HLAA Advice on Purchasing Hearing Aids

May 2009

Editor: Hearing aids are a huge investment, and far too many of them end up in dresser drawers because they don't do what the purchaser expected them to do. HLAA has come out with a checklist to help you ask the right questions before you purchase aids. For more information, please point your browser to http://www.hearingloss.org/learn/hearingaids.asp

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What do you know about purchasing a hearing aid? If you've never done it, the process can seem daunting. But even if you've been purchasing hearing aids for some time, there may be pertinent questions you haven't asked in a long time, or perhaps never thought to ask at all.

For example, when you go to your hearing aid dispenser to purchase a hearing aid, do you ask to see a hearing aid that includes a telecoil program? Do you know how many microphones the hearing aid has?

Do you know what your hearing aid rating for cell phone use is and how to use that information when purchasing a cell or cordless phone? Do you talk about assistive listening devices? And does your dispenser keep you up to date about alerting devices? Do you know how to best protect yourself in case of a fire or other emergency?

Do you know how much the hearing aid itself costs and how much you are being charged for the services of the dispenser? Those services often include several return visits. Many consumers do not return to the dispenser at all, because they don't want to "bother" the dispenser. It's great to know that return visits are part of the package, and even better to know exactly how many return visits your dispenser provides.

When you purchase hearing aids, state law can provide protections to consumers. Do you know how long you have for a trial period under state law? Do you know what non-refundable fees will be charged even if you return the hearing aid during the trial period?

Consumers Union reported in April 2003 that a woman returned her new hearing aids to her dispenser during the trial period, a week after she got them. The dispenser charged $4,600 for the aids plus $270 in non-refundable "mold" and "preparation" fees. When she returned the aids, the dispenser charged a "restocking fee" of $690. She paid a total of $960 for a one-week attempt to try hearing aids that she determined she could not use. This woman did file a complaint, noting, "I'm unable to account for your charge of $690 for restocking. What does this cover?"

We hope you are never charged a "restocking fee" of $690. Still, you need to know what you could be charged. Some states have stringent regulations protecting consumers; others have nothing in place at all. But even in those states where laws are in place, it's often difficult to find out what the law is. You need to ask the right questions, before you buy.

Consumer Checklist
Hearing Loss Association of America has created a "Purchasing a Hearing Aid: A Consumer Checklist" to help you ask the right questions about testing, dispensing and trial of hearing aids. Take the checklist with you next time you purchase a hearing aid, and return completed checklists to our office.