Did you know that when you get hearing aids at Costco, Sam’s Club and from some providers, like Audigy, the hearing aids are locked?
What this means is that the software in the hearing aid is locked, so that you cannot just take your hearing aids wherever you would like for service. This may never be a problem, or it could turn into a huge problem.
If you are like many of my patients who live somewhere else in the summer, you may not be able to get your hearing aids serviced if you have a problem. If you decide that you aren’t getting great service where you bought your hearing aids and want to change to an audiologist who can better meet your needs, you can’t. So, that great price isn’t so great after all.
Last week I saw a very nice man who was given hearing aids by the widow of a friend. I wanted very much to help him out, reprogram the hearing aids and show him how they worked. I wasn’t able to do this because the hearing aids were from Costco. The audiologist at Costco wasn’t willing to help him, so now the almost new hearing aids are worthless. What a shame.
As an independent audiologist, I will never work with a hearing aid manufacturer or buying group that locks their hearing aids. The hearing aid wearer deserves better than this.
Susan E. Terry, Au.D., F-AAA
Doctor of Audiology
Board Certified
P.S. We are here to help, if you have any questions about your hearing feel free to give us a call at 727-323-2471.