WINTER 2018

Have you Heard? Let our doctors help you navigate your hearing health care

Anne Orsene, AuD - Director Jennifer Long, AuD Nicole Baumgartner, AuD HES Jill Bernstein, AuD Jennifer Sutton, AuD Claire McIntosh, AuD CLINICAL Rebecca Witter, AuD Nicole Ball, AuD Kim Dahar, Audiology Resident STAFF Donna Lavallee, AuD Carolyn Yates, AuD Yugandhar Ramakrishna, Audiology Resident Kristina Jackson, AuD Alyssa Beaton, AuD Caitlyn Potter, Audiology Resident

consider this

Happy New Insurance Year!

For many of you, the new year hit the reset button for your insurance plan, or possibly brought you an entirely new insurance plan all together. HES has a dedicated Insurance Specialist whose job is to help you understand the parts of your insurance plan as it relates to any available hearing aid coverage you may be entitled to.

On Tuesday, March 6th we will be Happy 2018 from your friends hosting an Insurance Seminar from 11:00am – 2:00pm at at Hearing Evaluation Services! Mangia in Orchard Park. They say that time flies when you are having fun…and it really couldn’t be more true. To learn about your existing plan, a new plan, or find out if you’re eligible for a hearing aid benefit We had another eventful year at HES. Our family has continued to grow, as we welcomed Tiffany Thompson please call 716-768-3533 as our newest Patient Care Coordinator, as well as to reserve your spot with our Insurance three new outstanding Residents from the University Specialist, Valerie Schmidt. at Buffalo; Caitlyn Potter, Yugandar Ramakrishna, and Kimberly Dahar. Continued on page 3

Amherst Williamsville Tonawanda Orchard Park (716) 833-4488 (716) 633-3344 (716) 844-8811 (716) 662-0707 www.HESofBuffalo.org 1 consider this What is an Insurance Deductible? Your deductible is the amount you pay for covered healthcare services before your insurance plan starts to pay. For example, with a $2,000 deductible, you pay the first $2,000 of covered services out of pocket, then your insurance begins to pay. After you meet your deductible, you usually only pay a co-payment or co-insurance for covered services. Your insurance company pays the rest. Hearing aids typically count towards your deductible. • Many plans pay for certain services, Spinning: The Industry Causing like a well visit or disease management program, before you’ve met your Hearing Loss in Young Adults deductible. Check your plan for details. Written by Rebecca Witter, AuD Fall 2016 • All “marketplace” health plans pay the When the coldAmherst weather 716-833-4488 hits Western New York, our workouts are full cost of certain preventive benefits, Tonawanda 716-844-8811 even before you meet your deductible. driven indoorsWilliamsville to gyms, 716-633-3344 heated swimming pools, and spinning studios. YoungOrchard people Park 716-662-0707 increase their risk of hearing loss with the • Some plans have separate deductibles rising popularity of exercise classes offering high calorie workouts for certain services, such as prescription paired with music at dangerously loud levels. HES PROFESSIONAL STAFF drugs.Anne Orsene, AuD - Director Fall into Better Hearing Jill Bernstein, AuD If you or someone you know is hooked on those music-blaring spin • FamilyRebecca plansWitter, AuD often haveBring-a-friend both an (or for other a chance exercise) to classes win and you’re telling yourself “it’s not that individualDonna Lavallee, deductible, AuD which applies to Kristina Jackson, AuD Trans Siberianloud,” Orches think traagain. Tickets Unless you have a sound level meter handy to eachJennifer person, Long, AuD and a family deductible, Jennifer Sutton, AuD take sound pressure level measurements, don’t use your subjective whichNicole applies Ball, AuD to all family members. barometer to determine what’s too loud. We naturally habituate to Carolyn Whitcomb, AuD Nicole Baumgartner, AuD loudness so it’s no wonder why we don’t think twice – once we get a Generally,Alyssa Beaton, plans AuD with lower monthly few minutes into the class, our ears have habituated to the volume premiumsClaire McIntosh,have higherAuD deductibles. Plans Tara Bodziak, Audiology Resident and we don’t feel as bothered as when it first starts. withSean higher Fuster, Audiologymonthly Resident premiums usually have lowerBrianna deductibles. Wojnar, Audiology Resident I’ve also noticed that almost all spinning studios offer hearing HES Support Staff protection which is so great to see. However, what percentage of ThisJoyce information, Kessler – Business plus Manager much Bring more, a includingfriend or loved one in for a hearing test, take- Kristen Orsene – Offce Manager people are actually taking and using those earplugs during class? a fullValerie Schmidt explanation – Billing Specialist of hearinghome demo programs with new hearing technology, or both, and andMichelle benefits Sciandra – willBilling Specialist be coveredbe entered at our into next our fallNot raffe many. to win The two reason? tickets toHearing see loss isn’t a problem… until it’s Cindy Wasinger a problem. When we’re young we feel invincible – which causes InsuranceJanet Seminar Frampton on Marchthe Trans 6th. IfSiberian you Orchestra at Key Bank Center on th have any Tracyquestions, Sacco or needSunday, information December in 4 atus 3:00 to make pm. Ringnot so in smart the holiday decisions about protecting our hearing – Margaret Maurino the meanStephanie time, Hilbert please don’tseason hesitate with to bettercall hearingwhich and leads enjoy to hearing the show loss on as us! an adult sooner than later. our Insurance Specialist at 716-768-3533. IN THIS EDITION... Call 206-3577 to scheduleWe all appointmentsknow someone andwho earnsuffers from hearing loss (or suffer from • Enter For A Chance your entries to see theit ourselves). Trans Siberian We watch Orchestra. this debilitating thing happen to the people To Win Trans Siberian we love and often do very little to mitigate it or make behavioral Orchestra Tickets No purchase necessary. Offer availablechanges for to new prevent or existing it frompatients. happening Must to us. The problem with loud complete appointment for comprehensivemusic is thathearing it generally test (insurance doesn’t copay cause you to feel any physical pain • What Happens To The may apply), no-charge take-home demo, or both by November 30, 2016 Brain When We Have to be eligible for drawing. Winnerwhen to it’s be announcedtoo loud. and Most contacted of us by bumble along through our young Hearing Loss? December 1, 2016. lives, unknowingly abusing our ears, until one day we’re at a noisy • Honoring Lion social event and realize we can’t understand anyone. But even Tom Reinagel For then we often find that people wait a significantly long time before Humanitarian Efforts taking action on the problem. Continued on page 4 2 www.HESofBuffalo.org www.HESofBuffalo.org Welcome to 2018 cont... HES audiologist, Dr. Carolyn Yates (formerly Whitcomb) got married at the end of 2016 and Dr. Rebecca Witter gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Reese Lillian Witter, in September of 2017! Back in the fall we partnered as the exclusive provider of the “Jim Kelly Experience”. This program offered our patients the “Kelly Tough” brand hearing devices worn and endorsed by Jim himself. We also launched our first television campaign, featuring stories from real HES patients. We would like to once again thank John, Nanette, and Missy for participating in this campaign, and for all of their great work “on set”! This campaign can be found on WGRZ (Channel 2) and on our Youtube channel. Lastly, we were honored by Quota International of Amherst at their Annual Awards Dinner, which recognizes community organizations that impact and serve Western New York. Serving the community is our top priority at HES, and we are proud to be a Hearing Health Champion in Western New York. We have a lot to look forward to in 2018. We will be continually exploring other avenues to advocate hearing healthcare in Western New York through podcasts, television segments, editorials and more. More importantly, we will continue our non-profit mission by improving lives through personal and honest hearing healthcare. Dr. Jill Bernstein once again traveled on a mission trip to Guatemala in February. This will be her 4th trip since 2015, where she visited remote villages and set up a multi-disciplinary clinic to provide hearing health services. These mission trips are with a team of medical professionals, in partnership with an organization called Faith In Practice, which helps coordinate these services for people that may never receive this type of care otherwise. Within her four visits, Dr. Bernstein and the team have helped over 2500 patientsFall 2016 at the various clinics throughout different Amherst 716-833-4488 regions of Guatemala. Tonawanda 716-844-8811 Williamsville 716-633-3344 Orchard Park 716-662-0707

ColdHES PROFESSIONAL Season STAFF and Your Hearing Anne Orsene, AuD - Director Fall into Better Hearing Jill Bernstein, AuD Grab theRebecca tissues, Witter, AuD cuddle up in aBring-a-friend blanket, and perhaps for aska chance your family to to win speak aDonna little Lavallee, louder. AuD Cold and flu season is in full swing, but many people Kristina Jackson, AuD Trans Siberian Orchestra Tickets forget thatJennifer along Long, AuD with the runny nose, sneezing and coughing – your Jennifer Sutton, AuD hearing canNicole Ball,take AuD a hit as well. Carolyn Whitcomb, AuD Nicole Baumgartner, AuD Just likeAlyssa the Beaton, nose AuD and throat, when you get the cold or flu, your ears can buildClaire up McIntosh, with AuD pressure or fluid. With all that congestion, it makes it Tara Bodziak, Audiology Resident hardSean for Fuster, your Audiology ears Resident to equalize the pressure or drain the fluid which could leadBrianna to Wojnar,infection. Audiology ResidentMost of the time you’ll experience ear fullness and/ HES Support Staff or muffledJoyce Kessler hearing– Business Manager which isBring usually a friend temporary or loved until one the in fluid for ora hearingpressure test, take- resolves.Kristen Orsene – Offce Manager Valerie Schmidt – Billing Specialist home demo with new hearing technology, or both, and Michelle Sciandra – Billing Specialist be entered into our fall raffe to win two tickets to see To keep yourCindy Wasinger ears as healthy as possible (especially if you already have a Janet Frampton the Trans Siberian Orchestra at Key Bank Center on hearing loss), you’ll want to avoid temperature extremes.th Keep your ears Tracy Sacco Sunday, December 4 at 3:00 pm. Ring in the holiday covered Margaretif you Maurino need to go outside, keep your head elevated so fluid can season with better hearing and enjoy the show on us! continuallyStephanie drain, Hilbert and most importantly – be gentle when blowing your nose.IN THIS The EDITION...increased pressureCall on206-3577 your ear to drums schedule can causeappointments damage ifand earn you• blowEnter tooFor Aforcefully. Chance your entries to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra. If you’reTo Win congested Trans Siberian and your feel your hearing is suffering more than Orchestra Tickets No purchase necessary. Offer available for new or existing patients. Must normal, call your primary doctorcomplete orappointment speak with for comprehensive your audiologist hearing to test figure (insurance copay out• theWhat best Happens next step. To The If you’remay apply), scheduled no-charge for take-home a routine demo, hearing or both testby November with 30, 2016 us butBrain you’re When sick We or Have feeling to congested, be eligible for it drawing. may be Winner worth to bepostponing announced your and contacted by Hearing Loss? December 1, 2016. exam until you feel better – especially if you wear hearing aids. • Honoring Lion BeforeTom we Reinagel know it, For Spring will be here, and we can shift our worries to… allergies!Humanitarian But for Effortsnow, enjoy the Buffalo winter as much as possible and hopefully you’ll get through the season without too many issues or tissues! www.HESofBuffalo.org www.HESofBuffalo.org 3 Amherst Office 4600 Main St. Suite 201 Amherst, NY 14226 (716) 833-4488

Williamsville Office 2733 Wehrle Dr. Suite 200 Williamsville, NY 14221 (716) 633-3344

Tonawanda Office 2545 Sheridan Dr. Suite 5 Tonawanda, NY 14150 (716) 844-8811

Orchard Park Office 4063 North Buffalo Rd. Suite 3 Orchard Park, NY 14127 Fall 2016 (716) 662-0707 Amherst 716-833-4488 Tonawanda 716-844-8811 Williamsville 716-633-3344 Orchard Park 716-662-0707

HES PROFESSIONAL STAFF Anne Orsene, AuD - Director Fall into Better Hearing Jill Bernstein, AuD DoRebeccayou Witter, AuDsuffer fromBring-a-friend Spinning: for a chance The to win Industry Causing Donna Lavallee, AuD Kristina Jackson, AuD Trans Siberian Orchestra Tickets ringingJennifer Long, AuD in the ears? Hearing Loss in Young Adults cont... Jennifer Sutton, AuD Nicole Ball, AuD According to the Center for Hearing and Communication people with Carolyn Whitcomb, AuD Nicole Baumgartner, AuD hearing loss wait an average of seven years before they decide to Alyssa Beaton, AuD Claire McIntosh, AuD proactively address a hearing problem. Tara Bodziak, Audiology Resident Sean Fuster, Audiology Resident Brianna Wojnar, Audiology Resident Here are a couple of opinions on why people don’t act until it’s too late:

HES Support Staff Joyce Kessler – Business Manager Bring a friend or loved1. oneThe antiquatedin for a hearing stereotypes test, take- surrounding hearing loss Kristen Orsene – Offce Manager home demo with new hearing technology, or both, and Valerie Schmidt – Billing Specialist 2. The reluctance of our society to accept hearing healthcare as a Michelle Sciandra – Billing Specialist be entered into our fall raffe to win two tickets to see Cindy Wasinger major priority Janet Frampton the Trans Siberian Orchestra at Key Bank Center on th Tracy Sacco Sunday, December 4 at 3:00 pm. Ring in the holiday ThereMargaret isMaurino help for people who 3. Baseline hearing tests aren’t always routinely recommended by Stephanie Hilbert season with better hearing and enjoy the show on us! experience bothersome tinnitus healthcare providers IN THIS EDITION... Call 206-3577 to schedule appointments and earn The decisions young people are making right now about how much • EnterJoin ForHearing A Chance Evaluation Servicesyour forentries an to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra. informativeTo Win Trans discussion Siberian on tinnitus. Learn about they’re exposing their ears to will directly shape what their life looks Orchestrathe causes, Tickets the links to yourNo hearing,purchase and necessary. Offerlike available later. Nofor new one or wantsexisting topatients. think Must about these things, but it will happen, available therapies to help managecomplete tinnitus. appointment for morecomprehensive so in younger hearing test generations (insurance copay due to the increased exposure to ear- • What Happens To The may apply), no-charge take-home demo, or both by November 30, 2016 TheseBrain complimentary When We Have educational to be sessions eligible for are drawing. level Winner devices to be announced and constantly and contacted being by“plugged in”. Encourage the people heldHearing the 2 ndLoss? Wednesday of everyDecember month 1, from2016. you know who love those loud spinning classes to make the change 3:30-5:00 pm. now. Encourage them to reach for the earplugs; their future self will • Honoring Lion TakeTom Reinagelthe first Forstep to managing your thank them. tinnitusHumanitarian by calling Efforts 844-8811 to reserve If you are receiving this newsletter in a duplicate, or if you no longer wish to receive our newslet- your spot today. ter, please send an email to [email protected] 4 www.HESofBuffalo.org www.HESofBuffalo.org