Hi all I had a hearing test on Thursday and was offered Oticon OPN S 3 MRITE hearing aids, has anybody got any personal experience with this brand or this hearing aid. Cheers Landy.
Aussie1 said
03:45 PM Apr 21, 2019
Landy,
Hearing testing organisations are usually on commission (kick backs) from suppliers of all different hearing aid brands. They will recommend the one they will make the most money from.
Personally I only use LIONS HEARING. Very credible and all staff are well qualified and LIONS HEARING do not align themselves with any particular hearing aid supplier.
markf said
05:54 PM Apr 21, 2019
As Aussie1 says - most hearing places make a commission on what they sell. The bigger the commission the harder they'll push. When you call to make an appointment ask about commissions and if they either won't say (common) or hum and hah and try and skirt the question just thank them for their time and go somewhere else.
I went to Hidden Hearing and when I called to make the appt I was told that they use the most appropriate hearing aid for my issues, brand notwithstanding as long as it appears on the govt. list. I chose the Unitron and after a few visits to fine tune the programming I reckon that they're brilliant.
Whenarewethere said
06:02 PM Apr 21, 2019
There was a program on ABC Radio National a few years ago, frightening the depth of up selling, selling products that were not going to make any improvement & the scale of sales commission & sales targets.
Another Royal Commission needed!
elliemike said
08:02 PM Apr 21, 2019
I use hearing aids
The ones I use are "Free" to those eligible
Australian seniors a benefit from one of the worlds most progressive hearing services programs. Our government understand the individual, social and financial burden of hearing loss and have created a scheme to ensure that seniors, pensioners and veterans can access FREE hearing services and digital hearing aids through accredited providers.
I had a trial of a pair that were going to cost $11.000.00 about 7 years ago. Then I asked can I try the FREE ones. Really !!!. Much hummm, ing and oooh, ing and " I dont know". But they had to let me try them.
Two weeks trial of the $11.000 expensive jobs then a two week trial of the "Free" ones
Sound / Hearing, was no difference to me.( I am not badly hard of hearing. Just Industrial Deafness from, Marine Engine Rooms, and Engineering Workshops.)
Earpiece Size was marginally bigger.
Difference was Size, plus "Bluetooth" ? did I need that ! (and perhaps I could get Channel 10 TV ?) All I needed was Hearing Aids.
I had the Free ones for five years. Now after five years I was given a new set that are upgraded.
Hope that helps
P.S. my Hearing Aids are "Oticon"
-- Edited by elliemike on Sunday 21st of April 2019 08:07:26 PM
markf said
11:24 PM Apr 21, 2019
elliemike wrote:
I use hearing aids
The ones I use are "Free" to those eligible
Mine were free as well - pensioner with moderate to severe hearing loss. At www.hearingservices.gov.au you'll be able find the eligibility criteria.
Aussie1 said
11:27 AM Apr 22, 2019
Landy,
Something else to consider. Check with whoever you decide to go with, what the yearly maintenance cost is, how many establishments do they have around Australia (important if travelling as most of us are), do they supply "loan" hearing aids in the event yours have to go back to the factory for repairs and or maintenance and ask what the expected life span is on the aids. My supplier PRIOR to going with LIONS HEARING CLINICS, were NOT able to meet all the above criteria. Good luck in making your choice.
delapan said
03:14 PM Apr 22, 2019
Hi landy, i have had otocon hearing for years, good service no probs with them, courtesy of vets affairs, regards
landy said
04:39 PM Apr 22, 2019
Thank you all for your input. its all very valuable information. I am going to get some like for like prices from some suppliers that are not tied to one brand before I make a final decision. unfortunately I do not qualify for any government assistance, and it is an awful lot of money. so it is important that I make the right choice the first time. Landy
aussie_paul said
05:07 PM Apr 22, 2019
Landy, use the search function as there have been a number of threads re hearing aids. Even people using Ebay cheapies and satisfied.
Aussie Paul.
landy said
07:52 PM Apr 22, 2019
Thanks Paul I have gone through a lot of threads on the subject in the past and I use an eBay cheapy at the moment for watching telly but sometimes it just doesn't do the job so I feel I need to go a stage further just don't want to get ripped off or make a mistake that I'm going to be stuck with for a while. but thanks for the post Cheers Landy.
Cheers Landy.
Hearing testing organisations are usually on commission (kick backs) from suppliers of all different hearing aid brands. They will recommend the one they will make the most money from.
Personally I only use LIONS HEARING. Very credible and all staff are well qualified and LIONS HEARING do not align themselves with any particular hearing aid supplier.
As Aussie1 says - most hearing places make a commission on what they sell. The bigger the commission the harder they'll push. When you call to make an appointment ask about commissions and if they either won't say (common) or hum and hah and try and skirt the question just thank them for their time and go somewhere else.
I went to Hidden Hearing and when I called to make the appt I was told that they use the most appropriate hearing aid for my issues, brand notwithstanding as long as it appears on the govt. list. I chose the Unitron and after a few visits to fine tune the programming I reckon that they're brilliant.
There was a program on ABC Radio National a few years ago, frightening the depth of up selling, selling products that were not going to make any improvement & the scale of sales commission & sales targets.
Another Royal Commission needed!
I use hearing aids
The ones I use are "Free" to those eligible
Australian seniors a benefit from one of the worlds most progressive hearing services programs. Our government understand the individual, social and financial burden of hearing loss and have created a scheme to ensure that seniors, pensioners and veterans can access FREE hearing services and digital hearing aids through accredited providers.
I had a trial of a pair that were going to cost $11.000.00 about 7 years ago. Then I asked can I try the FREE ones. Really !!!. Much hummm, ing and oooh, ing and " I dont know". But they had to let me try them.
Two weeks trial of the $11.000 expensive jobs then a two week trial of the "Free" ones
Sound / Hearing, was no difference to me.( I am not badly hard of hearing. Just Industrial Deafness from, Marine Engine Rooms, and Engineering Workshops.)
Earpiece Size was marginally bigger.
Difference was Size, plus "Bluetooth" ? did I need that ! (and perhaps I could get Channel 10 TV ?) All I needed was Hearing Aids.
I had the Free ones for five years. Now after five years I was given a new set that are upgraded.
Hope that helps
P.S. my Hearing Aids are "Oticon"
-- Edited by elliemike on Sunday 21st of April 2019 08:07:26 PM
Mine were free as well - pensioner with moderate to severe hearing loss. At www.hearingservices.gov.au you'll be able find the eligibility criteria.
Something else to consider. Check with whoever you decide to go with, what the yearly maintenance cost is, how many establishments do they have around Australia (important if travelling as most of us are), do they supply "loan" hearing aids in the event yours have to go back to the factory for repairs and or maintenance and ask what the expected life span is on the aids. My supplier PRIOR to going with LIONS HEARING CLINICS, were NOT able to meet all the above criteria. Good luck in making your choice.
Hi landy, i have had otocon hearing for years, good service no probs with them, courtesy of vets affairs, regards
before I make a final decision. unfortunately I do not qualify for any government assistance, and it is an awful lot of money. so it is important that I make
the right choice the first time.
Landy
Landy, use the search function as there have been a number of threads re hearing aids. Even people using Ebay cheapies and satisfied.
Aussie Paul.
but sometimes it just doesn't do the job so I feel I need to go a stage further just don't want to get ripped off or make a mistake that I'm going
to be stuck with for a while. but thanks for the post Cheers Landy.