Help and Advice, we give straight forward advice...

At Discountedhearingaid.com help is always at hand, please see the sections below or contact us to speak to a helpful advisor today...

Contact Details:

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How to buy hearing aids...

1. Have you exhausted or dismissed the NHS route?
2. Understand the products – click now to learn about what you are buying
3. Decide on what you want to spend
4. Get a minimum of 2 like for like quotes
5. Do you get on really well with the Dispenser?
6. Try some hearing aids – but make sure you can get ALL your money back
7. Check the aftercare REALLY WILL HAPPEN

Our Advice for the wise hearing aid consumer:

In our experience, satisfactory hearing aid results generally occur when:

1. Your hearing loss is recent and of uncomplicated pathology
2. You communicate well with your hearing aid audiologist
3. Your motivation is high
4. And there are no current distracting health issues
5. The new aids are physically fitted well
6. And lastly, you test your hearing aids thoroughly over a 60 day trial period

It is not necessary to spend a fortune on a typical hearing loss.

JUST CHOOSE A GOOD MIDDLE OF THE ROAD HEARING AID

However if your hearing loss is of complicated pathology or very long term; if you have experienced problems with hearing aids in the past or you have always found concentrating in the presence of background noise difficult…then your patience is the main factor. A quick solution is less likely. It may be that you need to try 2 or 3 different models to ascertain which will best suit you...with 6 or so visits in the first two months.

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We care: all our new clients benefit from a guaranteed and quantified aftercare as follows:

1. 60 day no catch 100% money back guarantee. You can thoroughly and safely test out your new system!
2. Our unique structured rehabilitation appointment program
   (1 week, 3 weeks, 6 weeks) - & more if required.
3. 3 monthly courtesy call. We know you need ongoing encouragement to ensure your continued successful hearing.
4. 6 monthly recalibration and hearing check. Most digital hearing aids will need software upgrades to stay up to date.
5. Unique proactive repair strategy (we act on component failure before it happens) at 2 and 4 years.
6. Ongoing for 4 years, so you know exactly what you are entitled to.

WHAT YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER...

• Why do Hearing aids cost so much?
• Which first - NHS or private hearing aids?
• Buying hearing aids 'on the internet'
• The Risks of buying
• Why are there so many products out there?
• Why do MOST Hearing aid companies NOT show a FULL PRICE LIST online?
• Why do some companies not even have a customer price list?
• Why are some companies hiding the exact make and model numbers of hearing aids?

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Why do Hearing aids cost so much?

The main reasons for this are:

• You pay for the accelerating rate of innovations through research and development costs incurred by the 6 big hearing aid manufacturers. If you want the latest technology, you'll have to pay a higher price.
• Poor economy of scale. The existence of both a poorly funded NHS AND an under-regulated private sector means that not enough private aids are sold, therefore the price is higher. This is changing rapidly. This year and next, You will see hearing aid centres springing up everywhere...
• Hearing Aids can only be dispensed by professionally registered hearing aid dispensers / audiologists and NHS ENT/audiology staff with the correct qualifications. This closed shop, as with opticians causes the pricing to be higher.
• We (the registered staff) are required to price up-front for a potentially high level of aftercare. In our case, this is a 1, 3 and 6 week visit followed by 3 monthly calls / 6 monthly check ups over a period of 4 years and within that, your option for multiple additional visits in that time.
• Hearing aid returns and cancellations are notoriously high. New hearing aid wearers often reject new hearing aids because they receive a less than perfect follow up service. So manufacturers build this into the price. However at Discounted Hearing Aid.co.uk we have a structured and quantified follow up service and reassuringly our returns are almost non-existent. But you will be able to return your products at no cost and no embarrassment in the first 60 days.
• The no.1 reason in the UK is quite simply - excessive profit making AND poor business models of hearing aid companies (the top-heavy manager structures, etc).

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Which first - NHS or private hearing aids?

It’s a very good idea to get your first hearing aids from the NHS - IF you are patient and you have identified your hearing loss early and you are not too bothered about their appearance. Or if you have had ear operations, certain ear disorders (especially chronic suppurating middle ear infections) or you have multiple health issues.

The NHS is certainly the preferred option if you have long term profound congenital hearing loss and/or you are under 40 years of age. If you are planning to emigrate within the next year, it is best to take advantage of the NHS hearing aids before you move. If a person of under 18 years is experiencing hearing loss, it is extremely important to seek medical advice, immediately.

It is fair to say that in Yorkshire there are waiting lists and that the hearing aids provided are of limited choice and quality. The models offered are mostly Siemens Prisma Pro 2 and Oticon Spirit 3 (Both these models suffered from poor sales worldwide and in relation to 2009, they represent redundant technology. But they are FREE). These are beige behind the ear aids of obvious proportions, made more noticeable by the thick tubing and full ear moulds fitted to them. There is limited availability of thin tubes for open fittings, but this is not receiver in ear.

The Private option will likely be more suitable if you have a very mild loss, a high frequency loss, if you prefer more attention from your professional or if you have had many problems with hearing aids in the past. If you get on well with your private dispenser and you value the time they can spend on fine tuning your hearing aids, then private may be the best option. Also, an independent dispenser such as Discounted Hearing Aid.co.uk can supply from the whole of the UK market.

Home visits are included in your service plan, so private hearing aids will certainly suit you if you are less able to get around. Private dispensers of hearing aids will generally respond quicker to service requests and in the case of a new fitting, waiting times are between 1 and 9 days only. Private hearing aids are certainly neater, lighter, smaller, more comfortable and mostly, far more advanced technologically. But you will need to pay (Sovereign Health, Wakefield Hospital Fund and Leeds Hospital Fund will contribute towards the costs).

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Buying hearing aids 'on the internet'

This is just not an issue so long as you deal with a Registered hearing aid dispenser and only try PRESCRIPTION HEARING AIDS. It is advisable to use a qualified hearing aid dispenser registered with the Health Professions Council.

You should always endeavour to try prescription hearing hearing aids rather than those sold through the post.

WHY? because NHS hearing aids are free AND they are prescription fitted. 'Prescription' means a trained and qualified person must physically meet you, examine your ear canals, measure your hearing correctly, ascertain the existence of any medical conditions that would prevent the dispensing of hearing aids and if present, inform your GP; follow the very highest standards of ethical conduct and only prescribe where justified, etc.

More importantly, perform a feedback test that is quite specific to YOUR ears. Do not buy hearing aids through the post UNLESS YOU HAVE COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED THE NHS ROUTE and you cannot afford custom made prescription hearing aids (£395+).

 

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The Risks of buying

There needn’t be any risk at all so long as you follow the consumer’s golden rules

Shop around – make sure you avoid over-paying by getting 2 or 3 like for like quotes.

Always consult fully with your close family and friends.

Don’t buy on emotional reactions. Be logical and assess the real improvements you will get from any new hearing aids.

Get a cast-iron guaranteed escape clause for as long as possible (this should be at least 60 days). We provide a no cost return period of 60 days even if you post your products back to us.

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Why are there so many products out there?

Hearing aid manufacturers need to offer a whole range no matter what they happen to have invented that year, so often ranges will be filled out with lots of duplicated hearing aids with funny names. We provide you with a whole of market price list BUT we also recommend our outstanding monthly offers – the choice is simplified for you.

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Why do MOST Hearing aid companies NOT show a FULL PRICE LIST online?

Quite simply, this is bound to be because their prices are too high to be competitive and don't bear any scrutiny at all!

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Why do some companies not even have a customer price list?

Again, it would cause them commercial harm to have their higher prices placed under any comparison.

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Why are some companies hiding the exact make and model numbers of hearing aids?

To confuse you, the consumer?