Audiogram and Hearing Test

Q. How is hearing tested, audiogram requirement?

• We don't require a hearing test for people to buy, but do offer a free online test and free hearing tests in both our iPhone app and Android app. Our PRO, AIR, and VOLT devices are programmed to fit 80% of the hearing loss in the US - the normal age related hearing loss. Our CORE aid uses an air conduction hearing test to custom program the hearing aids to that specific device.
• Customers also have the option to send us a copy of their existing hearing test. Our hearing professionals will be happy to review it to determine if they are a good candidate for our aids and if so, which settings and program will be most appropriate for their hearing loss.

Candidates for MDHearingAid

Q. Who is excluded from purchase, how do you identify contraindications for purchase? Do you provide guidance to those who are not good candidates (if so, what)?

• We are not a good fit for anyone with a severe or profound hearing loss. We encourage those customers to see an audiologist and will provide them with a recommendation to a local audiologist if asked. We will also not sell to anyone under the age of 18 as our products are intended for adult use only. Anyone going through our hearing test that gets a severe/profound result will see messaging encouraging them to see a hearing professional.
• Additionally, we follow the FDA contraindications for hearing aids. If any customer answers "yes" to any of the red flag questions, we recommend a referral to a local ENT or audiologist.

Product Value

Q. In simple terms, how would you describe the value proposition for your top selling product(s)? If you sell multiple products, what differentiates them from one another?

• We offer a wide range of high quality, reliable hearing aids from basic to advanced technology at prices that can meet any budget. The products are designed to meet any lifestyle from relaxed to active and product differentiation is based on the complexity of the listening environment; the more challenging the environment (increased background noise, competing noise levels, etc.) the more sophisticated the technology.
• The user friendly designs are easy to use right out of the box and are suitable for people with dexterity issues and very tech savvy customers alike. If you are active and need a hearing aid to adapt to your environment, the CORE can do that for you. If you like to have a lot of control over your hearing, the CORE can also do that for you using the MDHearing app. If dexterity is a concern or if you don't want to worry about changing the batteries, the VOLT is rechargeable. If hearing in background noise is a challenge, we offer several options from basic directional to adaptive directional. If you have a relaxed lifestyle and need a simple hearing aid, with easy to use, ergonomically designed manual controls, to simply help you hear better, the AIR is a perfect choice.

Medical Device Certifications

Q. Describe any relevant medical device certifications you hold for your products.

• We are an FDA registered manufacturer (Establishment registration and Device Listing) and hold CE certification for the CORE.

Product Quality

Q. What can you tell us about product quality control and your manufacturing supply chain?

• Our devices are manufactured in accordance with the highest Internationally recognized standards for the Medical device industry. Our manufacturing and quality process are certified in accordance with ISO 13485: 2016. The CORE hearing aid meets, and is certified, to the European CE Medical Device Directorate (MDD) requirements.

Feedback Control

Q. How are your hearing aids configured in terms of frequency amplification and feedback suppression calibration?

• All of our hearing aids have a maximum of 40dB of gain. Each aid has different frequency profiles based on what environment the program is used for and for the type of hearing loss it is designed to help. Additionally, all of our hearing aids have advanced adaptive phase cancelling feedback suppression and state-of-the-art noise reduction strategies.

Verification Procedures

Q. Is there any type of amplification verification?

• Yes, 100% of our aids are tested and verified using either Audioscan's Verifit or Frye's Fonix test systems in accordance with ANSI standard S3.22 for hearing aids. Amplification, among other settings, are checked and verified prior to sending to the customer.

Controls and Buttons

Q. What controls are available to the consumer via the app? What about device-level controls (push buttons, etc)?

• Three of our aids, the PRO, AIR, and VOLT, have easy to use rotary volume controls and push buttons. Our research groups have indicated that this combination is the easiest for our primary demographic. The CORE has a rocker switch that is both the program button and volume control. The CORE smart phone app can also change volume and program. Additionally, the CORE app can change the amount of noise reduction, the microphone direction, and the bass, mid, and treble settings.

What's Included with MDHearingAids

Q. What's included in the box?

• All of our aids come with tubes and tips attached, a cleaning tool, a carrying case, and an extensive manual. Depending on the promotion someone uses, many of our battery-powered aids include a free year's supply of batteries. Our rechargeable aids include the charging stand, cord, and wall plug.

Support Videos and Materials

Q. Do you offer an extensive library of support videos for your customers? How many videos, and what types of topics are covered.

• We do offer helpful videos and will add more videos to our library in 2020. We just published an extensive, "how to clean your hearing aids" video which customers can find on our YouTube channel here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1H-3URSo10hgFe9i_p11lw. We offer a number of other helpful videos there. In addition, customers can browse our full support center at https://support.mdhearingaid.com/hc/en-us.

Hearing Professionals

Q. Does the customer interact with a HIS / Audiologist when purchasing from you? Please describe the typical experience.

• Some customers do, and some customers buy directly without interacting with a HIS / Audiologist. The two main scenarios are:
• A customer takes our online hearing test or submits his/her audiogram. Our on staff Audiologist makes a recommendation based on the hearing test results and the customer purchases. Our CORE aid gives the customer the ability to customize the programming of the aid directly from his/her hearing test results.
• A customer buys directly, without taking the hearing test or submitting one. Often these customers have purchased hearing aids before and know their hearing loss. We program our aids to fit 80% of the hearing loss found in the US, so they're a good, affordable option for many.

Included Services

Q. What services are included at no cost?

• We staff a large support team just outside of Detroit that customers can reach 24/7 via email, and via phone from Monday to Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:45 PM CST. All support staff go through training from our on-staff Audiologist. In the last 30 days we answered over 10,000 calls, with an average hold time of under 30 seconds.
• We offer remote fitting and adjustment to our CORE customers. They can customize the aid's programming by taking a hearing test right in our iOS and Android app. They can also request our Audiologist to review their settings and to make adjustments remotely, just by pushing a button in the app and telling us a bit about what they're experiencing.

Add-on Services

Q. What paid services are available?

• We offer a great protection plan for $9.99 per month that covers everything but loss. We also offer a very helpful accessory subscription program for $9.99 per month that ships out tubes, tips and batteries every 3 months.

Customer Support

Q. How does a customer reach your team when they need post-purchase support, and how easy is it for them to speak with a HIS / audiologist?

• See my notes about our support team. Getting ahold of them is as easy as calling us, or sending us an email. If a customer requires support our Audiologist, our support team will route the issue through that department and get back to the customer in a day or two.

MD Hearing Aid Warranties and Refunds

Q. Describe your warranties, refund/exchange periods, situations that would void a warranty, etc.

• We offer a 45-day return policy and testing a longer, 60-day return policy. Customers simply get a return number, send back the aids and we give a full refund. We offer a very affordable protection plan for $9.99 per month that covers everything except loss or theft, with no hidden charges or "replacement" charges.

‍