I work as a doctor of audiology fitting adults with hearing aids. My advice, avoid franchises like Miracle Ear and Beltone at all costs. If you go to Beltone, you're going to get a Beltone hearing aid even if Siemens, Phonak, Starkey, Unitron or some other quality manufacturer has better technology, better quality control, and better prices. Audiologists have studied hearing aids for at least 4 years in graduate school. Beltone ane Miracle ear salesmen are only required to have a high school "equivalency" or GED. Today's sophisticated hearing aids are too easy to mess up if the dispenser is ignorant. Just because it helps you hear better doesn't mean it's right.
1. Written by Raymond Hollingsworth, on 19-06-2008 19:44
WOW!!! The post by Alsip Magistrate speaks the painful truth. For the record, Starkey AKA Audibel forms shells from earmolds and buys all of the components overseas... if you call this a "quality manufacturer" your education in learning "hearing aids for at least 4 years in graduate school" was indeed wasted. I feel for anyone subject to your guidance and advice, "Doctor". Educate yourself you will not only help yourself, but be an asset to others as well.
Not necessarily Teresa, I know of no Audibel or Beltone dispensers who are audiologist although many would have you believe that they are. As far as cost, I just got a set of Epoqs for less than my last set of Audibels that the dispenser had tampered with in order to try and sell me new ones after only 2 years. Sorry, but I suspect that these companies promote these practices.
3. Written by Teresa Bloomfield, on 10-06-2008 19:41
I know many Audiologists that own Franchise's such as Beltone and Audibel and hire- licensed by the state- dispensers. Beltone dispensers can also fit Siemens, Unitron, Starkey, etc. And you are right, Audiologist can bill insurance companies for hearing evaluation, adjustments, and alot of UNNECESSARY testing, in which Beltone and other establishments don't charge for, the prices, on average for a set of units dispensed by an Audiologist vs. other is at least 2,000.00 more dollars per unit
Beltone and especially Audibel are indeed crap. After 30 years of being taken advantage of by these people, I can now say that I firmly believe that they promote having their dispensers start tampering with your hearing instruments after a couple of years in order to high pressure you into buying new aids.
6. Written by Alsip Magistrate, on 21-04-2008 09:10
Nobody goes to school to study Hearing Aids, at least College.
There is no 4 year program to study Hearing Aids, anywhere.
Hearing Aids are simple to understand and simple to program.
Anyone with a PHD selling Hearing Aids,is considered, at least foolish,having wasted an Education.
Beltone is owned by Resound.
Miracle-Ear Hearing Aids are manufactured by SIEMENS.
No Manufacturer has any advantage in product design or manufacture, over another
More and more of the Hearing Aids are being manufactured in China,Vietnam,Singapor,and other Countries of low education,and especially low labor costs, although the finished products are being sold for up to $10,000 each, because of "Ignorance" and greed.
And not by Beltone and Miracle-Ear Sales People, either.
The highest prices charged are by Failures. PHD,AUD,MEDICAL DOCTORS,AUDIOLOGISTS,and other, over-educated Fools, who got stuck with the Wrong Degree.
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