Hearing Aid Batteries
You wouldn’t think I’d have much to say about something as simple as a hearing aid battery. Well, let me prove you wrong.
Battery Sizes
Patients always think that there is only one hearing aid battery size. I hate to burst your bubble, but there are four. Below are the different battery sizes, listed from the smallest to the largest:
- Size 5 (red sticker): VERY small battery. I don’t think they make this battery anymore.
- Size 10 (yellow sticker): the smallest battery on the market.
- Size 312 (brown sticker): medium sized battery
- Size 13 (orange sticker): larger battery
- Size 675 (blue sticker): largest battery on the market
How long will my battery last?
The larger the battery, the longer it will last. There are other factors that will dictate how long a battery will last: (1) the number of hours a day you wear your hearing aids, (2) the volume that the hearing aid is set at – the louder the aid, the more current it will drain (3) devices connected to the hearing aids (bluetooth, FM system etc..) will drain more current.
What brand hearing aid battery should I buy?
Many people think that they can put just any battery in their hearing aid. When you invest thousands of dollars into a sophisticated medical device, do you think it’s wise to skimp on the batteries? My self-pay patient’s do not have to worry about purchasing hearing aid batteries, as they get batteries as part of their service plan. I do, however, encounter people who recently moved to town or obtained their hearing aids from another clinic. I cringe whenever I hear someone say that they purchase their hearing aid batteries from a store that “sells items for a dollar”. Don’t get me wrong, I like a bargain, but hearing aid batteries are not an area where you want to cut corners.
I have heard people tell me that the “cheaper” size 312 batteries last a day or two. If that is the case, you may be spending more in the long run if the same size “brand name” battery would last seven to ten days. Another concern with the cheaper batteries is that they have been known to destroy hearing aids. You may save a couple dollars on batteries, but it isn’t worth it if you have to spend thousands of dollars to replace a damaged hearing aid.
For the price conscious individual, we sell a four pack of hearing aid batteries for $2.50. Our private label batteries are a brand name, and we get out logo put on the packaging. I know the local “things for a dollar store” sells two batteries for $1.00. When you do the math, our batteries work out to be $1.25 per package and the brand name company that we get them from guarantees that they will not destroy your hearing aids.
Do I have to pay tax on hearing aid batteries?
Hearing aids are a medical expense. Hearing aid batteries are also a medical expense. You DO NOThave to pay taxes on hearing aid batteries. In fact, you can claim the cost of hearing aid batteries on your taxes.