ComplaintsforBilledeaux Hearing Center, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  01/31/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  i purchase a new set of hearing aids over 6k and they have not worked. Miracle ear currently has had one of the problem ear pieces for 3 weeks for repair and i cannot get disposition on it. they just say its not here yet. I had an appt there and went and the office was closed no note no one there i drove from Sulphur to LC . I feel for the price you pay that you should be able to use the product. I have not. I would like a refund but apparently that's not an option so I have to live without 1 hearing aid that is broken for the 3rd time and in their possesson. their service and support is horrible and i think taking advantage of the elderly should be a crime. i still cant hear after 6k spent.

  Business response

  02/01/2022

  We certainly want Ms. ****** to have working hearing aids. I am not certain what the past issues were/are, however, if she would like to detail those issues, I would be interested in hearing them.
  
  After speaking with a hearing specialist, I am told that the repaired hearing aid is set to be re-delivered on 2/4/22, but they are not showing it as a Sulphur appointment. I would encourage Ms. ****** to contact our office at 337-310-0632 to confirm.
  
  As a matter of record, we are showing several appointments in which Ms. ****** did not show up. We want to help, but it is very important to attend the appointment or call to reschedule.
  
  Best regards,
  
  ***** *****
  Operations Manager
  Billedeaux Hearing Center, LLC
  An independently owned franchise of Miracle-Ear

  Customer response

  02/02/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  Ms. ****** has made every single appointment that she was ever scheduled for so that is misinformation. She goes to the Lake Charles NOT the Sulphur office. She has NEVER been to that office for any of her appointments. She has had these hearing aids for 4 months and has only had use of one of the for most of that time due to repeated issues and sending it off for repair. but saying she missed her appointments is FALSE! I called Monday and they put me on hold to look and see if they were in. they said yes that came in Friday late and the earliest appointment i can get for her is Friday the 4th. So the hearing aids were in the office MONDAY she had not had them for 3 weeks and the earliest they could see her is Friday. Yes she will be there Friday and will WILL DISCUSS THIS FALSE STATEMENT MADE BY THE BUSINESS.

  Business response

  02/03/2022

  I agree that discussing this matter with the office staff is where the matter needs to be handled. Our corporate franchise office had not been contacted prior to notification by the BBB. We had no knowledge of a problem and did not have a chance to research Ms. ******' issue.
  
  Best regards,
  
  ***** *****
  Operations Manager
  Billedeaux Hearing Center, LLC
  An independently owned Miracle-Ear Franchisee

• Initial Complaint

  01/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On October 25, 2021, I purchased a pair of hearing aids. I had misplaced one of them, therefore I contacted Miracle-Ear for a re-placement, In which I never heard back from them regarding the re-placement. In the meantime, I found the hearing aid and called to inform miracle-ear I had done so and told them I no longer needed the replacement. I was advised ok it would be taken care of. The next month when I received my statement it showed a charge of $872.16 added to my account with ******** finance Company. I called Miracle-Ear to inquire about the charges I spoke with an Employee name ***** *****, in regards to the unauthorized charges, retaining an Attorney and reporting to the BBB, he was extremely rude and stated to me it's not going to do me any good because the BBB is going to side with them anyways, when I advised I'd be contacting the BBB. Miracle-ear is refusing to remove charges from my account with the Loan Company ********. ******** Bank has also refused to remove charges unless authorized to do so by Miracle-Ear. I'm now being charged for a set of hearing aids I do not have. Please assist me in having these charges removed from my account, please. Thank you

  Business response

  01/19/2022

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this complaint.
  
  When a patient purchases hearing aids, the warranty includes a loss and damage (L&D) insurance that provides one replacement each for the left and right hearing aids. The deductible is thirty (30%) percent of the retail price of that particular hearing aid. If you lose a hearing aid, it is not mandatory that you make a claim. However, if you choose to do so, we advise that you search in every possible place where you think your hearing aid(s) may have been lost. We strongly encourage this because once the claim is made and the order is placed, we cannot reverse it.
  
  Quite literally, it is out of our hands. The manufacturer provides the replacement hearing aid and they set the rules. It is their mandate that once the order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
  
  Should further information be needed, please don't hesitate to contact me.
  
  Best regards,
  
  ***** *****
  Operations Manager
  Billedeaux Hearing Center
  Miracle-Ear Franchisee

  Customer response

  01/20/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  I disagree with their response. I found my hearing aid the very next day and called in to inform them I had found it. They advised me to come in so they could check it to make sure it was not damaged and to cancel the replacement order. I went physically to Miracle-Ear and let the receptionist know I had found it, In which I was informed it was enough time for the replacement to be cancelled.I was mistreated and Brian talked to me so bad saying BBB is not gonna do anything so I'm wasting my time. They are charging me for a replacement I never received. This is Insurance Fraud.

  Business response

  01/24/2022

  We do not agree with the complainant's response.
  
  For years, this has been the policy. Once the order is placed, it is irreversible. She signed paperwork to have the loss and damage deductible financed. There is no insurance fraud. First, it is not an insurance company providing any coverage. It is an internally-issued coverage by Miracle-Ear and its franchisees. Second, she ordered the hearing aid and it is available to her. Therefore, that negates a fraud allegation. We are providing the product and she is attempting to decline it. Finally, we have to pay for part of this claim. Our money goes into this transaction, as well.
  
  To re-cap: We have not defrauded the patient or any insurance company. We have followed a long-standing rule by the manufacturer that no order, once placed, may be canceled.
  
  No further discussion on this matter will change those facts.
  
  My staff denies being rude and insists that the tone of the conversation was simply matter of fact. Additionally, the specialist in question, Brian Eskew, explicitly denies that he ever speculated as to what BBB would do with this claim. I will not discuss that further as their is no proof of the allegations on either side of this matter.
  
  Best regards,
  
  Chris Lamke
  Operations Manager
  Billedeaux Hearing Center, LLC
  An Independently Owned Miracle-Ear Franchise

  Customer response

  01/27/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  I disagree with their statement and respond. I was told by ***** when I went into the office to have a paper notarized saying the hearing aid was lost because people buy the hearing aids then sell them and try to get more so this is the measure that has to be taken in order for him to process a replacement. I did what he said but the very next day I went in at 11am to let them know I had found my original hearing aid and the receptionist advised me that my original aid was still in good condition, THEREFORE she would stop the process for the replacement Hearing aid. They also called me that Monday to Confirm the cancellation of the Hearing aid.I may have said Insurance Fraud meaning they are trying to Finance me for a product that I do not have,own or never seen or need. They are trying to Fraud the Finance Company Not the Insurance Company. That was an error saying Finance Company.I'm definitely trying to will per-sue this further.

  Business response

  02/01/2022

  They are informed of this corporate policy at the time of claim. Again, this is not our policy, but that of Miracle-Ear's manufacturing division. If there is a question about that, it would be best directed to them.
  
  I do have patient signed and notarized documentation stating a loss, a signed credit/charge document, and agreement to purchase. That is all that is required. If written permission is granted by Mrs. Lewis, we can show you the documents with certain financial and personal information redacted, of course.
  
  Best regards,
  
  ***** *****
  Operations Manager
  Miracle-Ear of Louisiana
  5750 Johnston St., Suite 502
  Lafayette, LA 70503
  337-704-2238 (direct line)
  337-989-4344 ext. 2238 (office)
  337-409-4956 (direct fax)
  
  ***Document Attached***
  Please find attached the documentation that you requested.
  See Attachment/File: Miracle-Ear Complaint - A Lewis Documentation.pdf

  Business response

  02/03/2022

  You mentioned that you would like to pursue this matter further. Should you choose to do so, please direct all correspondence, including any legal or attorney correspondence, to our corporate office.
  The mailing address is 5750 Johnston Street, Suite 502, Lafayette, LA 70503.

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