Beltone Hearing Aids Reviews

So I contacted a place in Northern NC, where that guy quoted 400.00 per hearing aid. He also said "If everyone bought used hearing aids, I wouldn't be in business very long". Where are the ethics? It seems that these people only care about THEMSELVES, and YOUR money. Sure, I don't mind paying a reasonable amount to have this done, but I feel like I'm being punished. I cannot afford to buy new ones! I called Beltone's Home Office, and was told by a Customer Service Rep that she could NOT help me. If this is "fair" business practice, I apologize for this post.

I had never been happy with my hearing aids & my children told me they did not think I really needed them. Tired of almost 6 months of James ** adjusting them to help me, like them I gave up. I wrote him a letter along with the broken hearing aid & sent it to his office. The president & owner of Beltone says Mr. ** never got the letter & the president doesn't think I sent it. Funny that they were together & they got the hearing aid but not the letter. Well I notified my attorney general who did not think I had enough evidence for them to go forward so they recommended that I go to a lawyer.

They did tell me about a fairly new law that gives consumer fraud victims the right to file lawsuits against companies or individuals who allegedly defrauded them One of the key features is that the defendant will have to pay your attorney fees if you win. I could go on to complain about Mr. ** & the lies he told me but I will just save if for the courts. I remember him bragging about his family being Catholic & his only son going to the exclusive Dowling, His ownership of a hot air balloon & the many stories he told me about his family. He was a good talker that he was. I have been turned down on any return of my money & called a liar by the president.

I told the salesman, and he made an appointment for me to come in at 5:00 P.M. that day. I went and he said it was in my ear and he would try to get it out. He spent 20 minutes trying to get it out and injured my ear, and it was extremely painful. He said he couldn't get it out and to go to a doctor. I didn't sleep at all that night because of the pain. I was in a lot of pain where he scratched the inside of my ear. I had to make an appointment, which was very difficult, to find someone to remove this piece of vinyl in my ear. It cost me $25 to see a doctor after waiting the next day to 4:00 P.M., and she wasn't sure she could remove it; however, she did.

I only had the hearing aids for two weeks and paid for them, fortunately, with my Discover Card. So I am going to try and get my money back. I don't want to put these in my ears ever again. That was painful also.

The hearing aids were returned by certified mail and refused by the secretary. She stated on a phone call they were passed the time of return. She had filled in the remaining finance information on the contract and turned in the contract as a sale. There was no information from anyone that this was taking place. Payment book had been sent to a wrong mailing address. It wasn't until it reached the finance company on return mail. They must have contacted the selling office and got the correct mailing address. A contract was received the 1st of April from a finance company in the amount of $7,000.

I spoke to Fritz the operator of the Twin Falls office. He assured me that if Beltone would take them back due to the issues above, he would pay back the monies collected and it wasn't a problem with him. When the Beltone representative called Fritz, he lied to them and said he would not return the money from the sale. And so that's where we are at this time. My conclusion is Beltone has sales quotas. Operators have to lie to get their quotas in. Beware. It is not like doing business with the home folks. Their word and business are only as good as the people they hire.

After a total of 7 times and numerous adjustments, he still can't hear out of them. He was seen by Jay ** at Beltone for the adjustments. My dad requested his money back numerous times, but he was ignored. On Wednesday, 03/27/13, my mom and dad were at my sister's house. My mom had a small stroke TIA. My dad had no idea what was going on because he couldn't hear her and acknowledge that she was disoriented. She was released from the hospital on Thursday, 03/28/13, in the evening. On Friday, 03/28/2013, I was talking to mom on the phone and she had another small stroke. Again, dad had no idea because he couldn't hear her. I feel this is a huge safety health issue. It's a good thing that other family members were there so she could get proper medical care.

On 04/01/13 dad and I went to the Bloomington, MN Beltone together, but Jay was out on an appointment so we left the hearing aids with him. Originally, we were going to meet with him and maybe see if they would order a new pair, but my dad was so frustrated he decided he wanted his money back and go elsewhere. When we were driving over there, the feedback was so loud from one hearing aid that he actually had to take it out of his ear and remove the battery. On 04/04/13 I called **, the owner of Beltone, at his La Crosse office where he is based and left a message to call. I called him again on 04/05/13 and he finally returned my call. I explained the circumstances and requested he refund my dad his money. He refused to credit the Discover card and hung up on me.

He charged the hearing aids on his Discover card so I called them. They are attempting to get the money back from Beltone, but they said due to the time frame, the company may not even reply. On Wednesday, 04/10/2013, my dad picked up the hearing aids from Beltone due to the conversation with the owner and Discover card. I guess he felt he needed them in his possession. I truly think that this company is preying on the elderly, selling inferior products and not standing behind them. The company has a one star rating out of five stars.

It saddens me to think that the elderly are getting taken advantage of. I truly hope that more can be done with this company. This guy doesn't deserve to be in business. I think he's a fraud and a scammer. I think it would be a good company for an internal investigation. My dad just wants his money back so he can go buy a new pair of hearing aids from a reputable company, and ones that he can hear out of. He has expensive pieces of plastic that really aren't worth a dime!

We established an appointment with this Beltone location and met with **, KY License Number **. My husband overheard ** speaking with Humana confirming the same information we had from Humana. Then we met with ** and shared all the information we had from Humana, including our understanding of the costs. We insisted that she obtain an authorization code from Humana prior to going forward. We shared that per our conversations with Humana, she should follow up with them to understand exactly what they would pay as an in-network provider and obtain the authorization code. The appointment took over an hour as we reviewed the various models and discussed costs and options.

On 08.30.12, we established another appointment so that ** could call and confirm what would be covered and paid by Humana. My husband called and confirmed as well. At this appointment, we went over the costs again. We reviewed and signed the Beltone Customer Purchase Agreement. It listed the purchase price as $4,100 - the cost of the ear molds as $200; Credit of $800; Insurance of $2,000; and Balance Due $2,100. The cancellation fee would be $410 based on 10% of the selling price. My husband signed the purchase agreement.

Our next appointment was 09.21.12. The hearing aids came in. I was shown how to use them and we programmed the hearing aids. The appointment took 2 hours. At the end of the appointment, I signed the delivery statement and paid $2,100 by credit card. The delivery statement stated: Purchase Price: $4,700; Less Credits / Trade In: $800; Net Purchase Price: $3,900; Ear Molds: + $ 200; Insurance: ($2,000); $2,100 paid by us.

Within the first two weeks, I had to return the left hearing aid. It was staticky and not functioning as I thought it should. ** tested it and confirmed it was not operating properly. It was sent out for repair. When we came to pick it up, about 7-10 days later, it was replaced with a new unit, so we were told. The hearing aids were more like amplifiers - just making all sounds louder. I tried the different programs but they did not seem to be that different.

After wearing the hearing aids, I made an appt. for an adjustment. At restaurants, where I really needed them, it was too loud. ** and I worked with a restaurant program and came up with a good program for hearing in this condition (or so I thought). At this meeting, she shared that the insurance company had not paid the $1,000 per ear. They had only paid $1,070.77. She gave me a copy of the Humana Remittance Advice. The document says that the estimated member responsibility was $532.73, not the $2,100 we paid! My husband agreed to follow up with the insurance company regarding the amount they did not pay this Beltone provider. On 10.23.12 at 11:19 am, he spoke with Michelle. Humana would conduct a Courtesy Review and let us know if an error had been made. We received a few days later a letter from Humana dated 10.23.12 that the review was conducted and the correct benefit was applied to Beltone. My husband called ** and informed her of what Humana said. ** shared that we would have to pay at least another $800 and that the amount paid did not cover the cost of the hearing aids. My husband asked to speak with **, the primary owner.

On 11/02/12, my husband called the office at 8:40 am. There was no answer and no answering machine. He called again at 9:05 am and was told ** and ** had just left for a meeting. At 2:51 pm, ** called and spoke to my husband. He said they were at a meeting, he had to borrow a phone to call. He wanted my husband to call on Monday to set up an appointment. He told my husband that the appointment next week would be fine. It was not urgent as far as he was concerned. And by the way, ** had not finished the program correctly in the hearing aids. It needed to be finalized.

My husband called on Monday and no appointments were available at a date and time when my husband was available. It was suggested I call back and make the appointment. I did but was nervous about going to this appointment alone, but ** had assured my husband we would work this out. When I arrived, ** was at the reception desk. He seemed nice and said it would be a moment as they caught up. ** and the receptionist left. Then ** called me to the little room where she had always made my programming changes. We chatted and she asked for the hearing aids. I took them out so she could finalize the programs. She promptly took them and left the room.

When ** returned, she said it would take a moment to finish the programs. Then she started on the bill. I calmly explained that as an in-network provider, it was their responsibility to understand and know what the insurance company was going to pay. I was sorry that it was not as expected but the remittance advice clearly showed the code as 6H0 - this provider is a member of the Humana Network. Services are discounted according to the negotiated rate. I did not know why they were not paying the $1,000 per ear as we were told. She told me that we had to pay that $812 difference. I shared with her that Humana had told us that we were only responsible for $532.73 total. Nevertheless, we had agreed to our portion as $2,100. Therefore, we were standing behind our agreement. I shared with her that I thought ** and my husband had agreed to split the difference on the $532.73 and the $2,100 but I was willing to pay the full $2,100 as agreed.

** said she was in the middle and she would talk to **. She left and came back. She said that was not what was discussed and that they would not cover the expense of the aids. ** wanted another $406 - half of the $812. I refused. She said I could return the aids, forfeiting the cancellation fee of $410. I called my husband and asked ** to leave the room. At that time, my husband informed me that he and ** had not discussed any money due to the fact ** had none of the information with him at the meeting. ** had told him that his goal was to help me with my hearing, and we would discuss this at a later date, not to worry about it!

In this little room, I felt confined and threatened. While I could walk out - the doors were not locked - they had my hearing aids. If I did not pay the $406, I was not leaving with the aids. The aids that had changed my world, the aids that showed me what I was really missing. The aids I needed to do my position at work. My husband said the decision was mine. He hated that I was there alone and they were pulling this on me. He knew I suffered from PTSD. He was concerned about the situation.

** came back in, although I did not ask her to. I was off the phone but I was trying to compose myself by breathing and just walking myself through the conversation. But she came in and I was not ready. I tried to fight it but the tears started to come, it became hard to breathe; I just wanted out of the room. The PTSD took over. I somehow managed to ask if $250 would be ok. She left and asked **. He said, no. She said her and I were in the middle. I handed her my charge card and said whatever. They charged us another $406. After I signed the charge slip, my hearing aids were returned. I remember leaving in tears and fighting hard to keep myself composed. I became hysterical in the car. I drove away. I do not recall where I went after the appointment. Now I am petrified to return to that office if I have any problems with the aids. I feel I was extorted for funds that we did not agree to pay nor were required to pay by our insurance company. I felt tricked to coming to the office alone and under false pretenses asked for the aids.

We had done our homework, called all the right people and still this awful experience. You have hearing aid choices. Do not choose Beltone! I spoke with the President of Beltone Corp and he said all offices are independently owned. There was nothing they can do. After these months have passed, I still have anxiety attacks everyday when putting in my hearing aids. While I may hear things I never heard before, it is not worth it to have this anxiety. I wish I had just spent the extra money and gotten the Siemens from Head and Neck Associates of KY. They were wonderful to me but just not part of our insurance.

I called Debby ** in our home office and she immediately sent me some batteries. I spent $3500 for the 1st hearing aids and am now stuck with them, then $3995 for the last set. I wish there was a trade-in value on 3-year old ones and wish you would change the policy on obtaining free batteries from each of your store, local or not. I am disappointed in Panama City store for not being more helpful. Thankful I have Kayla ** and Debbie ** in my hometown store.

I ordered them and even signed on the dotted line. I was told that if I received them and wanted to return them, I would be charged $536. In the meantime, thinking about how much I paid them $6,590 after $2,000 off for insurance, I began to question my decision. Over the next week, I went to two other establishments and had my ears tested. I have to admit that the results there were the same, but that is where the similarity ends. Both offered a full refund - one after 30 days and the other 90 days. The other was the price. Both places had hearing aids under $4,000 after insurance was taken off. The place that had the 30-day return policy offered the brand Resound. This is the company that makes hearing aids for Beltone. I also researched the internet and could not find any hearing aids that approached the price that was quoted at Beltone.

I just want to mention that if you are looking for hearing aids, please do you homework. I paid the price, but I am hoping that my story will help someone else. PS: I left a number of messages for the owner, but all I received was a call from someone else telling me that $536 was the cost of returning them.

My mom is wearing a hearing aid that has constant feedback and she can't hear me on the phone. There is no obvious improvement from this hearing aid. They advised us to try a different model that cost a little more. I said she wants to be able to hear - if this is your recommendation, then please order one. We signed another contract and again mom had to return for many follow-up adjustments that eventually she returned it and went back to the original hearing aid that didn't work properly. I came to visit again and we went back to Beltone. Again, a different practitioner was working. They advised her to try another hearing aid; she made an appointment and she went with an aide/companion for the impression/mold. They would call her when the hearing aid came in. They never called her. I called to find out what happened and they had no indication in her chart that she was there for the impression. Again, a different practitioner was working there and the front desk person said it is out of her hands.

I called a friend who recommended an independent audiologist. The aide drove my mom to the new patient appointment. He gave her an auditory assessment and reported to me that the hearing aid she is wearing does not fit her adequately and cannot be fixed. I contacted Beltone to try and settle this issue. The office representative responded by suggesting a different hearing aid. I told her after three contracts and three different practitioners that I do not feel confident to move forward with getting my mom more involved. I just want my $1500 refunded. I have left many phone calls and have had no response. Don't use Beltone.

I went home, got the information and went back to Beltone and gave them the batteries. They didn't take my name or check my husband's chart. They just gave me the batteries I requested. They really didn't care. Yesterday, we received a call from Beltone stating our warranty is almost up. The warranty started the day we purchased the hearing aids. They didn't consider they were in for repairs more than in my husband's ears. So, we went and spoke to a new person. She would let our complaint be known to her supervisor and will get back to us. She took no notes, so I'm sure she will not get back with us. I would never recommend anyone to go to Beltone, ever.

I was not planning to purchase new hearing aids at this time. None of the prices are shown on any printed material. When I went online the price shown for 2 True "9" is $3046 - a difference of about $2500. How can I determine a fair price? Why does the company not show their prices in any printed material?

A week later, I called him back and he told me it was suggested that I get another hearing aid for the other ear. When I asked about a 30-day warranty on both, he told me that the warranty on the first one was up and I could not get my money back on that one. He then told me he would call me the next day and make arrangements to send me the second one at a reduced cost, because that is what they told me up in KY. That was 3 weeks ago and I have not heard a word from him. His name was Jason and he works out of 3 offices in Englewood & Port Charlotte, Fl.

To start with, my aid is only a couple of years old and they were advertising it on the TV in the front office for sale, so it couldn't be too old. He said his grandfather started that business and his mother owns it and that he's training his father who was in the room with us. I sure hope the father knows better than to learn from this arrogant little greedy worm. In this small town, no one is going to pay money out of their pockets for the expensive aids that he wants to push on them when there is no work here. I didn't like the fact that he sent us in the room, then took off in the other room, and left us sitting before he came to see us in the beginning. He's not a doctor. He's not that popular, and he wasn't that busy so there was no reason to put us back there in that tiny room to wait when I'm claustrophobic anyway.

I will never go back there again no matter what, and I will be telling everyone about this. What ever happened to the lady who was there before? She was really nice and cared about the people and the job. My boyfriend was with me (Watt **), and he brought his hearing aids back with him because he had so much trouble with them. He just assumed CareSource paid for them too, but he paid cash for them. They were the tiny ones that fit back in your ears and cost a few thousand dollars. He has had nothing but trouble with them. He's brought them back several times. Now, he doesn't even need them that much. It seems that it's mostly allergies that's got his hearing off, but they sold them to him anyway. They are a big time rip off! Where does the guarantee fit in on these things?

I went to a nearby town, Mt. Vernon. IL, and asked if I could have a different person work on them. They said no problem. She tested my ears and the aids and said I should never have been sold that type of hearing aid as they would not help me. She said the man who sold them to me was a contract employee who was no longer available. She then wanted to sell me a new pair that would be suitable for my hearing problem to the tune of $4200. Also, she fixed the old ones where I could absolutely hear nothing.

I sure am not paying for any other piece of junk. I am telling all my friends and anyone else not to buy at Beltone.

I paid $5,990 for the hearing aids and they don't work. I want my money back and return the hearing aids.

After many trips to Beltone, York, PA and three years later, they are now telling my mom that she should have had hearing aids behind her ear because of her earwax buildup. My mother also was told by her ENT doctor that they sold her the wrong hearing aids. She had problems from the beginning but the guy told her these $7,500 hearing aids would be fine (ear wax build up, etc.).

Please have the mail outs stopped.

First of all, when we got there at 12:50 PM, there was a sign on the door saying they would return at 1:00 PM. My first question is that why would you set a customer up for an appointment at 1:00 when you go to lunch from 12 to 1 o’clock? We were greeted by Tericia and taken in the examining room. She performed different tests on my husband's ears and she then concluded that he had at least over 50% loss of hearing in both ears. She explained what hearing aid he would need and fitted him for the set. She then went on to explain that there would be an initial deposit of over $1,000 for him to be able to participate in the trial.

The newspaper stated nothing about a deposit for trying out the aid. I think the newspaper ad needs to be a little clearer and explain that there is a deposit required for trying out the system. Needless to say, we were very disappointed on how the way things turned out. The newspaper article was totally misleading. I guess the ad is just to get you in there so they can offer you something else. The set he was fitted for was over $6,000.

I called the representative on July 8th, 2011 and I was told that he no longer represented the company. I explained what we were told and the lady asked us to allow the new representative to take a look at the current devices and if he could not make them work the way they were promised, he would go to Beltone and get them replaced. She went to the office, visited last week and was told that the devices that she purchased and is still paying for, would not do what she was told. One of the devices is already to where it does not work. I am not sure what he is going to do but I would like to know what our alternatives are to get Beltone to make her whole. It appears that the Representatives they have to meet with these older Americans just take total advantage of them because they do need to hear what is going on around them.

This was the case of my mom, she was taken advantage of and I just want to make sure she gets what she was promised and paid for. She has not missed a payment even though I have advised her to not pay until they are made right.

We never took delivery of the product, and she was never even fitted for it. Beltone's Ramina told me that the only way for her to cancel it was that my mom would have to come in personally, and cancel. Three times I explained that she was in intensive care, and that was not possible. Finally, when my mother passed away, Beltone finally agreed to cancel the hearing aid. I waited for sometime to see the credit be applied to my mom's credit card. When it finally showed up on the statement, it was not for the full amount of $2145. It showed a credit of $1887. I called Ramina at Beltone and was informed that the $258 fee was a cancellation fee. And I was told that a portion of that fee was a "sitting" fee, due to the fact that we did not pick it up in a timely manner. We scheduled it to be delivered to her in the hospital, but Beltone canceled it twice. And we made numerous attempts to cancel the product earlier, that were ignored by Beltone.

It's interesting to note that as I tie up many loose ends after my mom's passing, including calls to the phone company, power, and water companies etc., Beltone stood out as the only one that didn't start out the conversation with "I'm sorry for your loss". All I heard from Beltone's Ramina was a contract is a contract. And it doesn't matter what the reason for canceling is. Even if it is canceled due to a death, your mother signed the contract. After reviewing some of the other comments from others regarding this company, it appears that this is not an isolated incident. It does appear to be a company only interested in profit at the expense of others, that shows no compassion for its customers. My purpose is to warn anyone considering a purchase with this company to avoid Beltone.

I moved 200 miles a few days after picking it up when I bought it. I called the office in Ypsilanti a week later and complained. I have also been taking it to Beltone in West Branch, MI. and the lady (Kathy) has been sending it off and they send it back with the same condition. Beltone just kept it a month and I got it back with the same condition. Kathy says that her franchise is not the same as the one I bought it from and will have to deal with them in Ypsilanti, MI. She has done all she can. I have had this aid to Beltone since I have had it complaining about the squeal and not enough volume.

This company sucks. I will not ever buy a hearing aid from Beltone again. I have been buying hearing aids from this company for years and didn't realize there were better hearing aids on the market until I bought a Starkey for the right ear on 6/13/09. Why would I buy a new Beltone if they cannot take care of the one for the left ear? Beltone told me I needed a new aid for my left ear and the new one was worse than my old one that was about 4 years old because of the feed back and not enough volume on the new one.

We made an appointment, and that was a genuine test. We found out that he didn't need hearing aids! We were quite shocked, and I called and Beltone, who said it was too late to get our deposit back! How unfair it is that to take advantage of us. I still feel that I should get my deposit back, because they rent space from Sears Roebuck, and I think they should stand behind their reputation. We are on social security, and this is a lot of money to lose. I felt we have suffered economic damage, and would like to see justice served. Thank you.

I talked to Mike and he said that the majority of Beltones clients are 70 years old plus. He said this happens all the time, that people are ill and never get to enjoy the aids. Money-hungry company. In a 10-minute conversation, he must have said contract 15 times. There is no getting around it in their opinion. I say let's all get together and make this company pay. Karma is what I pray for. I own a business that 100 to 300 clients a day come in. I am telling them to stay away from Beltone and I smile when they go next door in our plaza to get their hearing aids. One person at a time but I love it.

My mom wanted to go on a payment plan but $5,800 was charged to their credit. I was not present when this happened and this was not explained to them. My mom was not happy with the hearing aids and they aggravated the ringing in her ears that Mr. C. knew about and even told us that the hearing aids might do this. Once my mom decided that she did not want the hearing aids I called Mr. C. but it took almost two weeks to finally reach him. I left numerous messages and did not receive a call back, I had to call him back. On June 6th we had a appointment set up with him. When we got to the office once again he was not present but instead had an associate there to try and help us.

We told the associate that we were there to return the hearing aids. Now this associate asked the secretary and her name is Donna, she informed us that we would have a full refund within 30 days. I waited over 30 days, checked my mom's credit card statement and it was never credited. I never received any kind of communication from Mr. C. regarding my mother's account. It wasn't until I called to inquire that he called me.

Unfortunately I was not able to speak with him but I wrote him a letter letting him know how frustrated and disappointed I am with the level of service that has been received. I have asked for a refund but I have not heard anything back as of yet. I would like some help in resolving this issue. I feel like my mom was taken advantage of. I don't think this is fair especially to senior citizens who are already on fixed budgets. They are now accruing finance charges because of this. Please look into this. Thank you!

After leaving the store and thinking about it, the whole deal sounded like a pitch from a used car salesman. We had done no comparison shopping, so I got on the internet and found that we could get basically the same product for $4,298. Our contract with Beltone states, "The Buyer has the right to cancel this purchase for any reason at any time prior to midnight of the 30th calendar day after actual receipt of the hearing instrument(s). You may cancel the purchase by notifying the Seller that you do not want the hearing instrument(s) by mailing a notice before 6/24/10 to Seller at 918 Broadway.

Upon cancellation, the Seller may keep the following cancellation charges: $620.00 cancellation fee (not to exceed 10%). "There is nothing in the contract about a cancellation fee prior to receipt of the hearing instruments. However, when I called Beltone to cancel our purchase, I was told by the owner/franchise owner that we would be charged the $620 cancellation fee. I told him that is not what the contract said, and he said he didn't care; he is on the Kentucky Licensing Board, this had been discussed at a Board meeting and all agreed it was correct. This does not make it legal. We have now spent $620 for a product that we've never even seen.

This is ruining the quality of life for not only her but for all of us. I do not want to deal with Nick at all. Along with being not compassionate, he has an attitude of impatience. What is your suggestion? She also said Rick told her the reason her right one is uncomfortable and that she still can't hear out of it is because every ear is shaped different and they couldn't make a mold to fit her ear. Anxiety, major depression, miscommunication with doctors, irritability with family. Financial confusion as a result of the situation.

This last hearing aid is so much problem. This is top-of-the-line. Let's see if that will work, "no" it didn't work because it is still blocking my ear canal and wires stick out and I did not know and this hearing aid almost came out of my ear. Some were outside, my ear got wet. This is my first time to go through this. I've been wearing hearing aid since I was 9. Today I am 57, this is so bad. Now I am not wearing, only to go to church. I have to hear; I even have a hard time hearing my girlfriend and she gets mad at me. I really hate this. What a rip off. What can I do now?

I have now contacted the BBB and they are trying to get Andy ** to refund my money. I do not even think they will have any luck as I have been told by 12 On Your Side that each hearing aid center from Beltone is individually owned and operated. They seem to be able to do whatever they want. Does this also mean that they can stick it to the consumer if they want to? I have paid Andy ** $5,400.00 for the pair and an additional $26.00 for a dryer for them as Andy ** told me because I sweat so much that I needed to buy this dryer to keep the aids dry. He also told me that I should not wear them during the day when I would be sweating so much (if possible). I thought that is why I was buying them and I told him the same, to be able to wear them all day long.

I also complained about the batteries not lasting more than a few days. I made it very clear that my previous aid would not need to have the batteries replaced more than 30 to 36 days. He said that 4 to 7 days was normal for hearing aid batteries. Nothing he has done has worked. I just want my money back. Is there anything that can be done? I forgot to tell you that when I went into him, I did have a hearing aid in my right ear but it finally gave out after about 5 years and this is why I went to him. The original aid was also a Beltone. I have talked to Andy ** and he is only upset that I went to 12 On Your Side and then to the BBB about this problem.

Once I left the office where it was calibrated, it failed to perform in real world environments. I could not even hear a person talking to me from 5 feet away. I continually expressed my dissatisfaction to the Beltone representative and each time was told that "sometimes it takes a while to get used to it", and that "what I needed was a different piece of equipment" or that "perhaps we should recalibrate it". The first Beltone representative finally passed me off to the owner of the Memphis Beltone (her sister) in desperation. I went through another three weeks of dissatisfaction with the hearing aid and finally declared I had enough and that I was returning the device.

After returning the device, and only after returning the device, I was told of the applicable "fitting fees". These fees are nowhere in my signed contract and are twice the amount stated for the return of merchandise. Over the course of this purchase and return, I made an additional 4 payments of $77.00 each for a total outlay of $603.00 which has been held by Beltone of Memphis. I was told (after the final return) that I was being charged "fitting fees" that were 10% the first month, 15% the second month and 20% the third month. This is nowhere in my signed contract.

This company (a franchise) pushes the most expensive hearing aid they have and then drags out the adjustment process in an effort to retain the most money they can. I was never shown a less expensive hearing aid, even though my hearing loss is not bad enough to demand the most expensive device. I am now out $603.00 for a hearing aid that I do not have and that never produced satisfactory results. I contacted the Beltone Corporation and was told that each franchisee can assess whatever fees they wish. Consequences: many headaches and sleepiness nights; and more aggravation than I care to admit.

At no time during my trips to the Ohio office did the gentleman there tell me that they had misfitted me or made any attempt to give me what I paid for. I have called and emailed Beltone several times. I did receive a call from the Ohio Office trying to convince me they had done nothing wrong and I got what I paid for. I guess Beltone may have contacted them.

The hearing aid in my left ear has aided my hearing. The need for helping is by far less needed in this ear than in the right ear. The problem with the current setting for the aid is the high frequency and how it interferes with my hearing in a group or at a meeting. I can turn down the normal listening mode (P1) to the lowest setting and the high frequency then is greatly reduced and I can hear a little better. With the left ear aid not having the need to be adjusted, the changes needed for this problem should be quick and easy. I will be away from Charlotte next week and will return November 12. Hope to see you then."

I was assured that the aid could be adjusted (volume increased, high frequency reduced, etc.) to meet my needs. I was also told that the hearing had to pass through my head bone. Harlan is a warm, assuring, convincing man and I was a very hopeful man that I could get my hearing back. The hearing test by Harlan's assistant was not accurate or true. Efforts by Harlan were not successful and did not allow me to hear in my right ear. The aid in my left ear has not been corrected resulting in my not wearing either aid for the past three weeks. I have paid $6,640 for my hearing test (proven wrong by doctor), poor diagnostics and providing adequate hearing aids to have my hearing restored in my right ear and to have my hearing improved in my left ear. I have been misled and inaccurately advised as to the ability to cure my hearing in the minimum of approximately 40 visits over two years. I do not feel that Beltone allows this type of result for service rendered. I want my money refunded.

Each time she trusted that the aids would be fixed. Of the 12 times that she went back (which averages out to every other day when you take out Sundays)she was never once told that they weren't any good. Instead she was strung along with the promise that this time we'll get them right until the 30 day period had expired. I recently found out about this and took her to an audiologist associated with a reputable clinic. They tested the Beltone hearing aids and found them to have only a 5% benefit to her hearing.

Had I known about her association with Beltone, I would have gone with her and demanded her money back by the seventh visit if not sooner. Actually, I would never have let her gone to Beltone to begin with. She will be 90 years old in two months and is very trusting as so many from her generation are. I feel this is a clear case of age discrimination as none of this would have happened if she hadn't done all of this by herself.

The damages are that she is out the $3,718.00 dollars that she paid for worthless hearing aids. She is now on her way to new hearing aids from a reputable clinic, that will cost her around $5,000.00 dollars. I want her to be able to get her money back to put towards these new hearing aids.

$5,663.00 for the pair which was a lot of money or me. I did not wear them for a couple of years because I had a hard time getting used to them. I had to make serveral trips to finally get them so I could. Of course my warranty was over then. I thought it was a life time warranty. Being hard of hear and 71 years old I misunderstood. I have had to take them back many times. The times I have to have them repaired the charge a standard $263.00 without even looking at them to see what is wrong. They do this to everyone in there.

There is not place
else to have them repaired, so they can rip you off and there is nothing you can do. I am now 75 years old on SS and this is just not right. When you pay almost
$6,000,00 and you are on a fixed income
it is just not fair. Now I will have to

The office has a notice on the door ,open till five,but after 2.5 hours traveling time the door is closed 10 minutes before,so back I go.

There is very little courtesy,they will not adjust a hearing aid bought from them without an appointment.
The woman that comes to Heritage Towers from beltone(Theresa),when I complanied that the mold they furnished
did not fit right,she took a sissors and mutilated it,now she says I need a new mold.for 70.00. It took 17 days for them to send out the hearing aid I got from them till I got it ,cost 250.00 repair.

I am a senior with my pension to live on,and have barely enough to get by .

Dr. Levy was rude and refused to honor the Beltone guarentee that provides that Beltone products will be serviced by any Beltone dealer.

My mother must now wait 3 months to have her Hearing Aids serviced back in Florida.

Since I have had two previous sets of aids, with which I had virtually no problems, I believe that I know how hearing aids should perform and the current aids do not perform at all. I feel that after all of the trips back to the factory and over 17 months of adjustments I should be able to understand what people are saying to me without asking them to repeat.

He finally got it out and it quit hurting but I could not hear out of that ear anymore. We left shortly after that and went back to North Carolina (our home). I went to see an Ear Doctor the next day. They could not figure out what had happened. I went to this doctor off and on for 1 months. The doctor thought that the eardrum had been irritated and become infected and thought it would clear up on its own. When this did not happen he decided the only recourse was to put a tube in my ear so it would drain the fluid. When he did this, he was very surprised to learn that it was not fluid on the other side of the eardrum but it was silicone.

Evidentally when the impression was being taken, the eardrum had been punctured and silicone was put on both sides of the eardrum (this is why it was so hard to get out). The doctor sent me for a CT Scan to see just where the silicone was (hoping that it would not be around the hearing bones). But it was all around the hearing bones. He said that he was comfortable doing 95% of all Ear, Nose & Throat surgeries but not this one! The doctor immediately made arrangements for me to go to a doctor at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC for surgery.

On January 4th I had the surgery. The doctor said that the silicone was EVERYWHERE! I was in surgery for about two hours. The doctor said that he was able to get all the silicone out.

It is now January 29, 2002 and I have regained a small amount of hearing in that ear. There is still packing on the other side of the eardrum which will dissolve on its own eventually and hopefully then I will regain some more of my hearing. This has been quite traumatic for me and for my husband. He has had to take quite a bit of time off work taking me to doctors and hospitals. For three months I could not hear at all out of that ear. I am now able to hear a little bit.

i went with her to mr. katz this morning to get a refund. he became extremley abusive shouting and looming over us that we ran out of his store. i am reporting him to the local police dept. for threating us. and causing my mother heart palapations.

as stated above my mother has a heart condition and is 76 years old his yelling and threatening her caused her duress. we never got our money back and she is now at home lying down .