Improving your quality of life through better hearing.

Indications for the need of a hearing test vary among people. Some common concerns include the perception that people are mumbling, disagreement about how loud the television should be among members of your family, an inability to hear in noisy places and a ringing or buzzing sound in your ear. This does not represent an exhaustive list but does reflect the most common complaints heard in an audiology clinic.

The answer to this question is an ever-changing landscape as coverage changes among secondary/primary insurance policies. Typically, hearing exams are covered by Medicare and other forms of insurance when it is deemed ‘medically necessary’. Medical necessity is determined by your primary care physician. Some symptoms that would indicate medical necessity may include, ringing or buzzing in your ears, a perceived asymmetry in your hearing, ear pain or sensation of fullness in your ear, discharge or odor coming from your ear, a sudden change in perception of hearing ability in one or both of your ears, and monitoring certain ototoxic medications.

Of particular note is that if you are simply curious about your hearing acuity, but have no medical concerns about your hearing, there are several online screening tests that will give you a rough answer about your hearing sensitivity. Furthermore, if you are an existing hearing aid user and know that your appointment is scheduled for the purposes of buying new hearing instruments, and you do not fit the above criteria for medical necessity, this will likely not be covered by your insurance and will be an out-of-pocket expense.

Currently, Medicare does not cover the purchase of hearing aids. However, there are several secondary policies that do have some coverage toward the purchase of hearing instruments. You will need to inquire about hearing aid coverage with your particular insurance provider. We will attempt to verify this coverage during your appointment. Please note that many audiological services are not covered by insurance and will be an out-of-pocket expense.

No. Hearing aids do not restore normal hearing. A better analogy for hearing instruments is that of a prosthetic device. It may be useful to view your hearing aids as prosthetic ears. A properly programmed hearing aid will bring soft medium and loud auditory input up to comfortable and audible levels for your particular hearing loss.

The visit will begin with a case history. This history will include aspects of your overall health including medications and history specific to your ears and hearing. Particular attention will be paid to your primary concerns surrounding hearing and communication. Further included in this initial assessment will be a discussion about dexterity and vision as both of these things come into play when trying to manipulate hearing instruments.

Next, we will perform an otoscopic exam to be sure that your eardrums are intact and your external auditory canals are clear.

Following the otoscopic exam, the hearing exam includes assessment of how loud you need a sound to be before you detect its’ presence at various pitches; how well you understand the spoken word when it is loud enough for you to hear. And how well you hear speech in the presence of noise. If indicated, we may also perform a test to check the mobility and health of your eardrum and how well it moves or vibrates.

Based on the results of your hearing tests, the following questions can then be answered:

1. What type of hearing loss do I have?
2. Can my hearing loss be treated with hearing aids or cochlear implants?
3. What are some strategies to help with Communication in noise?
4. What are the best hearing aids for me?
5. Can my hearing loss be improved or treated medically with a referral to an otolaryngologist?
6. How can I help a loved one with coping with their hearing loss?

Prescriptive Hearing aids will cost anywhere between $3200.00 and $4800.00 a pair. The difference in price depends on the technology level. Hearing aids come in different levels of technology. The main differences are in their ability to process sound and reduce background noise.

Entry level hearing aids usually have basic features like directional microphones, adaptive noise reduction and feedback cancellation. But they may not be as customizable or have as many advanced features.

Mid-level hearing aids have more advanced sound processing capabilities, like more channels or bands of sound processing, wireless connectivity, and more sophisticated noise reduction algorithms. They also tend to be more customizable to the users specific hearing preferences.

Premium or top-level hearing aids have the most advanced technology, which can include things like artificial intelligence, machine learning, or more advanced wireless connectivity. They also have the most advanced noise reduction, directional microphone systems, intuitive controls, and they give the audiologist the most flexibility and specificity in your programming. Ultimately, the level of technology you choose in a hearing aid will depend on your specific needs and preferences for hearing help.

These decisions will be made after thorough discussion of your needs and wants, taking the results of your hearing test and history into consideration. If you prefer, we encourage partners and family members to participate. Communication is a two-way street.

An OTC amplifier is for people over the age of 18 years old who have a perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.

There are several places to obtain these devices. A hearing test is not required (although it is a good idea as many OTC’s will base the amplification levels on degree of loss).

Many audiologists will gladly give you a hearing exam knowing that the intention is for an OTC device so that you can be better informed about what is the best choice for you. OTC devices are intended to make hearing help more accessible and more affordable.