Helping Loved Ones Adjust to New Hearing Aids
As audiologists, we often meet people who are getting hearing
hearing aids
Menu
hearing aids
Costco? It usually rings a bell with consumers and is linked to big savings discounts through bulk purchases. Known as one of the leading “big box” retailers in the United States, Costco is known for its food, supplements, and home-improvement products. Recently, the retail brand has ventured into the hearing aid industry, offering Costco hearing aids.
Are Costco hearing aids as good as other hearing aids on the market?
Ever since Costco launched their Costco hearing aids section, they have been carrying brand-name hearing aids in addition to their in-house Kirkland Signature brand. Such brands include Philips, Rexton, Jabra, and Phonak.
Purchasing hearing aids at Costco may seem to be the convenient and affordable choice for some, especially since the big box store is known for its low prices. At a glance, Costco hearing aids are indeed priced lower than hearing aids acquired at many private hearing clinics and audiology practices.
However, when we look closer into details, Costco hearing aids are not actually a better purchase. The Costco hearing aid models available are not the latest and best versions that the manufacturers provide. This is understandable because, at the end of the day, lower prices come with some trade-offs.
Of course, if you are considering purchasing a hearing aid that’s basic and doesn’t carry a lot of powerful features, you’ll probably be okay with Costco hearing aids. However, if you want the latest and most powerful hearing aids, you won’t find them at Costco.
Prices of Costco hearing aids (in-house and other brands) may vary depending on the technology, the model, and the features of the device.
When buying hearing aids, make sure that you don’t make a decision by simply looking at the price tag. There are a lot of other things to consider before purchasing a hearing aid – features, technology, fitting, rechargeability, etc.
Proper hearing evaluation, hearing aid programming and real ear measurements all play a big role in a hearing aid’s success.
Costco may offer a service warranty and regular hearing aid check-ups but these can be considered as basic or the “bare minimum” compared to what private audiology practice offers.
Speaking of warranty, the warranty of Costco hearing aids will only be valid at Costco hearing centers. If you happen to be out of town and need to have your hearing aids repaired or checked, the warranty will not be honored elsewhere.
No, Costco hearing aids are not covered by insurance plans and most insurance companies will not reimburse you for your hearing aid purchase at Costco.
Fort Bend Hearing works with various insurance companies to ensure that our patients can have access to various payment options when acquiring their hearing aid of choice.
Consumer Reports advises the public to see an audiologist and get real ear measurements before buying a hearing aid. The expertise of an audiologist or hearing healthcare professional plays a very critical role in ensuring that hearing aid users get the best results from the device.
With various hearing aid brands on the market – from Costco hearing aids, high-end brands, to sketchy hearing aids sold online, choosing the “best” one for you can be quite overwhelming. To help narrow down your choices and make your decision-making easier, the two questions you should ask yourself are –
When your hearing health is concerned, not consulting with an audiologist can cause more trouble than it’s worth. You might be spending your money on a hearing aid that’s not suited for your hearing loss or you might end up getting a device that won’t make an improvement on your hearing loss at all.
Consulting with an audiologist before purchasing a hearing aid is the wisest thing you can do to save time, money, and effort. Audiologists specialize in the evaluation and non-medical treatment of hearing loss and other related hearing concerns.
Audiologists are trained in hearing testing, hearing aid fitting, real ear measurement, and hearing aid programming.
Real ear measurement is considered to be the gold standard in hearing aid fitting. While not all audiologists practice real ear measurements, the ones who do are a step ahead of the ones who don’t because the former have data that can help program the hearing aids to provide the best hearing experience possible in correlation to the needs of a patient.
While some Costco hearing aid centers may offer real ear measurement, not all centers do, and if they actually do, the accuracy and precision of REM are not guaranteed to be at the same level as the REM done at audiology clinics.
It’s not really catastrophic but, without real ear measurement, you may not be getting the most out of your hearing aids. In life, the “what ifs” can be a real mind-boggle and without getting real ear measurement, you may find yourself wondering – “What if my hearing aids can do more?”
While it is possible to get fitted with Costco hearing aids without real ear measurement, the accuracy of the fitting and programming can be a hit or miss. Sufficient amplification may be provided but is it the best and most accurate level of amplification? Take note that hearing aids are not just for amplification. Hearing aids should also be programmed to help the brain interpret sounds across all frequencies.
Are you ready to hear better?
Fort Bend Hearing provides comprehensive preventative, diagnostic and rehabilitation hearing services for pediatric and adult patients. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
As audiologists, we often meet people who are getting hearing
Fort Bend Hearing provides professional ear wax removal in Sugar
Are you ready to hear better?
Fort Bend Hearing provides comprehensive preventative, diagnostic and rehabilitation hearing services for pediatric and adult patients. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
Best Hearing Aids - Sugar Land, TX
Fort Bend Hearing provides comprehensive preventative, diagnostic, and rehabilitation hearing services for pediatric and adult patients. Our goal is to build long-term relationships and support the ongoing needs of our patients. Dr. Spencer, head audiologist of Fort Bend Hearing, is a licensed audiologist with 20+ years of research and clinical experience in the hearing health care industry.
If you have any hearing aid concerns or need to be checked by an audiologist in Texas, Fort Bend Hearing is ready to serve you.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment!