aids do break. I still qualify for the government subsidy on the hearing aid and still get batteries for it and the proper earpiece is away at the moment as I needed a new shell and receiver and it's not 12 months old yet. Waffled on a bit ,sorry. Away, again congratulations. Cheers.
The $40 package deal is supposed to be in the mail. Reckon I may take it. Cheapest place to buy the batteries (size 13 for me) is at Bunnings. $7 for 8 pair. For 7-10 days per pair that's $32-$46 per year. I was getting my mum's from Bunnnings. She was only wearing her's infrequently and hence only using a few packs per year.
I have had hearing aids for longer than I care to remember, all have been under the Government plan. The $40 you can pay per year, in my opinion is a must, it entitles you to batteries for the full year, PLUS if one happens to be damaged in anyway it will be replaced free of any charge, and believe me, it's not that hard to damage them "I might just have a quick dip in the pool......Oh shyte, forgot to take the hearing aids out". They become that much apart of you, you literally don't know they are there, which can lead to disaster.
The first sound I remember hearing was the crumbling of the carpet under the audiologist's feet!
You will enjoy yours for years to come, the relief of not having to struggle to hear conversations is brilliant. They aren't great in the the wind, I have found that either taking them out or wearing a beanie the only fix, a small price to pay.
I know that I need aids, but just can't bring myself to take the plunge.
I have a folder on my desk that contains all the info that I gathered a year or so ago when I decided that Costco was the way to go for me. I started a thread on this forum & got some excellent responses too. That folder & the old thread might be the starting point for the next time that issue gets to the top of the list.
I know that I need aids, but just can't bring myself to take the plunge.
I have a folder on my desk that contains all the info that I gathered a year or so ago when I decided that Costco was the way to go for me. I started a thread on this forum & got some excellent responses too. That folder & the old thread might be the starting point for the next time that issue gets to the top of the list.
Cupie I have been thinking about getting hearing aids from Costco but the nearest store is not easy for us to get to. I have been wondering if after buying from them the hearing aids that they sell can be serviced at other stores or if you are locked in to going back and forth to Costco. Dave
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In life it is important to know when to stop arguing with people
and simply let them be wrong.
If you qualify for a government handout set just go to someone local. Basically a pensioner who fails the test gets the freebies. Started having a test just after I turned 60, then 65, now 67. Paid nothing to date. Not sure why it was free at 60 due to low income health card or seniors card. My original intent was to come home with a chart saying I was not deaf to prove it to my wife that my deafness was due to her mumbling and something called domestic deafness. Got away with it for 7 years.
I know that I need aids, but just can't bring myself to take the plunge.
I have a folder on my desk that contains all the info that I gathered a year or so ago when I decided that Costco was the way to go for me. I started a thread on this forum & got some excellent responses too. That folder & the old thread might be the starting point for the next time that issue gets to the top of the list.
Cupie I have been thinking about getting hearing aids from Costco but the nearest store is not easy for us to get to. I have been wondering if after buying from them the hearing aids that they sell can be serviced at other stores or if you are locked in to going back and forth to Costco. Dave
Dave ...
Good question I hadn't thought of that.
I found them great & very helpful to talk to. Perhaps a call to them would provide the answer.
