Hearing Aid Rentals

A patient recently asked me if he could rent hearing aids from me for six months or a year. I’ve never really given that much thought. Yes, it is common for audiologists to rent out hearing aids to those in hospice, but to rent them out to the Average Joe is virtually unheard of. I talked to a few American audiologists about it, and some of them are actually doing this in their clinics. After time and research I believe that I’ve come up with something that may appeal to some patients.

Who would benefit from this type of program?

• The person with a non-permanent hearing loss, whose hearing is expected to return within a few months.
• The person with cancer who only has a few months left to live and wants to “hear every word” before they leave
• The person who believes that they are too old for hearing aids, and does not want to commit to such a large purchase
• The person who knows they need hearing aids, but are unsure if they will truly use them, so they want to give it a honest try before they fully commit

What are the cons?

• Some insurance plans will not allow you to use your hearing aid benefit, as you are not purchasing a hearing aid
• You are not eligible for the government grant, as you are not purchasing a hearing aid
• You must come in once a month to make your payment, and for us to re-activate your devices. The devices “self destruct” after a set period of time. If you do not return, they will continually beep non-stop in your ear making them useless
• You must purchase your own batteries and supplies
• This is a pay per service relationship. You are allowed one follow-up appointment within 14 days of the setup appointment. All other appointments are $25 per 15 minutes. Should you require reprogramming due to a change in your hearing, you will be charged for the hearing test, reprogramming and verification (currently $320.00)
• You can only rent behind the ear devices. In order to get a molded device, you would have to purchase your own hearing aids.
• You only have a limited color selection.

What are the pros?

• There is no long-term commitment. You can rent the devices for 2 months or 2 years. You are not locked in. If you no longer want to rent them, just bring them back to our office and you will not be charge for the following month.
• If a newer model is released, you can upgrade to that version for no extra cost.

What are the setup costs?

This cost is based on us setting up the devices for you. It includes a diagnostic hearing test, programming and fine tuning with real ear measures. I need to ensure that the hearing aids are giving you the right amount of volume, and will not give you any additional hearing loss. When you do a demo at our office, we do not do any fine tuning, it’s just a first fit, and the hearing aids are not programmed to their full potential.

How much will it cost to rent the hearing aids?

There are 5 technology levels, 5 different monthly rates. You can rent one or two devices, that is totally up to you. The monthly costs are as follows:

Are there any other costs involved?

If you require a custom earmold or Bluetooth accessory, you would need to purchase those items. These items are non-refundable.

As I said, this program is not suitable for everyone, but there are a few people out there who would love to use this program. If you have any questions or concerns, please email our office manager Melissa at Melissa@youhear.ca or you can call her at our Essex location (519) 961-9285