If you’ve been thinking about getting hearing aids but keep telling yourself you’ll “take care of it later,” you’re not alone. Every fall and winter, our offices receive a surge of calls from patients hoping to use their hearing aid benefits before the end of the year. While we do everything we can to accommodate everyone, waiting until the last minute can make the process much more stressful than it needs to be.
Here are a few reasons why it’s best to start the process sooner rather than later:
- Your insurance benefits may expire
- Many insurance plans, including those with hearing aid benefits, operate on a calendar-year basis. If your plan includes an annual benefit or an allowance that renews each year, any unused benefits may be lost when the year ends. In many cases, they don’t roll over into the following year.
- Getting hearing aids isn’t a one-day process
- Many people are surprised to learn that receiving hearing aids involves more than simply picking them up. The process typically includes:
- A comprehensive hearing evaluation
- Reviewing your hearing test results and discussing lifestyle needs
- Verifying insurance and 3rd party benefits
- Selecting the hearing aids that are right for you
- Making sure you are medically cleared to wear hearing aids (if required)
- Ordering the devices
- Programming the hearing aids during your fitting appointment
- Follow-up appts for adjustments and more
- Many people are surprised to learn that receiving hearing aids involves more than simply picking them up. The process typically includes:
- Appointment availability becomes limited
- As the end of the year approaches, our offices become much busier. Patients who have waited until November or December often find that appointment times are more limited than they expected. Scheduling earlier in the year gives you more flexibility to choose appointment times that work best for you and helps avoid unnecessary delays.
- Insurance verification can take time
- Depending on your insurance plan or third-party, benefit verification and authorization may take days or sometimes even weeks.
- Manufacturer shipping times can vary
- Shipping times can occasionally be affected by holidays, high demand, or manufacturer production schedules, so it’s best to start the process as soon as possible.
Whether you’ve already been diagnosed with hearing loss or you’ve noticed that conversations have become more difficult, don’t wait until the holiday rush to schedule your appointment. Our team here at Gardner Audiology is happy to verify your hearing aid benefits, explain your coverage, and guide you through every step of the process. By starting early, you’ll avoid the year-end rush, make the most of your insurance benefits, and have plenty of time to begin to enjoy better hearing. Don’t let your hearing aid benefits go unused. Contact our office today at 800-277-1182 to schedule your hearing aid evaluation and let us help you take your first step towards better hearing (before the end-of-year rush begins).
