Quincy Hearing - July 2017

July 2017

THIS hear Follow the beat of better hearing and healthy living

The Third-Party Problem

A Troubling Trend in Hearing Treatment

After a few short weeks, he returned, in need of further care. It appeared that the hearing devices needed some fine-tuning, and I made the needed adjustments to the programming. His eyes widened with the difference. “Wow!” He exclaimed. “It’s like night and day!” He was incredibly grateful, and his skepticism regarding follow-up care evaporated. Success stories like this simply cannot happen when a third-party company is interfering with treatment. They masquerade as if they have patients’ interests at heart, but really, they’re in cahoots with the insurance companies solely to cut costs. Again, examples of these are TruHearing, Hearing Care Solutions, hi HealthInnovations, or Planet Hearing. If you receive a letter that looks like it’s from your insurance company offering “substantial savings on your hearing aids,” be sure to examine the fine print and truly understand what they are offering, because at first glance, these can be misleading. You deserve the highest quality of care available. Don’t let these third-party companies make such an important decision for you!

able to provide, increasing the likelihood that your issue remains unresolved.

There’s a relatively new, insidious trend in the audiology field that’s lowering the standard of care for patients. Insurance companies have been partnering with third-party managers to provide what sounds like hearing aid benefits, claiming it saves themmoney and that they pass those savings onto patients. But in reality, this practice damages the quality of care for patients. Examples of these companies are TruHearing, Hearing Care Solutions, Planet Hearing, and hi HealthInnovations. The main reason these third-party companies are problematic is that they restrict your options. Sure, the hearing aids will be cheaper, but you’ll be forced to select from a limited list of equipment that may fail to fit your specific needs and lifestyle. Not only that, but you will have to choose from a list of company-approved providers. Some of these providers and dispensers aren’t even healthcare professionals — they’re salespeople! If you do manage to get into the office of an audiology expert, there will be a limit on the number of visits. The third-party company will dictate which solutions your hearing professional will be

People too often purchase hearing aids as if they were buying a TV. “Oh, it has features x, y, and z — great, I’ll take it!” and they’re out the door. In reality, hearing aids are complex devices requiring expert calibration and auditory rehabilitation to maximize their usefulness. Audiologists like myself have spent years learning the intricacies of the human ear and the most effective ways to apply our vast array of technological solutions. A new patient of mine once came into my office to be fitted with hearing aids for the first time. Unfamiliar with the process, he said to me: “Surely, you can just fit it and be done,” he said to me. At his first fitting appointment, much time was spent programming the devices specifically for his unique hearing loss; however I emphasized that this was just the beginning of the retraining process and that it would be important for me to see him for follow-up in the next several weeks to build a strong foundation of hearing care. He was skeptical about the need for follow-up appointments.

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Put Down the Scissors and Step Away From the Newspaper We Do the Math on Coupon Clipping

Testimonial Corner

“Addressing (or admitting) a hearing loss is difficult at any age. I am in my forties. After many years of being unable to talk on the phone, people complaining about the TV and radio being too loud, and embarrassingly asking people ‘What?’ over and over again, I was finally fitted with my first hearing aid. This aid provided moderate improvement for my issues. After a couple of years, I went to see Dr. Powis, and I can say that she has truly changed the quality of my life. She changed my hearing aids to a high-quality Resound hearing aid that works with the iPhone. The difference between these and my old hearing aids is enormous. The clarity and ability to adjust the sensitivity to background noise as well as control the directionality of the hearing aids is beyond comparison. I got these just as I began a high-stress new job requiring a great amount of travel and communication is key. I’m not sure my new job would have been successful without them. I credit Dr. Powis for truly listening to my concerns and providing great personalized care — all that I did not receive at my previous audiologist. Thank you, Dr. Powis!” – Abby K. “We had a wonderful consultation! Attention to detail was most welcomed, and it put any fears about trying a new hearing device brand to rest.” – Jeanne D.

If it wasn’t for coupons, you wouldn’t be able to afford everything you need, right? Well, there are two ways to look at it. Coupons can be a way to put food on the table that you otherwise couldn’t afford. But they can also trick money-conscious consumers into buying stuff they normally wouldn’t. To find out which option describes your situation, answer two questions. The first question is, “Do I need — and will I use — everything that I buy with coupons?” Coupons affect you psychologically; the same part of your brain that governs basic instincts (like hunger and pleasure) also loves a screaming good deal. That means you may spend money on things that you normally wouldn’t, because you have a coupon for them. Instead, stick to the staples — like rice, beans, oats, and salt — that you’ll use eventually and won’t go bad. If you’ve wanted something for a long time and it goes on sale, it makes sense to buy. But don’t let the coupon section dictate your desires! The second question is, “How much is my time worth, and how much time do I spend hunting down the best deals and clipping coupons?” If you’re saving $25 a week on stuff you actually need, but it takes 4 hours a week to get those savings, you’re losing money — even if you make minimum wage. We won’t deny that there are great deals that are now more available than ever thanks to apps like Groupon. But remember: Coupons come from businesses trying to trick your brain into buying more stuff. Use them wisely, but don’t let them rule you.

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Hearing Health TIPS Airplane Ear Pain

What to Do About

Chewing gum stimulates frequent chewing and swallowing, which will increase the flow of these air bubbles. This is especially true of infants, whose inner ear tubes are smaller than an adult’s, causing extra pain. Try a pacifier to stimulate swallowing. Most effective is the Valsalva maneuver , which is the fancy name for pinching your nose and gently forcing air out until your ears pop — but don’t do it if you’re sick with a cold or from allergies. A less common technique, the Toynbee maneuver , can help in those cases: Close your mouth and nose and swallow several times until the pressure equalizes again. To encourage ear pressure equalization, avoid sleeping during ascent or descent, and drink lots of fluids during the flight to stay hydrated. Yawning can help as well. If it becomes a serious bother, specially designed earplugs called EarPlanes may be your best option.

Planted firmly in an aisle seat, latest crime thriller best-seller on your lap, neck pillow at the ready, you’re ready for your flight to Cancun. But as the plane takes off and rises into the air, pressure begins to build behind your ears. At first it’s uncomfortable, but then it becomes almost unbearable. What can you do, or what could you have done to avoid this in the first place? Ordinarily, the air pressure inside and outside the inner ear is more or less equal. If you were to climb a mountain, the gradual speed of your ascent would allow time for the pressure to calibrate and equalize. But as your flight lifts off, the air pressure inside the inner ear quickly surpasses the pressure outside, and the eardrum swells outward, causing pain. As the plane descends, the inverse occurs, and the eardrum is sucked inward. Swallowing can force air bubbles in the back of the nose into the middle ear, ensuring that the air pressure remains equal.

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Grid n°24916 easy

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One-Pan Mexican Quinoa

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Ingredients:

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• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and diced • Juice of 1 lime • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire- roasted diced tomatoes • 1 cup corn kernels, frozen, canned, or roasted • 1 teaspoon chili powder • ½ teaspoon cumin • Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon olive oil • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 jalapeno, minced • 1 cup quinoa • 1 cup vegetable broth • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

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Directions:

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1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. 2. Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder, and cumin; season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in avocado, lime juice, and cilantro. 3. Serve immediately.

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Don’t Get Swindled by Third-Party Hearing Aid Companies! PAGE 1 We Do the Math on Coupon Clipping Testimonial Corner PAGE 2 What to Do About Airplane Ear Pain One-Pan Mexican Quinoa Sudoku PAGE 3 INSIDE this issue SEE WHAT’S

The Biggest Concert Tour in History PAGE 4

A 360° EXPERIENCE How U2’s Innovative 2009 Tour Became the Biggest in History

Instead, tickets sold out in every venue they played. Additionally, playing stadiums rather than amphitheaters and fields made it possible for the band to keep ticket prices below $50 in most cases, making it affordable to the average consumer. By the end of the tour in 2011 (with many dates having been pushed back a year due to Bono’s health problems), the U2360° tour had grossed $736,421,584 — more than $100 million more than any other tour in history.

band to play larger venues without robbing the audience of a close-up experience.

Summer is prime time for the year’s biggest concerts, and this summer is no different. Megastars like Billy Joel, Lady Gaga, and Bon Jovi are playing gigs around the world. Revenue will be massive. But it’s unlikely any will surpass the highest- grossing tour of all time: 2009’s U2360°. In the wake of lackluster sales of U2’s 2009 album “No Line on the Horizon,” the band’s show director, Willie Williams, presented the band with the concept of playing on a circular stage in the middle of a stadium, with a four-legged stage configuration showering lights and images down around the band as they played. It would allow the

Despite the financial risk, U2 was on board. Lead guitarist The Edge said the type of setup would “never have been seen before by anybody, and that’s an amazing thing to be able to say.” The steel stage configuration, nicknamed The Claw, took 40 trucks and a crew of 250 to transport and set it up throughout the tour. Since it was so expensive and the late 2000s recession was in full swing, many doubted whether the tour would succeed.

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