If you're thinking of going to the Natural Hearing Center, be sure to take notes, double-check everything, and make no assumptions!
Our company's insurance started covering hearing aids January 1st this year. I've had hearing loss for some time and was excited to finally get new hearing aids. I was particularly interested in the new Bluetooth capability I'd been reading about.
I decided to try the Natural Hearing Center in Rogers as long as they were in-network with our insurance (worth $5,000 out of pocket expense to me). No one at the Rogers office knew if they were in or out of network, but they thought that they probably were because they "did a lot of business" with our plan administrator. I gave them my plan information and asked them to check before I scheduled an appointment. They called and came up with a quote that was consistent with in-network provider. So, I scheduled an appointment for January 7th.
As it turned out, Natural Hearing Center was NOT in network with ANY insurance plans. The person who handles their insurance knew they were out-of-network before they filed the claim. Even though I had gone out of my way to make sure the Rogers office knew how important it was for them to be in-network no one said anything to me before the claim was filed. I only found out when the claim was declined as an out-of-network deductible. I asked Natural Hearing Centers home office about it; wondering why I had been misled, I was told that it wouldn't matter, anyway; that few if any of the hearing aid providers were in-network with any insurance plans. I had to correct her by pointing out several within a few miles listed on the insurance company's web site.
The next 8-10 months were a nightmare.
1. The Bluetooth option was terrible. I took it back but was told that a software upgrade would fix the issues. I waited. It didn't help. The option came in a remote control that had some value without the Bluetooth. Since I was told that the cost for the option would be included in the insurance claim, I kept it while the claim was in process. It took 8-9 months to get the claim processed because NHC was out of network. I didn't find out that the Natural Hearing Center didn't include it until the claim was settled (at least 8 months later) and I was given a final balance. I would NOT have agreed to keep it if I had known it would cost me $900 out of pocket.
2. Because Natural Hearing Centers was NOT in network, getting insurance to pay the claim became a second job. I wouldn't have had to deal with it if Natural Hearing Center had been up front with me about their out-of-network status.
3. The owners certainly don't present a "satisfaction guaranteed" attitude. I raised my concerns but got little more than excuses, incorrect information, arguments, and personal insults. The only consolation offered was about a $200 write-off of the $6000 cost (3% for a bad Bluetooth implementation, the stress, and work I had to do?!?) The Bluetooth alone (that I didn't get) was worth more than that - salt in an open wound.
4. After everything everything else - after I paid my balance in full - the owner's husband intentionally or by accident cc'd me on an email he sent to his wife citing the Rogers receptionist as calling me a jerk the day I paid off my balance. I guess I shouldn't have asked her twice to make sure my name and contact information were removed from their database; shouldn't have told her that I wanted nothing more to do with their company; and should have thanked her for making my summer so much more pleasant...
SO...
Learn everything you can about all of the available hearing aids BEFORE you select a provider. Don't trust that the provider won't favor one product over another for the wrong reason.
If you're thinking about using insurance to get hearing aids, check with your insurance company to find an approved provider - don't trust the providers to know what they're talking about, especially if the office you're in doesn't deal directly with processing the claims.
Don't believe that all providers are out-of-network. There ARE in-network providers. Stay involved and make sure the provider is up front with you through the whole process. Double check EVERYTHING with your insurance before you commit to ANYTHING.
If you're thinking about Bluetooth, don't expect too much, get a satisfaction guarantee in writing before you make the commitment, or go somewhere that the audiologist has experienced the product, understands it's limitations, and can speak intelligently about the quality.
Since you're reading this, you're probably thinking about doing business with Natural Hearing Centers. MOST of the people seem nice. Just understand that they may be nice to your face (when you're paying your bill) then call you names behind your back! read more
