|
Home > Archive > Hearing loss support > May 2005 > Buying h.aids on eBay
You are viewing an archived Text-only version of the thread.
To view this thread in it's original format and/or if you want to reply to
this thread please [click here]
| Author |
Buying h.aids on eBay
|
|
|
| My son's hearing aid has broken down after 2 years and is out of
warranty. Medicaid won't buy a new one for another year.
I'm looking at brand new hearing aids available on eBay for only $120
and up. Which brands do you recommend? My son's loss is everywhere
from mild (low freq.) to profound (high freq.)
His current ones are Siemens and they've broken down twice. I don't
recall his old Phonaks breaking at all.
THANKS!
Daisy
| |
|
| > Members of the group have refrained from commenting on how naive it is
> to think you can buy an aid through Ebay or another web site.
When I see the thousands of satisfied customer's on the eBay rating system,
I don't think it's naive at all. Are 99.9% of them wrong? I'm not sure if I
said this here or in the other parent's forum I'm on, but the last time I
saw an audi, he fiddled with the aid without even seeing my son or his
audiogram! Then i went to his actual audi, and she didn't seem to care! Puh!
I think it's nothing more than a tiny microphone held up to his ear. His
very first audi was right.
> The advice you were given (that you would have to wait a year) sounds
> as though it ought to apply only to upgrades, not complete failure.
You have a point, but I live in Florida. Gov't doesn't make sense here... In
fact, none of the natives do. I'll try writing the governor. It helped last
time.
| |
| Serpent 2005-05-24, 5:55 pm |
| On Tue, 24 May 2005 16:48:52 -0400, "Daisy"
<nospamplease@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
>When I see the thousands of satisfied customer's on the eBay rating system,
>I don't think it's naive at all. Are 99.9% of them wrong?
Greetings!
Have 99.9% of the satisfied customers on eBay, bought hearing aids
there??? :-)
If you don't like the Audie you went to, feel free to go to another. I
did, and have been hearing happily ever since!
Good luck!
Best Regards,
Serpent
| |
|
| > Have 99.9% of the satisfied customers on eBay, bought hearing aids
> there??? :-)
I didn't think I had to explain it but here goes..... The vendor has 1400+
positive feedback profile. That is 99.9% of their feedback.
> If you don't like the Audie you went to, feel free to go to another.
I have no health insurance, just Medicaid. I'm limited as to whom I can see.
If I'm going to jump from audi to audi with my own dough, I'd rather skip
that process and just buy the darn aids themselves! instead of pay for bad
service.
| |
| Serpent 2005-05-25, 5:52 pm |
| On Wed, 25 May 2005 15:05:01 -0400, "Daisy"
<nospamplease@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
>I didn't think I had to explain it but here goes..... The vendor has 1400+
>positive feedback profile. That is 99.9% of their feedback.
>
>
>I have no health insurance, just Medicaid. I'm limited as to whom I can see.
>If I'm going to jump from audi to audi with my own dough, I'd rather skip
>that process and just buy the darn aids themselves! instead of pay for bad
>service.
>
Greetings!
Ahh!
So, what brand and model do you expect to buy from somebody on EBay
for "...only $120 and up.", for your "son's loss (that) is everywhere
from mild (low freq.) to profound (high freq.)"?
Hearing aids to correct profound high frequency hearing loss, may cost
you many 10X the times of your starting price of $120.
And then don't you have the added expense of multiple visits (fees) to
a private audiologist for follow up "tweaking" visits.
You said that your Son's Siemens hearing aids failed at a relatively
short period, and there was a logical suggestion made by a member of
this group, that you pursue it with Siemens, to make it right, which
you dismissed out of hand.
If you are short on finances, why not give that a shot, for
potentially no cost to you, vs potentially several thousand dollars
for new aids, a new private audiologist, and adjustment visits?
In my case, my company's health insurance stated that they paid 90%
for hearing aids. I got a pair of Siemens Triano 3P's, that I have
been very happy with, and paid a grand total of $5,000 cash for. The
insurance company should have reimbursed me for $4,500, but blithely
wrote me a check for less than $500, and called us even.
I Would Not take "no" for an answer, and after five month's battle
later, had finally been reimbursed the total $4500, and had set the
new standard as to what the insurance company considered as the
minimum (now state of the art digital aids) for any other members that
will need hearing aids in the future.
I am not telling you this, to show you that in any manner
what-so-ever, that I am any kind of "hero", but simply that if you
expect what is due to you, you have to sometimes take the extra time,
and fight for what is right.
You are talking about the future of your son's hearing, and it is up
to you whether you want to try to have a reputable hearing aid company
fix your son's two year old aids for little, or no charge, or run out
and buy a pair of hearing aids for "...only $120 and up." off of
EBay.
Good Luck.
Best Regards,
Serpent
| |
|
| Daisy wrote:
>
>
> I didn't think I had to explain it but here goes..... The vendor has 1400+
> positive feedback profile. That is 99.9% of their feedback.
>
>
>
>
> I have no health insurance, just Medicaid. I'm limited as to whom I can see.
> If I'm going to jump from audi to audi with my own dough, I'd rather skip
> that process and just buy the darn aids themselves! instead of pay for bad
> service.
>
>
Hi Daisy, let me know if you would like a contact that can probably
repair the aids.
david
| |
|
| Daisy - you'll just waste your money. All that a 99.9% favourable
feedback means is that the goods were supplied promptly and worked.
Also note that Ebayers hesitate to lodge bad feedback because the
recipient can reciprocate even if the buyer has done nothing wrong
(except lodge bad feedback)
| |
|
| The other thing is why not try stirring up your congressman? Surely
their job is to help contituents battle with Federal bureauocracy - I
gave you an example of how this sort of action produced quite
spectacular results for me. Certainly worth a try.
Incidentally I mentioned how I managed to get some help from Phonak
with a fault which occurred on both my aids just outside the warranty
period. My audiologist was no help whatever with this problem - I had
to write to Phonak myself and they finally came good. The way hearing
aids are sold means that the dispensers may be more motivated to keep
on good terms with their supplier than risk prejudicing this by
supporting the odd client who has the sort of problem you are
experiencing.
I agree with everything Serpent has said.
| |
|
| Another point we may not have made clear: Hearing aids usually last 10
years or more - my first set are 17 years old and still work fine. So
failure after two years is NOT normal . The fact that both have failed
raises the possibility of a design or manufacturing fault either in the
particular model or the particular batch. I would be surprised if
Siemens would not agree that a 2-year life is unacceptable.
| |
| zafdor@yahoo.com 2005-05-26, 8:52 am |
|
Ken wrote:
> Another point we may not have made clear: Hearing aids usually last 10
> years or more - my first set are 17 years old and still work fine. So
> failure after two years is NOT normal . The fact that both have failed
> raises the possibility of a design or manufacturing fault either in the
> particular model or the particular batch. I would be surprised if
> Siemens would not agree that a 2-year life is unacceptable.
Nobody would doubt a piece of electronics will be expected to last 10
years when not exposed to the elements. Now take this same piece of
electronics and put it on someones head where is will be exposed a much
harsher environment and you will not see a 10 year life. If you have
worn full time one instrument for 17 years without repair I find that
remarkable. Now you did say 'my first set' which implies to me that
they have not been worn full time for 17 years. I have a 20 year old
instrument I have not worn for 18 years, it works fine too (I just
can't hear with it).
I do not think Siemens will repair it if it more then a little out of
warrantee. However, I think to repair the instrument will be in the
$100-$200 range.
| |
| montag@gmail.com 2005-05-26, 8:52 am |
| If you can afford the aids on your own then you shouldn't be using
Medicaid in the first place! Leave the money for someone that really
needs it.
Daisy wrote:
>
> I didn't think I had to explain it but here goes..... The vendor has 1400+
> positive feedback profile. That is 99.9% of their feedback.
>
>
> I have no health insurance, just Medicaid. I'm limited as to whom I can see.
> If I'm going to jump from audi to audi with my own dough, I'd rather skip
> that process and just buy the darn aids themselves! instead of pay for bad
> service.
| |
| montag@gmail.com 2005-05-26, 8:52 am |
| Exactly! Two year old hearing aids, especially ones worn by an active
child, break down and need repair all the time. There is absolutely
nothing unusual about this. Repair for a digital BTE may cost about
$150 to $200 per aid. Medicaid will pay this charge in full. I don't
see what the issue it.
| |
|
| > Members of the group have refrained from commenting on how naive it is
> to think you can buy an aid through Ebay or another web site.
When I see the thousands of satisfied customer's on the eBay rating system,
I don't think it's naive at all. Are 99.9% of them wrong? I'm not sure if I
said this here or in the other parent's forum I'm on, but the last time I
saw an audi, he fiddled with the aid without even seeing my son or his
audiogram! Then i went to his actual audi, and she didn't seem to care! Puh!
I think it's nothing more than a tiny microphone held up to his ear. His
very first audi was right.
> The advice you were given (that you would have to wait a year) sounds
> as though it ought to apply only to upgrades, not complete failure.
You have a point, but I live in Florida. Gov't doesn't make sense here... In
fact, none of the natives do. I'll try writing the governor. It helped last
time.
| |
| Daisy 2005-05-28, 10:52 pm |
| Ugh, I don't want to fight and fight and fight. I have enough on my plate.
Glad to hear it works for you though.
<kkerrison@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
news:1116660774.111959.300080@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Don't assume that the warranty prevents you getting Siemens to address
> the problem. Hearing aids should last ten plus years and failure after
|
| |
|
|