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Health

Lost hearing aid

(25 Posts)
chelseababy Sun 02-Jan-22 21:04:28

I was out at a dinner dance for NYE. I don't often wear my hearing aid but thought I would as was out in a small group. In the bar after midnight I realised my hearing aid had come out but couldn't find it. We stayed overnight and I reported it lost in the morning. Unfortunately it has not been found which I find surprising, though the cleaners would have found it. Anyway my question is how much is a replacement on nhs?

Kathy73 Sun 02-Jan-22 21:26:56

£75 I believe

Peasblossom Sun 02-Jan-22 21:31:03

Look at your house insurance. You’re probably covered.

chelseababy Sun 02-Jan-22 21:37:06

Apparently not insured as belongs to nhs

Kathy73 Sun 02-Jan-22 21:56:31

.

silverlining48 Sun 02-Jan-22 22:25:08

Yes about £75. They are easily lost unless you are careful. It could be anywhere.

GrandmaKT Sun 02-Jan-22 22:31:43

I blame masks! The number of times mine have gone flying as I remove my mask....

Peasblossom Sun 02-Jan-22 22:36:15

chelseababy

Apparently not insured as belongs to nhs

Wow! I never knew that!

?

cornergran Sun 02-Jan-22 22:37:09

You may be lucky chelsea. Mr C lost one of his recently, a casualty of mask removal. It seems the charge can be discretionary. Perhaps area dependent. A replacement was proved free of charge, it came with a note saying he will be charged if he looses one again. Fair enough we thought. The downside is if we’re going out Mr C doesn’t wear his aids, just in case the mask strikes again.

Elspeth45 Mon 03-Jan-22 07:12:46

You are lucky! Here in Oz i got $800 back from insurance for a lost aid which went towards the $2000 I had to pay for replacement.

Franbern Mon 03-Jan-22 09:20:33

I have twice lost one over past couple of years due to not being careful enough with mask removal. I was charged £70 for replacement each time. (NHS via Specsavers).
Does mean I am very, very careful now. Mask either stays on between different shops, or else I take it off, whilst sitting still on my scooter. I have tried a mask which straps go over t he back of my head, but these are not easy to find.
I am not really surprised that a lost aid was not discovered by cleaners, probably not something they would have even noted when sweeping, or vacuuming an area.

silverlining48 Mon 03-Jan-22 09:22:19

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to charge s fee for a lost aid given the real cost to the nhs. Hearing aids are expensive, privately they are thousands of pounds so best thing is to take care when putting on and removing masks.

chelseababy Mon 03-Jan-22 09:49:05

Thanks all. I'm not complaining about having to pay, just wondered how much! £75 is pretty reasonable. I can't blame the mask as wasn't in a mask wearing situation. Could have been taking my glasses on and off!

silverlining48 Mon 03-Jan-22 11:19:15

My dh has mask, glasses and 2 hearing aids , it’s a lot to manage.

Marmite32 Mon 03-Jan-22 19:16:04

I lost one of mine in the summer - pulling off my mask.
it was NHS, from Specsavers. They replaced it free, just adjusted it to suit my hearing (or lack of it).
If it had been private it would have had to be insured or there would not have been a replacement.

NfkDumpling Mon 03-Jan-22 21:54:53

I lost one of mine on holiday. NHS. It cost £75 to replace. Very easy. They just reprogrammed a new one as they had my readings already. Apparently they are very expensive so £75 seemed very reasonable. I think that was the NHS insurance.

I don't wear masks as hearing aids and specs don't fit behind my lugs and the aids flick off. But those bandana things are fine as they go over the lot. I double them up.

hollysteers Mon 03-Jan-22 21:59:39

NfkDumpling I agree with you re bandana scarves, so easy to just have around your neck and pull up ?

Nonogran Tue 04-Jan-22 08:59:14

Ring (or email if phones are no good for you,) your audiology unit or wherever you obtained your aids. They’ll be open today.
The cost varies across the UK.
Whatever paperwork you received with your aids may also be helpful guidance about replacement costs.

muse Tue 04-Jan-22 11:04:18

I’ve been wearing two aids now for 18 months. I remember being told about the replacement cost. I wear reading glasses so they are on and off as with masks. ?

My step MiL lost one of hers but got it replaced free of charged but she was registered partially blind. I was told if she lost another, she would have to pay.

Puzzled Fri 21-Jan-22 22:24:56

Masks are an enormous risk to hearing aids.
Once, I was on my hands and knees in the entrance to Motorway services searching for the aid, and the battery which had fallen out when it hit the floor!
I was lucky, found the aid, the battery and no one trod on me or fell over me!

mrsmopp Sat 29-Jan-22 10:49:45

They area so easily misplaced. I was staying in a travel lodge when mine disappeared and claimed on our household insurance. It was settled immediately.

bigbattybertha Mon 07-Feb-22 14:27:38

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Aldom Mon 07-Feb-22 14:36:22

Reported. This poster has posted in a similar vein on another thread. A wind-up merchant.

chelseababy Tue 08-Mar-22 11:06:44

Just an update. Finally got appointment at Specsavers yesterday and hearing aid replaced plus one for my other ear. No charge but if I lose another one it's £68. The guy who fitted them said no end had been lost while removing masks.

wildswan16 Tue 08-Mar-22 12:04:13

Masks are a nightmare with hearing aids. I now use a mask extender so it goes behind my neck rather than over the ears.

Trying to manage, aids, glasses, mask and a wooly hat requires a lot of dexterity and patience.