Your
questions.

If you frequently ask people to repeat themselves, struggle to follow conversations in noisy settings like restaurants, turn the TV up louder than others prefer, or notice ringing in your ears, a hearing evaluation is a good next step. Most adults over 50 benefit from a baseline hearing test even without noticeable symptoms.

Not typically. For most commercial plans, Medicare Advantage, and self-pay patients, you can schedule directly with us. Some HMO plans require a PCP referral — we can tell you in a one-minute call.

Audiologists hold a doctorate (Au.D. or Ph.D.), are trained in the full scope of hearing and balance disorders, and can diagnose — not just sell devices. Hearing instrument specialists (dispensers) are licensed to sell and fit hearing aids but typically do not diagnose medical conditions or handle complex cases.

A new-patient diagnostic evaluation is 60 minutes. Hearing aid fitting visits are 60–75 minutes. Our Senior Care Program visits are 90 minutes to allow extra time for questions and family involvement.

A full diagnostic includes pure-tone air and bone conduction testing, speech understanding in quiet and noise, tympanometry (to check middle-ear function), and a thorough case history. You'll leave with an audiogram and a plain-language explanation of what it means.

Not at all. You'll sit in a quiet booth and respond to tones and words presented through insert earphones. Tympanometry involves a brief change in air pressure but is painless. The whole experience is relaxed.

Yes — we encourage it. Family members often notice patterns the patient doesn't, and their participation improves outcomes significantly.

There's no single best brand — each leading manufacturer has particular strengths. Phonak is strong for universal Bluetooth; Widex for natural sound; Oticon for immersive listening; Starkey for health sensors. We recommend based on your specific hearing, lifestyle, and goals — never a sales contract.

Typically 5–7 years. After that, rechargeable batteries degrade, the technology ages, and patients usually benefit from an upgrade. We'll tell you honestly when it's time and when it isn't.

Modern hearing aids are remarkably good, but they are not biological ears. Expect significant improvement in conversations, TV, and environments that mattered to you. Expect a short adjustment period as your brain recalibrates to sounds it hasn't heard clearly in a while.

Yes. Every hearing aid purchase at Pinnacle includes a full trial period during which you can return or exchange devices. Details vary by manufacturer and plan — we'll cover it clearly before you commit.

Prices vary by technology level and the specific needs of your fitting. We work with every major brand and most major insurance plans to find the right solution for your budget — without upsells.

Most commercial and Medicare Advantage plans cover diagnostic hearing evaluations. Traditional Medicare typically doesn't cover routine hearing tests but does cover medically-referred evaluations.

Traditional Medicare does not. Many Medicare Advantage plans do, typically through a third-party administrator like TruHearing or EPIC — we're credentialed with the common ones. See our Insurance page for details.

After your initial four-visit fitting series, we recommend every six months for cleaning and a quick check — and an annual hearing re-test. Anything urgent in between, we see you right away.

Yes. Most modern hearing aids from the last 4–5 years support remote programming. See our Transfer & Remote page.

Yes. Pinnacle offers in-home audiology services across Manhattan, NYC, and Long Island. We bring clinically-calibrated portable audiometry and real-ear measurement — the same standard of care as our office.

Travel fees vary by distance. We share them transparently before scheduling — no surprises.