Looking for new ear molds? are ear molds being phased out?

zeefour

zeefour

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As I'm sure a lot of you have seen, I've been struggling to update my hearing aid after switching from Tricare military insurance to Medicaid. I've been looking at private companies where I can buy a new one out of pocket. I'm running into a lot of places that say they don't offer ear molds and that "the industry has been shifting away from ear molds". I haven't heard that before, and I'm kind of skeptical. I would normally ask my audiologist who I had forever but she is in Hawai'i and I no longer have military insurance to talk to her. I haven't found a good audiologist at all in CO with Medicaid.

Anyone know anything about this? I've been trying to do my own research and just keep finding these companies, so I don't know who to trust. Thanks!
 
zeefour said:
As I'm sure a lot of you have seen, I've been struggling to update my hearing aid after switching from Tricare military insurance to Medicaid. I've been looking at private companies where I can buy a new one out of pocket. I'm running into a lot of places that say they don't offer ear molds and that "the industry has been shifting away from ear molds". I haven't heard that before, and I'm kind of skeptical. I would normally ask my audiologist who I had forever but she is in Hawai'i and I no longer have military insurance to talk to her. I haven't found a good audiologist at all in CO with Medicaid.

Anyone know anything about this? I've been trying to do my own research and just keep finding these companies, so I don't know who to trust. Thanks!
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Earmold are still required for some hearing loss - like severe-to-profound with low frequency loss (that’s me).
 
LoveBlue said:
Earmold are still required for some hearing loss - like severe-to-profound with low frequency loss (that’s me).
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Okay that's what I thought. I have severe almost profound loss in the ear I need a new HA for, but have high frequency loss. Thank you for the response!
 
Not all deaf/hoh folks are going to be able to use the dome-things with their hearing aids, earmolds are a must for some people. Would be stupid of the hearing aid industry to do away with earmolds completely.

I don't know where you are at in Colorado, but if possible, check with Rocky Mountain Ear Center in Englewood. They do hearing aids and CIs. They deal with Medicaid (they handle all kinds of different insurances, including Medicare, and even worked with Wyoming medicaid for me when I was working on getting a CI).
 
I have heard anyone explicitly say they are being phased out but I have noticed a trend of shifting to domes and RIC type. I like earmolds. There are some online companies that supply DIY impression kits for earmolds to mail back and they send you the mold. I have used that for years with good results and reasonable prices.
 
zephren said:
I have heard anyone explicitly say they are being phased out but I have noticed a trend of shifting to domes and RIC type. I like earmolds. There are some online companies that supply DIY impression kits for earmolds to mail back and they send you the mold. I have used that for years with good results and reasonable prices.
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here is 1 company

https://lloydhearingaid.com/accessories/188/custom-earmold-bte--hard-lucite

https://lloydhearingaid.com/accessories/188/custom-earmold-bte--hard-lucite
 
I've never heard of earmolds being phased out. There are too many people who still need them. Myself included. Next time I go visit my audi I will ask her about this.
 
Thank you so so much everyone! @cdmeggers I've reached out to Rocky Mountain Ear Center. I'm from Eagle County but I've been living in the Denver area for school. When I switched from Tricare military to Medicaid, I had to get a new audiologist. I waited for almost two months to get into the audiologist at Denver Health, I didn't even get to see a doctor. I saw a tech who did my audiogram, it matched the ones I've had the last 10+ years since I got my BAHA implanted. Then she did the automatic test with the shoulder pad, said that test said I can hear and kicked me out. I'm like.... I've seen too many doctors and audis to count who have all agreed on my hearing loss, I have X-rays and CT scans and MRIs of my TBI and fractured temporal bone from when I was 6... I've been treated bad at a lot of doctors but that was up there. I called my PCP and demanded a new referral to a new audiologist, I found one in Parker taking new patients who was really nice to me, I haven't gotten in yet because my PCP is dragging his feet getting me my referral. He wants me to stay at Denver Health. I will go to a private strip mall clinic before I go back to that audiologist office at DGH.

@inmate23 That's exactly what I was looking for! I need new ear molds whether or not I get a new HA (I definitely want a new HA because I want the updated tech features so I can better connect to the new FM systems they have at my school and things like that.

@AlleyCat Thank you! I would normally ask my audi but she's back in Honolulu, I don't have an e-mail for her and she works at the army hospital so it's really hard to try to get in touch. I really want to find a new good audi here in CO on Medicaid.
 
Parker CO... I went to an audiologist there ant got my hearing aids from there (only time I paid out of pocket so far... )... they were nice. I have no idea if they're still there though because that was at least 17 years ago.
 
When I got my first pair and my new pair they didn't offer ear molds to me. I paid out of pocket for my first set, $140, at my ent.
Second set va paid for but I had to ask my audie for them. She was pushing for domes. I am severe to profound with auditory processing disorder, I use skeleton molds.
 
@zeefour I don't know your precise location, but I'll give some info I have in case it helps. I got my hearing aids and ear molds in Denver in 1996. I was unemployed and broke at the time and never saw a bill, so this may be of interest to you.

Center for Hearing Speech and Language
4280 Hale Parkway
Denver, CO. 80220

They also have a branch in Colorado Springs: 1785 N Academy Blvd, Suite 405.
 
cdmeggers said:
Not all deaf/hoh folks are going to be able to use the dome-things with their hearing aids, earmolds are a must for some people. Would be stupid of the hearing aid industry to do away with earmolds completely.

I don't know where you are at in Colorado, but if possible, check with Rocky Mountain Ear Center in Englewood. They do hearing aids and CIs. They deal with Medicaid (they handle all kinds of different insurances, including Medicare, and even worked with Wyoming medicaid for me when I was working on getting a CI).
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To follow up I'm seeing RMEC on Wed. Dec 6th. They could do as early as next Tuesday but I have an appointment for something else I've been waiting months for. They've been so great so far, I can't thank you enough for the recommendation! I have another appointment with a private clinic next week too. After I have those two appointments, I think I'll be able to make same decisions about my new model and finding a permanent audie here in Colorado!

@Ian MacGregor My neurologist is at that address, it's right next to Rose Medical Center. If things don't go well at the appointments I have the next two weeks, I'll check them out next!

When I was younger I went to whatever doctor my insurance said, or my parents found, or another doctor said, no matter how I was treated, if I understood them and their recommendations, etc. Now I feel more confident and assertive about finding an audie (and other doctors) who best fit my needs. I spend more time with my audiologist than my boyfriend, I want to find a good fit.
 
Yesterday my other hearing aid conked out. It's a Phonak, and I noticed this tiny white cylinder moved up the tube a bit, and I attempted to push it down a bit with a wire. I bolloxed it and will have to take them both into the shop. And have new earmolds fitted again. Honestly, I am not upset they are being phased out if they are. Lol
 
zephren said:
I have heard anyone explicitly say they are being phased out but I have noticed a trend of shifting to domes and RIC type. I like earmolds. There are some online companies that supply DIY impression kits for earmolds to mail back and they send you the mold. I have used that for years with good results and reasonable prices.
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That is b/c they're more money and that's where the profit is......
 
deafdyke said:
That is b/c they're more money and that's where the profit is......
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And the frequent repairs of RIC make them money. Sorry. I can't be getting transportation to the clinic whenever something goes wrong. Plus the inconveniences of not being able to switch modes or volume and not having binaural hearing while waiting.
 
Thanks everyone! My audie seems to want to get me with the dome ear buds but is concerned about background noise. Any recommendations for the best place to buy a good pair of ear molds online?
 
zeefour said:
Thanks everyone! My audie seems to want to get me with the dome ear buds but is concerned about background noise. Any recommendations for the best place to buy a good pair of ear molds online?
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Lloyds do a DIY earmold where they send you the stuff to make impressions then you send the impressions to Lloyds and they'll make you earmolds.
 
NaidaUP said:
Lloyds do a DIY earmold where they send you the stuff to make impressions then you send the impressions to Lloyds and they'll make you earmolds.
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NaidaUP we have so many members that live in the USA that I am not sure that many of our new members realize that the Boston where you reside is in the UK. I know I was confused at first. That makes me think that the Lloyds that you refer to is also in the UK. Is that correct?
 
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