If you've read my previous reviews, you'll find I don't write negative reviews. Instead, my mission is to steer folks in the direction to get superior service and good value. Enough said.
It's been twenty years since I turned on closed captions on my TV - I was watching an episode of "The West Wing" , when all of a sudden, the Bartletts were in a helicopter. There didn't seem to be any logical transition that made sense as the previous scene was Sam and CJ walking down a corridor and whispering. When i rewound I still couldn't make out what was said. So, I turned on closed captions and they said the secret service has found the Bartletts kidnapped daughter. Guessing that wasn't the only dialog I didn't hear, I never turned the closed captions off.
Fast forward twenty years - twenty years of my saying "what?", "excuse me", especially in crowded restaurants or indoor gatherings. Movie theaters? Forget it. The last theatrical release I attended was "Iron Man II" (yes, 2010). My daughter as a birthday gift took me to see "The Book of Mormon" at the Pantages - well, that was a disaster (2012).
Why didn't I get hearing aids then? My mom was profoundly hard of hearing and my sisters and I spent thousands of dollars on hearing aids that had literally no effect - for the last ten years of her life I attended every doctor's appointment since her coping mechanism was to simply nod her head at whatever the doctor said, never having the slightest clue what the doctor wanted her to know. Until we got her a TTY device she refused to use the phone. Voice mail messages went unreturned.
My daughter knows I'm a huge fan of Jordan Peele and Keegan Michael-Key ever since their comedy days, and wanted to take me to see Jordan Peele's new movie "Nope" and I declined saying I'd wait for the DVD release. I was not prepared for her response - suffice it to say she was not pleased and insisted I schedule another hearing test.
I'm on Medicare with a Medicare Advantage plan from SCAN, so I called the benefits office and while I was slightly taken aback to learn they only paid a portion of hearing aids from only one vendor - True Hearing - and their representative in the Orange County area is Walt Kelly at the Hearing Experience. Well, I may be old, but I ain't dumb -this sounded like a sweetheart deal to me. And, yes, I was right - it was a sweetheart deal - FOR ME! Since SCAN refers all members to this single vendor they cut a mutually beneficial incredible deal. The last pair of my mom's hearing aids (and this was her fourth pair in ten years) was $5000 (average price of a pair of hearing aids from conventional (read audiologist commercial store fronts) sources is $4600)- and that was at Costco and while they wouldn't reveal the retail price they assured us there was a healthy discount.
When Scan told me my copay would be $750 ($800 for rechargeable - getting those stupid little button batteries for my mom was a huge hassle) - I thought I'd be getting el cheapos (like my buddy got from the VA) - so I was resolved not to purchase until I had "shopped around". Yeah, I'm old, cranky AND cynical.
But then, I met Walt Kelly - yes, he's a salesman, but more than that, he's a professional - after an hour of testing and discussion AND a 60 day return guarantee policy, I decided to give them a try. I had gotten into the habit of wearing my Apple Airbuds while walking or at the gym, so I asked Walt about it - these are bluetooth just like the airbuds, you don't need 'em anymore.
Well it's been two weeks, I've turned down the volume on my TV, my computer and my iPhone. The games on the computer have sounds I've never heard, I never put the iPhone on speaker since the sound is delivered via bluetooth right to my ears. Furthermore, my apartment has hardwood floors and I kept hearing the strangest "slapping" sound that stopped when I stopped - yep, my bare feet on those hardwood floors.
But wait - there's more! Remember the Airbuds? I was never a fan of the Dave Matthew's Band as I found his harmonies and instrumentation too pedestrian for me - well, had i been able to hear the more subtle shading in the music that I can hear now, I probably would be a fan as I am now.
Thanks for reading this far - we're almost done. Simply, if you're a SCAN member with hearing loss - you can't do better. And, if you're NOT a member - go see Walt anyway - he won't steer you wrong. Can't say what price you'll pay but it'll be worth it. Peace, out. read more
