BeltoneReviews of beltone.com

My appointment was at 9:00. The hearing specialist walked through the front door at 9:10. So…we were off to a great start. She brought me into her office, where she had prominently displayed a certificate designating her as an “Advanced Master Hearing Aid Practitioner.” Interestingly, it was signed by her own mother, who owns/runs that particular location. Okay then. She asked me a few questions and took me into the booth. She tested air-conduction thresholds, masked one ear…and then she was done. No bone conduction with masking. No speech reception threshold. No most comfortable listening level. No word recognition testing. No QuickSIN or other speech-in-noise testing. No UCLs. None of it. And then came the sales pitch. “Basic” hearing aids: $3,900. “Premier” hearing aids: $5,900. The Premier aids are literally the same technology as premium hearing aids I got elsewhere (Jabra Enhance Pro 30) for significantly less ($1699 with much better warranties and services). Earmolds? $100 each. Elsewhere, that same $100 can get you the pair. And Real Ear Measurement at the fitting? They don't do it. Now, the “Master Practitioner” was perfectly friendly and pleasant. No complaints there. But mercy! As a longtime hearing aid user and healthcare professional, I went into this knowing exactly what I was looking for. And it was quite eye-opening! People, please ask questions. Ask what testing is being performed. Ask whether your provider follows hearing-aid fitting best practices. Ask what is included in the price. And shop around before spending thousands of dollars. Because hearing aids are expensive enough without paying thousands more and potentially receiving less clinical care in the process, like what you'd get at Beltone!

I had an overnight hearing loss in one ear, and since my wife had already purchased hearing aids at the local Beltone office, I went there for evaluation. I explained the history of my hearing loss to Greg, the technician, and he conducted a hearing test. He recommended a set of hearing aids. I said I thought I should get a second opinion. He said that the tests showed that I had nerve damage. Mistakenly thinking that Greg was a health professional with many years of experience, I overcame my reluctance and agreed to buy the set of hearing aids. I went home with the top of the line hearing products. Several weeks later I accompanied my wife when she visited an otolaryngologist ENT specialist for a problem unrelated to hearing. While there I mentioned my own sudden hearing loss to him, He arranged an immediate hearing test for me. The test showed that I had fluid blocking my inner ear and no nerve damage. He subsequently inserted a tube to drain the fluid, which fully restored my hearing in that ear. I no longer needed hearing aids. Both the insurance company and I have wasted several thousand dollars, each.. Your Beltone tech is likely not a health professional but a hearing aid salesman. Please visit a REAL hearing specialist before you waste your money on something you don’t need.