Great discussion concerning this topic... :-)
I have something to add.... I have many patients who carry MidWest
Insurance on their aids. When patients bring them by for repair, I do not
charge for my services, but it is getting out of hand, especially when it
comes to time and postage costs. MidWest has countered that I can charge
a "handling fee", but I am not sure whether this is out of line.
I have thought of instituting a policy in that the office will take care
of any repair, without a handling fee, for 5 years after the purchase of
the aid. This means that out of warranty repair costs will not include
any additional handling fee, and in warranty repair will not incur any
additional cost. I do not consider MidWest as being a warranty, so any
repair via MidWest will incur a handling fee after the aid is 5 years old.
I have so many patients that carry MidWest on 10 year old hearing aids,
that it is really silly to have them repaired. I am trying to institute a
way of getting patients to at least listen to 1995 technology so that they
at least know what is "state of the art".
What are your feelings about this??
Jeff Sirianni
