Hearing loss is a common condition among people of all ages and from all walks of life. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found that 37.5 million U.S. adults have some form of hearing loss.
A large majority of this population, 28.8 million U.S. adults, have types of hearing loss that could benefit from using hearing aids. Yet among these 28.8 million people, only 30 percent of those 70 and older actually use hearing aids—a figure which drops to just 16 percent for those between 20 and 69.
There are many reasons why people who could benefit from hearing aids choose not to do so. Some people prefer not to admit their hearing loss, while others find hearing aids bothersome and difficult for daily use. Hearing aids can also make users feel “old,” and in many cases the cost of hearing aids remains a strong deterrent—typically between $2,000 and $7,000 for each ear.
In order to change the stigma around hearing aids and make them less expensive, companies such as TruHearing are offering low-cost plans for affordable hearing aids. But is TruHearing the best hearing aid solution on the market, or are there better alternatives to TruHearing available? This article will discuss everything you need to know about TruHearing:
What is TruHearing?
TruHearing is a managed care administrator and hearing aid provider that aims to offer affordable hearing aids by working with a variety of health plans. Founded in 2003, TruHearing is currently headquartered in Draper, Utah. The hearing aid manufacturer Sivantos Group acquired TruHearing in April 2018.
The goal of TruHearing is to provide customers with affordable hearing aids. However, it’s important to note that TruHearing does not manufacture any hearing aids itself, and it is not a health insurance provider either.
Instead, TruHearing is an independent company that offers discounts and savings on hearing aids. TruHearing purchases hearing aids from manufacturers, and then resells them to end users. The company acts as a middleman between you, your healthcare providers, and hearing aid manufacturers.
To use TruHearing, customers first need to have a phone conversation with a TruHearing “hearing consultant.” The TruHearing representative answers customers’ questions and then schedules an appointment with a local audiologist or hearing aid specialist who is affiliated with TruHearing.
During this appointment, the TruHearing-affiliated provider will perform a brief exam and make a diagnosis. The provider will then order the appropriate hearing aids from TruHearing, which will be ready for pickup a few days to a few weeks later. Throughout this process, TruHearing handles paperwork such as insurance policies and claims submissions.
Comparing Options When Purchasing Hearing Aids: Over-The-Counter (OTC) vs. from a Hearing Clinic
Consumers now have multiple options for where to purchase hearing aids. Depending on the method chosen, the price and convenience can differ dramatically.
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Traditional hearing aid providers
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Process: Consumers must go through an in-person hearing test at a hearing clinic and receive a recommendation from an audiologist or hearing aid specialist.
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Cost: $2,300 national average per hearing aid, or $4,600 for a pair. Costs may go much higher. Even Costco hearing aids start at $1,499 per pair.
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Over-the-counter hearing aids
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Process: In August 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) created a new category of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. This has enabled millions of customers to buy hearing aids in stores or online without a prescription from a medical doctor.
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Cost: Because they cut out much of the medical red tape and barriers, over-the-counter hearing aids typically cost less than those bought from traditional hearing aid providers. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the average cost of OTC hearing aids is less than $1,500 per pair.
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MDHearing’s hearing aids
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Process: For more than a decade, MDHearing has pioneered the practice of selling affordable hearing aids directly to consumers. Founded by a doctor frustrated with the high price of hearing aids, MDHearing provides high-quality, FDA-registered hearing aids while cutting out the middleman. Consumers can order online or over the phone and receive their hearing aids in just a few days.
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Cost: As low as $299.98 per pair.
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TruHearing Pricing: How Much Does TruHearing Cost?
The out-of-pocket cost for hearing aids from a clinic varies widely, from a lower end of roughly $2,000 to an upper end of $7,000 for the most premium models. With prices for hearing aids so high, how much can you save using TruHearing?
As of writing, the TruHearing website claims that customers can save an average of $2,642 per hearing aid pair versus retail prices by using its services. However, the accurate price of TruHearing hearing aids depends both on the hearing aid model you select, as well as your health insurance benefits. TruHearing works with more than 5,000 providers across the country and is compatible with a variety of healthcare plans, including certain Medicare plans.
There are two main programs that TruHearing customers have access to:
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TruHearing Choice: This option is the most widely available of TruHearing’s services. According to the company, TruHearing Choice customers have options priced between $695 and $2,250 per hearing aid, with products from multiple hearing aid manufacturers. There are four tiers of TruHearing Choice products: basic, standard, advanced, and premium.
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TruHearing Select: This option requires customers to pay small copayments in exchange for receiving digital, smartphone-compatible hearing aids. The company claims that TruHearing Select customers can see a “significant” reduction in their out-of-pocket expenses. There are two tiers of TruHearing Select products: advanced (starting at $1,195 per hearing aid) and premium (starting at $1,495 per hearing aid). Customers that choose this option only have access to TruHearing brand hearing aids (manufactured by Sivantos/Signia).
Regardless of which plan you use, all TruHearing products come equipped with a 60-day trial and a 3-year warranty that protects against loss, damage, or manufacturer defects. TruHearing also provides 80 free batteries for non-rechargeable hearing aids.
Finally, the cost of TruHearing hearing aids includes a year of follow-up visits to hearing aid providers for fittings and consultations. After that, the customer will need to pay for any further visits out of pocket.
How Does TruHearing Work With Hearing Clinics?
TruHearing partners with hearing clinics across the country to offer hearing aids to their customers. The details of the process are as follows:
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TruHearing signs a contract with a hearing clinic.
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The clinic receives a certain amount of money for each hearing test and hearing aid selection appointment it performs.
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After the hearing aid fitting appointment, TruHearing pays clinics a contracted fitting fee.
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Patients pay TruHearing directly for the hearing aids. The devices are ordered only after 50 percent of the balance is paid, with the remainder due to TruHearing at the time of pickup.
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Clinics are encouraged to keep patients in their plan (i.e., not moving a patient with a TruHearing Select plan to a Choice plan instead).
TruHearing Products
With that said, what are the hearing aids available through TruHearing?
TruHearing offers a wide selection of hearing aid products through its catalog. The hearing aid manufacturers available through TruHearing include Signia, Starkey, Widex, Oticon, Phonak, and ReSound. The company also offers its own TruHearing brand hearing aids, which are manufactured by Sivantos/Signia and available in a variety of models and colors.
As mentioned above, TruHearing offers hearing aids in four price tiers: basic, standard, advanced, and premium.
The ReSound Enya 2 is an example of a TruHearing standard hearing aid. It includes features such as Digital Feedback Suppression (DFS) technology, adaptive and fixed directionality, and a ReSound smartphone app for fine-tuning performance.
Image Source: www.TruHearing.com
The Widex Evoke 330 is an example of a TruHearing advanced hearing aid. It includes features such as noise reduction for wind and soft noises and a “zen” mode to help with tinnitus.
Image Source: www.TruHearing.com
The Phonak Naida B 70 is an example of a TruHearing premium hearing aid. It includes advanced features such as “UltraZoom,” which helps “zoom in” on people’s voices during a noisy conversation, and “SNR-Boost,” a high-tech algorithm to improve the signal-to-noise ratio.
Image Source: www.TruHearing.com
TruHearing Reviews
TruHearing claims that you can save money on hearing aids by using their services. But what do TruHearing users have to say for themselves?
It’s always a risk when you use a new medical provider, so naturally, you might have questions like “Is TruHearing a scam?” The good news is that most TruHearing reviews report largely positive experiences with the company.
TruHearing has an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Facebook, based on 254 user opinions. Reviewer Sharon Loar says:
I love TruHearing. I have worn hearing aids for 10 years and TruHearing aids are the best I have had. I am amazed at how much better I can hear. I purchased mine in the Mooresville, NC office and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable. The audiologist knows just how to adjust my hearing aids to give me quality hearing. Excellent pricing and quality product. I am so happy I found this company.”
Another 5-star review for TruHearing on Facebook comes from Pam Welker Stuckey, who writes:
My experience with TruHearing was wonderful. My sister told me about them and I gave them a call. They set up my actual first visit with the provider I wanted and even followed up on a problem I had. It was resolved within minutes. I totally recommend them to anyone who is having trouble paying for your hearing aids.”
Despite the generally positive reception, not all customers are happy with TruHearing products. For example, TruHearing has only an average review of 2 out of 5 stars on Yelp, based on 37 user opinions.
Reviewer Will J. on Yelp says:
I bought new hearing aids from TruHearing 5 weeks ago. The first week they were so loud and distorted I could not stand to wear them. I called back the next day. It took a week to get back in to see the technician. He told me that when using digital aids like mine, one could not tell that you were wearing them. For the next several days I could not hear anything and didn't hear the aids beep when turned on. I called for another appointment and it took a week to set that date. I did not wear them for this last week because they didn't work. I plan on going back at the appointment date and taking them back for a refund.”
Yelp reviewer Jo C. is also dissatisfied with the quality of TruHearing customer service, writing:
TruHearing provided adequate hearing aids, but it has been a nightmare dealing with their local provider, and the TruHearing customer service is no help. My health insurance (Humana) recommends only TruHearing, so I used them vs. Costco. I wanted a reputable local audiologist but TruHearing sent me to Revolution Hearing (Virginia Beach), which appears to be one tiny and mostly empty room in a locked hallway, a phone answering service, and not even a sign on the door… The aids were delivered without a battery charger, so I took a "loaner" intended for another customer. A month later, the charger (and a mobile charger I paid an extra $250 for) have not been delivered, and I am getting the runaround from everyone involved. This company is obviously cutting corners in every way possible and shortchanging their customers.”
To date, TruHearing has received 17 user complaints on the Better Business Bureau website in the past three years. The company has answered or resolved all of these complaints, giving TruHearing an A+ BBB rating.
However, the BBB website also contains 14 customer reviews of TruHearing with an extremely poor average rating of 1.07 out of 5 stars. Customer Duwaine S. writes:
This is my fourth set of hearing aids and by far the worst. Thought I would take advantage of my insurance and get a deal on these aids. Like they say, you get what you pay for. I can hardly understand anybody I talk to on a daily basis. Had an adjustment done, but nothing seems to help.”
TruHearing Alternative: MDHearing
Whether you purchase a TruHearing hearing aid or not, you owe it to your hearing (and your pocketbook) to investigate some of the highly dependable (and far less expensive) TruHearing alternatives on the market. MDHearing offers a compelling option.
What if you could get a pair of premium hearing aids for $299 (instead of $3000)?
Born of a manufacturing philosophy that asks, “Do hearing aids really need to be so expensive?” MDHearing offers superior-quality hearing aids at a fraction of the price of competing manufacturers. MDHearing's doctor-designed, audiologist-tested, and FDA-registered hearing aids provide everything you need for better hearing.
MDHearing keeps your costs down by cutting out the middleman and eliminating the need to buy hearing aids from a specialist or hearing clinic. Order your hearing aids directly from MDHearing, and they’ll be delivered to your door in just a few days. Your hearing aids will be ready to use, right out of the box. Plus, MDHearing comes with a 45-day trial and 100% money-back guarantee, so trying a pair is absolutely risk-free.
We’d particularly like to emphasize our excellent U.S.-based customer support and telehealth services. Worried that you can’t set up your hearing aids yourself, or have a question about how hearing aids work? MDHearing’s on-staff audiologists and licensed hearing professionals can walk you through every step of the process—without any office visits or appointment fees. Our free lifetime care and support is available for you by email, phone, and video chat.
Here are some other noteworthy advantages of MDHearing:
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The same components as “expensive” hearing aids: MDHearing sources its microphones and receivers from the same manufacturers (Knowles and Sonion) that high-end hearing aid companies use.
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Customized fit (without a specialist): MDHearing offers different sizes of clear tubing, tips, and ear domes to accommodate nearly all ear sizes comfortably. You don’t have to pay extra for a professional to customize them to your ears.
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U.S.-based company with more than a decade of experience: MDHearing isn’t a scam or a fly-by-night operation. We were founded in 2009 by a Chicago ENT (ear, nose, throat) doctor who was fed up with the high price of hearing aids. Since then, we’ve helped more than 750,000 people with hearing loss.
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Affordable models designed for the majority of consumers: Our on-staff audiologists have designed our hearing aids to fit the hearing loss profile of 94 percent of consumers. This means our hearing aids work right out of the box for the majority of people—and if not, you can return them for a full refund. Consumers can take MDHearing’s free online hearing test or send previous results to our audiologists and get a personalized recommendation on which hearing aid will best fit their needs.
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Advanced model with a hearing check included: Our VOLT MAX rechargeable hearing aid model comes with an app that creates a customized sound profile and programs the hearing aids based on your specific hearing needs.
MDHearing Reviews
Don’t just take our word for it—MDHearing has received a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars from Consumers Advocate. MDHearing customer Brad writes:
This is my second pair of hearing aids and if I could go back in time, I would have been much happier with the hearing aids I purchased from your company. The old ones were 4 years old and I originally paid $3,000. In that time, they needed to be repaired 4 times. I have had these VOLT hearing aids for 4 days and I cannot believe the wonderful sound quality. My old ones always caused me to hear things that hindered me from hearing the sounds I wanted to or needed to hear… Thank you for all your hard work to make listening a real pleasure again.”
Users on the online review platform Sitejabber have given MDHearing an average rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 39 reviews. Richard M. writes:
My wife and I tried hearing aids from $2500 each to $500 each. Then we found MDHearing online and ordered the VOLT. They work as good, if not better, than the $2500 ones. We had questions on the fit and charging. We called twice and got knowledgeable agents (they're all in the USA) who listened and answered to our complete satisfaction. Wow: great hearing, great customer service, and great prices. 5 stars all the way!”
Conclusion
Most TruHearing customers seem to be satisfied with the service, giving the company high marks. TruHearing provides hearing aids in basic, standard, advanced, and premium models, and offers two different programs (TruHearing Choice and TruHearing Select) for customers to choose from. TruHearing devices come with a risk-free trial period and a 3-year warranty to cover any defects.
However, a minority of TruHearing reviewers complain about issues such as poor-quality products and deficient customer service. For these reasons, TruHearing customers should also investigate TruHearing alternatives such as MDHearing to find the solution that best meets their needs and budget. MDHearing offers a variety of affordable, high-quality hearing aids, paired with top-notch support and a 100% money-back guarantee.
Are you looking for affordable, high-quality hearing aids that won’t break the bank? MDHearing can help. Get in touch with us today so we can help you decide which products are the right fit for your situation.
Want to see if MDHearing hearing aids will work for you? Take our quick and easy online hearing test and get your results instantly.
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