Buying hearing aids through Medicare in 2017 Hearing loss and deficiency is one of the most common medical conditions, especially among senior citizens. The condition can not only lead to social isolation but also comes with several threats attached. Lack of hearing ability can lead to accidents and causes inability of smooth communication. Making matters worse, hearing aids are no less than a luxury and are not covered by the original Medicare. This is where Medicare advantage comes in as a savior to Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private companies but approved by Medicare. The offered plans include some form of hearing coverage that does great at sparing you a huge cost. Many Americans avail of Medicare Advantage and although your cost isn’t entirely covered, it does support a part of your expense. Buying a hearing aid can be a tricky task, especially when you are tied by a tight budget. The lack of Medicare coverage only makes the task more difficult. However, keeping in mind certain tactics can help you make a better choice. Here are a few points that you should most definitely consider before making the final call. Compare Comparing various hearing aids before making a purchase is a great way of getting your hands on the best.

How can I avail a hearing aid through Medicare in 2017? Hearing aids come at a cost that is very high to pay for. It is no wonder, most citizens ignore the effects of hearing loss and continue to live a life with hearing limitations. Notoriously expensive, the price ranges anywhere between somewhat affordable to several thousand dollars. Does Medicare cover the cost of hearing aids? The answer is no. The original Medicare does not cover the cost of hearing aids or routine hearing exams and check-ups. This is a huge drawback as several Americans depend on a Medicare insurance for their health care. Although the original Medicare does not cover the cost of hearing aids, there are some Medicare Advantage plans that you can avail of. So how are Medicare Advantage plans different from the original Medicare? Medicare Advantage plans are those that are offered by private insurance companies. These companies are approved by Medicare and bring to the plate discrete benefits that are not available through the original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans are not standardized and each plan may or may not support the cost of hearing aids. Besides, when a Medicare Advantage company covers a hearing aid, it is highly unlikely that the company will cover the total amount.

Traveling with ear-related disorders can often prove to be a daunting experience. If you are carrying a Miracle Ear hearing aid on your trip, don’t fret because if anything goes wrong you can find the nearest Miracle Ear location where you can get the assistance of the best of professionals. There are over 1300 centers of Miracle Ear in the country. If you accidentally damage your hearing aid, you can quickly get it fixed from any of these locations. Before you commence traveling, make sure that your destination has a Miracle Ear care center for safety purposes. Apart from the fact that the Miracle Ear will be always there to assist you, here are some tips that can be useful while you’re traveling with hearing impairment. Before your journey commences, get your hearing aids checked by your Miracle Ear audiologist. See if they are working properly. You can get them cleaned or change their batteries so that it doesn’t create any inconvenience later. If you’re caught in a fix while you’re traveling, then don’t hesitate to ask for help. You can notify your fellow travelers and the hotel staff about your hearing issue to avoid any confusion. While you’re traveling, it is quite possible that you might lose your hearing aid or batteries.

The Miracle Ear has had a long history of innovation in the hearing aid industry. They have managed to create and develop some exceptional technology and products. If you are considering buying a hearing device, here are some of the popular Miracle Ear hearing aid products that offer top-notch quality as well as great prices. Miracle Ear Genius 2.0 RIC (receiver in canal) – The Genius 2.0 RIC is one of the most popular style in their product line. This hearing aid assists in reducing background noise and controls tinnitus to give you a more natural hearing experience. It has amazing additional functions like data recall and quick connectivity to smartphone. It is ideal for anyone having mild to profound level of ear damage. Miracle Ear Genius BTE (behind the ear) – This hearing aid has the exclusive Genius technology and is extremely flexible in terms of design and features. Enhancements in bandwidth and frequency can help you listen to the sounds that might not even be heard by the human ears. This device has the feature of data recall that helps your healthcare provider to see your usage patterns for making exact modifications. This device is suitable for people having mild to profound level of hearing impairment.

Oticon offers many facilities and services on the purchase of their hearing aids. Apart from periodic premium quality repair and service at select centers across the world, Oticon hearing aids need regular cleaning and maintenance services. Follow some of the maintenance steps listed below regularly to ensure a hassle-free hearing experience. Handle with care This is a no-brainer that once you purchase your hearing aid, it becomes rather important for you to ensure your device is kept away from trying environmental conditions like humidity, direct/extreme heat, chemical interaction, dust, and the like. Many hearing aids are water-resistant and fit to be worn throughout the day; however, it is important that you remove your device while showering or while participating in water activities. Moisture, condensation, dampness, perfume sprays, lotions, etc. may adversely affect the device. Ensure your hearing aid is kept away from seemingly potential dangers. Cleaning the device Keeping your device clean is the least that you can do to keep it working effectively for a long duration. While cleaning your device may depend on the type of device you own, it is essential that you clean your device regularly with a clean, dry, and soft cloth. Some of the general cleaning rules irrespective of your aid style includes avoiding the use of water, sprays, solutions to clean the device, ensuring your hands are dry, using a special brush for cleaning, and the like.

Trying situations where Oticon hearing aids work well Oticon is loyal to its customers when it comes to developing quality products that suit varying demands of customers. Living with hearing loss at any stage can be quite challenging, Oticon is dedicated towards providing hearing solutions by designing products that not only help combat varying degrees of hearing impairments but also difficult hearing environments and situations. This is made possible with the help of sundry integrated accessories and support systems that make hearing at noisy and crowded places a lot easy. Check out some of the trying situations where Oticon products really help. Watching TV Oticon utilizes integrating systems like ConnectLine and Streamer Pro to transfer high quality sounds from your TV to your hearing aid. All you need to do is set up any one of the integrating system and sit back and watch TV with the entire family. With the integrating system, you can enjoy watching TV at your preferred volume without bothering any of your family members. The system is works great and reflects great sound without any lags or audio mismatches. Dining outdoors Attending a get-together and eating out never got easier. With Oticon hearing aids, socializing has become less trying.

Hearing aids should be super comfortable, especially when they are for children. Hearing aids for kids should not just be functional but should also be easy to operate and fun to flaunt. And Phonak understands this need, that is why they have come up with a special line of hearing aids merely meant for kids known as the Sky V. The range is specifically designed for toddlers, school going children, and teenagers. The range consists of five hearing aid variants which are Sky V RIC (receiver in canal), Sky V-M (behind the ear), Sky V-P (behind the ear), Sky V-SP (behind the ear), and Sky V-UP (behind the ear). All these variants are dust and water resistant and come with an indicator light which alerts parents when the battery is low. The behind the ear devices can be customized in terms of colors too. Phonak Sky V aids are extremely versatile and will automatically adjust to your child’s environment. This means that your kids won’t have to constantly worry about adjusting the hearing aid according to the noise variations. It has functions that are simple to understand and easy to use. It has other devices like Roger Touchscreen Mic, Roger Clip on Mic, and Roger Pen.

The presence of tinnitus can disrupt your day to day life on a significant level. Which is why, it is imperative that you get a prompt consultation from an ENT specialist. They can accurately counsel you about your condition by conducting a hearing test and question/answer session. If you have tinnitus with a mild level of hearing loss, there is no reason to be discouraged. You can still improve your condition by using Phonak’s Tinnitus Balance Portfolio to restore your peace and listening abilities. The Tinnitus Balance Portfolio will allow you and your doctor to personalize a management plan that will target your specific areas of problems. This will be done by using sound therapy that aims to re-categorize the tinnitus noise as trivial sound in the background. The Balance Portfolio comprises of 3 major elements which are the hearing aids, a noise generator, and the balance app (smartphone app). Tinnitus Balance hearing aids – The Phonak hearing aids like Bolero V, Audeo Q, Bolero B, and Audio V have a feature that assists in minimizing the tinnitus sound. These devices enrich your listening experience and reduces anxiety as well. Tinnitus Balance noise generator – The noise generator is a unique feature in all the Phonak hearing aids.

Lyric is the smallest, 100% invisible completely-in-the-canal (CIC) Phonak hearing aid, which is described as a contact lens for the ears. It was introduced commercially in 2007, and since its launch, it has been safely worn by thousands of people suffering from ear damage. Because of its miniscule size and high-end mechanism, it is one of the most popular products amongst Phonak hearing aids. The makers at Phonak have used a completely different kind of technology to develop Lyric, so that it could be worn during all hours of the day, seven days a week, or even for several consecutive months. It applies a unique micro engineering technique that captures even the tiniest of sounds for amplification with minimal processing. It tries to seize every sound in the most natural way possible. The hearing device for Lyric works on the deep-ear technology which uses the ear’s internal shape to transport sound in the most organic way possible. To develop such innovative ear solution, the team at Phonak had to extensively conduct research on factors like compactness, sound, amplification, and battery life. There is no such hard work for patients, all they must do is just wear it. No changing or charging the batteries, no everyday cleaning, and completely discreet.

Services that raise the price of Starkey hearing aids It is common knowledge that the price of a hearing aid is directly proportional to the technology level and type of features. However, not many people know why most hearing aids come at such high prices. Well, this is primarily because the cost of a digital hearing instrument is inclusive of the many bundled services available to you. That’s right, most manufacturers, including Starkey, offer with the device an array of facilities and services at practically no added cost. The elements that actually increase the overall costs of hearing aids are testing, fitting, follow up services, and more. Check out some of the professional services that come bundled with most Starkey hearing aids. Hearing test One of the first services that is included in the process of buying a hearing aid is hearing evaluation. This is done by well experienced healthcare professionals with specialized equipment. These professionals conduct a series of hearing examinations and deliver accurate results. Consultation This is another service that comes included in the package. Consultation involves a counseling session that discusses test results with a patient. The healthcare professionals also recommend corrective methods for treating hearing defects.

Why Starkey’s premium hearing aids are totally worth the price? Hearing aids are life-changing devices that not only improve the hearing ability of a wearer but also adds to their confidence. Starkey hearing aids are known worldwide for their excellent quality, reliable performance, natural sound in all listening environments, all-day wearing ease, and the ability to customize the aid according to the wearer’s needs and comforts. What Starkey is somewhat notorious for among first time buyers, is its price. Since new buyers put price over all factors, they may find hearing aids quite expensive; however, it is important to realize that hearing aids are no less than an investment. Before investing in a hearing aid, it is important to understand that the level of technological sophistication would directly affect the price. The more advanced and high-tech the features, the more you pay for it. If you are seeking powerful performance, natural hearing, wearing comfort, automated convenience, and a low profile or invisible look, Starkey hearing aids are totally worth the price. Starkey’s premium category that launched the latest S series is the most innovative hearing solution packed with realistic technology for real world performance. The device is built using what they call “drive architecture,” that makes the processing power of the hearing aid about three times faster.