Question
What is the best time to speak with patients about extended coverage plans?
Answer
With the price of hearing aids reaching several thousands of dollars for advanced and miniature technologies, it has become more important than ever to include a discussion regarding extended warranty options in a comprehensive patient care protocol.
Traditionally, insurance has been an ''after-thought'' during the delivery of the hearing aid, with many professionals passively displaying brochures for extended coverage in their waiting rooms. As the ''Baby Boomers'' enter the market, they bring with them a demand for a higher level of professionalism and care. It certainly is not hard to imagine how a patient might feel if they found out that the hearing aids they bought for several thousand dollars, and lost just after their manufacturer warranty expired, has to be replaced. Their frustration can be compounded if they learn that extended warranties were available to them, however, they were not aware of it.
Therefore, the most important time to discuss extended coverage options is just before the manufacturers warranty expires. Most hearing health care professionals will recall their first year customers sometime just before the original warranty expires to do a check and clean of the instrument and make certain it is not in need of factory attention.
Options to purchase additional coverage should be discussed at that time, and it is a good idea to fully document in the patient chart that they were given these options, and how they decided to proceed.
Charles Stone Au.D. Founder and CEO of ESCO. Dr. Stone has been an audiologist for more than 25 years. Dr. Stone can be contacted directly at ESCO, 3215 Fernbrook Lane North, Plymouth, Minnesota 55447-5325, or dial 1-800-992-3726, or email to cstone@earserv.com. To read the Audiology Online INTERVIEW with Dr Stone, please see:
Stone, C. (2003, April 28). Interview with Charles Stone Extended Hearing Aid Warranty, Financing, and Leasing Programs, ESCO. Audiology Online, Interview 185. Available via the Interviews Archive on https://www.audiologyonline.com
Click here to visit the Ear Service Corporation (ESCO) website.
