What Makes a Premium Level Hearing Aid Premium?     

When I speak with people that are considering purchasing a hearing aid one of the questions I am often asked is "aren't all hearing aids the same?"  and "why are some hearing aids more expensive than others?"  These are actually great questions to ask.  First of all, let me explain what a premium level hearing aid is and how they can differ. A premium level hearing aid should be the best available technology.  They should have the most features to help you hear in the most difficult listening environments like restaurants and group events.  People with active lifestyles will benefit the most from those features.  The computer chips that power hearing aids have gotten incredibly fast and intelligent.  With wireless features and bluetooth, more advance directional microphones, noise reduction, and feedback suppresion, a faster computer chip allows all of those features to work together and provide you with the best possible hearing in a multitude of environments.

There are a lot of places now to get hearing aids that are touted as "premium"  but that is not necessarily true in many cases.  Big box stores and even drug stores claim that they are selling premium products.  In most cases, those products were, at one time, premium products.  Some are even made by very respected hearing aid companies.  The thing is, just because at one time they were premium, does it mean that 2 or 3 years later they are still premium?  To me, premium means the best.  The highest level of technology available.  How can those hearing aids still be premium if there are higher levels of technology available?  Most of these places use technology that our clinic was working with 2-3 years ago.  We have moved on to newer and better technology.

Hearing aid technology is on par with mobile phones and most hearing aid companies introduce new hearing aids every 1-2 years.  That doesn't sound like a lot of time but in today's world it really is!  If I purchased a new computer or mobile phone that was advertised as premium and found out later that they were actually giving me old technology I would be irate.  So why is that ok with hearing aids?  

                              

What can I do about my tinnitus?

Tinnitus can take many forms and seems to be different for most individuals. Tinnitus is sound perceived by an individual and no one else. My patients have reported hearing buzzing, ringing, humming, chirping, pulsating, crickets, knocking and sizzling to name a few of the sounds. Some get a combination of sounds. The cause of it can vary, but the most common cause is damage to the cochlea or inner ear, many times it is damage caused by noise exposure. Since the ear is directly connected to the brain via the 8th nerve, it is believed to originate in the ear/brain connection. When the cochlea is damaged, it can no longer provide the brain the information that the brain expects to receive. The brain then "pumps" the ear for more information, causing the ear to emit an internal noise. That noise can be barely audible or it can be so prominent that some people can no longer cope. Usually it is more noticeable in quiet situations, as external noises can usually mask the internal noise. It is important to see a doctor to make sure it is not a sign of something more serious. A hearing test is usually the first test performed. Most tinnitus sufferers do have hearing loss but not all. Wearing hearing aids helps about 80% of the time.  I will discuss other remedies in a future post. 

The Medi-Cal Misunderstanding

On January 15, 2013 California implemented a change in the reimbursement policy for hearing aid providers. The change effectively cuts our reimbursement by over 50%! last year they made a retroactive 10% cut and actually took back money from us that they already paid. Try running a business and budgeting for that!
A few years ago they completely cut reimbursement for all Audiology testing such as hearing tests and hearing aid evaluations.
Providers will no longer be able to service Medi-Cal patients for hearing related services and stay in business. As I write this, we are in the process of closing down one if our offices and laying off staff members. If not resolved soon there will be more closures and layoffs. My business is not the only one affected and all of the providers I've spoken to will be forced to do the same.
The real victims here are the hearing impaired Medi-Cal patients, who instead of being able to choose from a small list of local providers, will have to travel 15-30 miles to find a provider willing to accept the ridiculous reimbursement being offered.
I for one continue to fight for my patients rights. I have sent numerous letters to Governor Brown and Toby Douglas and have visited our local legislators to implore them to reconsider. Our professional groups are also working to fix this issue. We are now asking our Medi-Cal patients to send letters as well. if you want to help us please let me know.

It just makes sense

There are 5 human senses. Which one is most important? Or are they all important? If we lose even part of any one of our 5 senses, it would diminish the enjoyment and appreciation we have for life. Can you imagine if we didn't have such sensitive taste buds and couldn't enjoy our favorite foods like we used to? Or if our sense of touch was gone and we could no longer appreciate that soft blanket or how it feels to touch a baby's soft cheek!
Each and every sense that most of us were blessed to be born with plays a role in our life's enjoyment.
Of course you knew the sense that I appreciate the most; the sense of hearing!
I am so grateful to be able to hear. I do not take for granted the ability to easily enjoy having a great conversation in almost any environment. I am truly thankful that I am able to hear and enjoy music, movies, television, and even talk radio! Hearing well means being aware and involved in our environment.
Hearing should not be taken for granted and I for one am proud to say that better hearing just makes sense.

Our team is the best!

Last night I watched two NBA basketball games. The Los Angeles Lakers were in Portland playing the Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers were at Staples Center playing the Memphis Grizzlies. Any other year I would have been more interested in the Laker game. This year is different because the Clippers have a group of players who play together as a team while the Lakers superstar parts are still struggling to find their identity.
Is teamwork that important to the success of a franchise or business? The answer is definitely yes! At Arcade Hearing Aid Center, we believe our teamwork is one of our biggest strengths. Much of that credit goes to our front-office personnel. Faith and Fabby make sure our patients are treated with respect, kindness, and understanding. We know our patients appreciate them because we get compliments about them on a daily basis. I have worked at many clinics and I see the difference that having a great team behind you can make for us and our patients. We are very lucky to have such a wonderful staff.
Now if I have to compare Arcade Hearing to either the Lakers or Clippers, I prefer the Laker comparison because, like us, the Lakers have such a long tradition of excellence. However, this may be the time for businesses to strive to be more like the Clippers. Go teamwork!

Our new location!

We have completed our move to the new location! Our new address is:
1911 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica Ca 90403
(310)829-6444

Please begin using our new phone number immediately. We had some problems the last few days. Verizon was supposed to forward calls to our new number but didn't. We apologize for any inconvenience that may have caused. We believe we have contacted everyone who left a message.
Anyhow, our team has been working hard to organize everything at the new place and we are almost there!
It is our hope that most will find our new location more convenient. We have a parking lot in the back and plenty of metered spots in front. We are close to both Saint Johns and UCLA/Santa Monica Hospitals and many of the worlds best doctors. It is sad to leave Downtown Santa Monica but, as George Jefferson used to say, "We're moving on up!"

Big Business VS Small Business

It seems like more and more Hearing Aid Manufacturers are opening up or buying Hearing Aid Clinics. This may mean that the end is nearing for the "Little Guys." Back in the day, most Hearing Aid Clinics were run by individuals or were family run. These clinics were able to provide a level of service and personal touch that cannot be achieved in a big corporate environment. The more detached that the leaders of a company are, the harder it is to create a caring, friendly place to go to.
These clinics can usually only offer the one manufacturers product. This puts you the consumer at a disadvantage because it limits your choice, which is not a good thing.
Supporting local business, supporting small business, supporting individual business, and supporting family business is what you are doing when you choose Arcade Hearing Aid Center. We appreciate your support and hope we can continue to remain independent. We firmly believe that individual and personalized service is one of the major factors of success with hearing instruments. We are thankful for all of our supporters and look forward serving you well into the future.