Ear Nose and Throat Associates
Warehouse Club
(Representative of, but not specific to, Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s, etc.)
Hearing Aid Dealer
(Representative of, but not specific to, Audible, Miracle Ear, Beltone, HearUSA, etc)
Pricing
Prices starting at $599 each for digital Behind-the-ear (BTE) or in-the-ear styles
Rechargeable hearing aids starting at $995 each
Bluetooth compatible hearing aids starting at $1295 each
Prices starting at $899 each for digital Behind-the-ear (BTE) or in-the-ear styles
$1249 each for rechargeable hearing aids
Will not provide upfront product pricing. Product specific price quotes only available during consultation
According to the AARP, the average cost per hearing aid is $2300 with reported prices up to $8000 per pair.
Warranty
3 year warranty included on ALL hearing aids; including 3 years of loss and damage replacement coverage
1-3 years warranty, including loss and damage coverage, dependent upon the hearing aid technology level/price
90 days to 3 years warranty, including loss and damage coverage, dependent upon the hearing aid technology level/price
Education
Board certified Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) and Board certified Ear, Nose and Throat physician (M.D.) in the same office location
Typically Hearing Instrument Specialist, though some locations have Audiologist employed.
No on-site physicians
Hearing Instrument Specialist
Educational requirements
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high school graduate
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18 years of age or older
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passed a written exam
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be of good moral character
Follow-up service
In office services Included for life of instrument
Included for length of warranty
Included for length of warranty, with pressure to upgrade to new technology after 2 years
Newest Technology
Yes
No, typically offer products which are 1-2 generations old. Often rebranded as store brand
Variable, often sell in-house” brand by unknown manufactures.
Selection
Wide range of brands and styles to choose from
Limited selection of brands
Narrow, Typically only offer their own “in house” brand of HA’s
Ability to have hearing aids serviced in other locations?
Yes, all hearing aids are “unlocked” and can be programmed and serviced by other audiologist, warranty through manufacturer
Locked HA’s, can only be programmed and serviced by Warehouse store locations
Locked HA’s, can only be programmed and serviced by store locations
Trial period
Yes. No obligation, no-cost, demo period prior to purchase and 60 day 100% money back returns from date of purchase
No demo products, patients purchase HA’s with understanding they can be returned for refund within 90 days
Variable, some chains have started to offer demo products, most encourage purchase with assurance can return within 30 days for refund, often with restocking fee
Insurance Accepted
Yes, Patients can utilize hearing aid benefits from numerous insurance plans
No
Typically no. Certain insurers may partner with a given chain to offer benefits or discounts