I https://memberportal.audiology.org/Directories/Find-an-Audiologist?protected=falsethought I would post some basics for reference.  It's a confusing world out there.

ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) are physicians who treat diseases of the ear.  They know nothing about how to fit a hearing aid, or what kind of hearing aid to fit.  I see many a frustrated patient come to an ENT, thinking they will be prescribed a hearing aid, only to be told you have nerve deafness, there's nothing I can do for you, go get a hearing aid.  

Audiologists are professionals who diagnose the degree and type of hearing loss and fit appropriate hearing aids to the hearing loss.  An Audiologist will have a Master's degree or clinical doctorate degree (AuD).  They will test you and refer to an ENT if something needs to be treated.  

Hearing aid dealers or hearing instrument specialists - sell hearing aids but do  not have the educational background of an audiologist.  While some have dedicated their life to their profession and get educated, I have also seen a number of patients be fit with hearing aids who could have benefited from surgical correction, or have significant medical conditions missed. Their educational background does not include workups for tumors, pathology, central processing, tinnitus, balance.

Hearing aid delivery services come in several forms:

Bundled - one price and covers all service during the warranty period or life of the hearing aid.

Partially bundled - pay a price for the aid, the initial fitting, and a few follow up visits.

Unbudled - pay for the aid, and then service separately.  

Beware third party administrators and online by mail order, that sound good online.  Very restrictive and do not provide the professional services you need for a good fit.  Without a responsive, knowledgeable audiologist to fit the device properly, a hearing aid is an expensive paperweight.  It's not just the product you need, it's the knowledge of how to fit it.

Agree, I have a checkup with my ENT every year. It begins with a hearing test. I take the test to my audiologist who worked with me on hearing aid selection and tweeking thereof.

I do not think medicare will pay for an audiology check unless physician ordered.

Added: he cleans out my ears!

Correct jfkoc.  Medicare will often pay for a hearing test if medically necessary.  This includes initial diagnosis.   Annual check ups are not a covered benefit.    State licensure laws dictate whether an audiologist can do ear wax removal.  Some states yes, some no.

Beware the 'free' hearing test offered by some retail offices.  Hearing aid dealers and dispensers are not allowed to bill insurance for hearing tests because they are not able to become licensed providers for diagnostic audiology testing.   It's free (and often only a partial work up) because it has to be.  If you have a hearing loss, testing should include testing with headphones, testing with a tight headband called bone conduction, speech testing, and frequently impedance testing to make sure you don't have middle ear fluid or a structural problem.  

There must be some inconsistency state to state although you would think that Medicare would be consistent.

Medicare pays for my annual ENT visits which include audiology testing. 

I keep going that route because i did not think Medicare would pay for my audiologist to do the testing. I am going to check on that...she is wonderful and I would just as soon have her to the testing.

Thanks for the FYI

jfkoc, what you are doing is sound.  Unfortunately, because a physician is a physician, they sometimes can do things that an audiologist alone cannot, whether or not it is above board.  Medicare is unlikely to question it because it is along with a medical visit. 

Ask your audiologist if you get a script for 'hearing test' if they are able to bill Medicare for you.

thank you for sharing this!

when I get my insurance straightened out (!?!) I will go to medical doctor for referral for help with hearing loss. I think I was told it was from "nerve damage" years ago.

If all I need is more volume can I get a cheap online hearing aid to wear for television viewing? My hearing loss is annoying Habib enough to have me tense about volume and even with bedroom door shut and pillows surrounding my computer he complains from his bedroom he can hear my night time audiobooks. 

Pretty sure I will lose them or put them down and have them stepped on. I will reread your info later, really appreciate this. Straining to hear, guessing words, all reduce brain function and complicate stuff.

Something like this would help with the TV: but be sure the TV is compatible.

https://tinyurl.com/y5bbaa9h

Personal hearing aid will help in all situations, this headphone is only for the TV.

We used these for years;

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-whrf400-rf-wireless-headphones-blac

You can get a plug in head set  for under $20 for your audio books ...it will also work for your phone, tablet etc.........

earphones;

Sony MDR-ZX110 - ZX Series - headphones - on-ear - wired - 3.5 mm jack - white

you can get smaller earbuds but these look easy and comfortable.

the thing ablout hearing is that clarity as well asw volume can be affected....King Boo can explain better than I

Does anyone know?  Do noise cancelling headphones really work?  I used earbuds on the airplane but had a very hard time hearing the dialogue on the movies due to the roar of the engines.  

I have noticed that I don't hear speech well when there is ambient noise, but when the surroundings are quiet, my hearing is fine.

Iris

JFKOC - I am looking into these headphones, plus thank you for tip on Swiffer - light weight easy on my back, easy to use.

I take advice and suggestions when given to me here but am suspicious f someone tells me in person. Ha!

*****

I think when I find some hearing help there will be nothing much else I need to do in getting used to living in my new place. My room here is cozy and I am happy I am here, it was good idea to get out of my old house. I could never have finished cleaning it up and I needed the help I am getting here with dog and food and stuff/

appreciate all the support and the hearing help could help a lot of us in more ways than we even knew.

alz+, good luck to you in your cozy room.  Quiet environments are always the best for people with hearing loss.  Background noise is challenging even for those of us with normal hearing.

jfkoc, it's complicated, but diagnostic tests can reveal your clarity question.  The anatomy of each ear is different, but in a nutshell, there are outer hair cells that protect the inner hair cells in the inner ear.  Hearing loss occurs with damage to both, but once the outer hair cells are gone and the inner hair cells are no longer protected, the clarity decreases.   Hearing aids help with both conditions, but it is important to understand your problem so your expectations are realistic.   

Noise cancelling earphone function to increase the signal to noise ratio and thereby help hear the primary message but will not correct for any underlying hearing loss, unless it is streaming/working through to your hearing aids

How can the ear buds work so well and how did the blue tooth ear phones work for my husband who was a candidate for a coechlear (sp) implant?

Thank you for the info about noise-cancelling headphones, King Boo.  I don't have hearing aids, just my ears.  

Iris

King Boo - found audiologist with degree 15 miles away.

Thank you for pointing out differences, your info steered me in right direction.

I am not processing info for some reason, should probably write down suggestions with pen and paper. Kind of in a blur.

Great, alz+!   It's helpful to bring someone with you - too much information for anyone to absorb!  Good to have 2 sets of ears, so to speak.

Good luck.

Agree on this one. I ordered my mom custom ear plugs with filters https://audiologyisland.com/services/custom-hearing-protection/ and it was one of the best decisions ever. It is important to protect our hearing before it is too late and there is no way back.