Medicare rebates available for comprehensive hearing assessments referred by GPs or other medical practitioners.
Hear With Me
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Get clear answers and quick reports. We comprehensively assess the ears and hearing of adults and children (3+), and obtain the ear status of children below 3 years old.
Reconnect with others as we guide you along the hearing journey. Our no obligation, honest & personalised approach puts your needs first. Book now to experience the difference.
Let's get those blocked ears sorted quickly. We offer safe microsuction and curettage removal.
Find out about Medicare, private health funds and other funding options below.
$110 ^ | 30 minutes
Peace of mind that your child’s ears and hearing are working as they should.
Clarity if you need to see a Speech & Language Pathologist for speech and language support or an Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist for ear management.
We begin by exploring your child’s hearing and general health backgrounds and help to settle them into the appointment.
We take images of their ears using our specialised camera, before assessing their middle ear function (via tympanometry) to provide us with information about their Eustachian tube function.
We then check if their inner ears are responding to an automated hearing test (DPOAEs). This is adequate for children under the care of an ENT.
We discuss these results with you so you can determine the best course of action to take for your child.
A report will be sent to their referring doctors and to you.
We encourage you to book a time that your child can mostly likely be calm for approximately 10 to 20 minutes.
For some people, preparing their child ahead of the appointment by telling the that someone will be looking in their ears can sometimes help to settle them ahead of time.
We sometimes require distractions during testing, so if you have any of your child’s preferred videos on your phone, that can be helpful for us to obtain all necessary results.
We try to avoid eating during testing as this can disrupt results.
Please bring your doctor’s referral (if you have one) to your appointment.
Check out our service quality guarantees, funding options, booking terms and conditions, contact details and privacy policy.
$170 ^ | 45 minutes
Peace of mind that your child’s ears and hearing are working as they should.
Clarity if you need to see a Speech & Language Pathologist for speech and language support or an Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist for ear management.
Rule out if any delays with speech, language, learning or school are due to resolvable hearing issues.
Our comprehensive hearing assessments for children is adapted to your child.
We begin by exploring your child’s hearing and general health backgrounds and help to settle them into the appointment in a fun and respectful way.
We take images of their ears using our specialised camera, before assessing their middle ear function (via tympanometry) to provide us with information about their Eustachian tube function.
We then check if the inner ear is responding to an automated hearing test (DPOAEs).
For children aged 3-6 years old, we play a game to determine how soft they can hear soft sounds that are essential to understanding speech (conditioned play audiometry).
For older children, we comprehensively test how soft they can hear broader sounds across the speech spectrum and their abilities to understand words in quiet (age 6 and up) and sentences in noise (age 9 and up).
We conclude with an explanation of the results and a discussion of next steps so you have a clear idea of what to do next
We conclude with a clear explanation of the results and assist you in determining the best course of action to take for your child.
A report will be sent to their referring doctors and to you.
We encourage you to book a time that your child will be able to concentrate for up to 30 minutes.
For younger children (up to 8 years old), preparing your younger child ahead of the appointment by telling the that someone will be looking in their ears can sometimes help to settle them ahead of time. We sometimes require distractions during testing for this age group, so if you have any of your child’s preferred videos on your phone, that can be helpful for us to obtain all necessary results.
We try to avoid eating during testing as this can disrupt results.
For older children, there is no specific preparation needed for our appointments.
Please bring your doctor’s referral (if you have one) to your appointment.
Check out our service quality guarantees, funding options, booking terms and conditions, contact details and privacy policy.
$170 ^ | 45 minutes
To address your needs, our comprehensive hearing assessments begins with a detailed exploration of your hearing concerns and general health.
We take images of your ears using our specialised camera.
We assess your middle ear function (via tympanometry) which can provide us with information about their Eustachian tube function. We then check if the inner ear is responding to an automated hearing test (DPOAEs).
We comprehensively test how soft you can hear various sounds across the speech spectrum and your abilities to understand words in quiet and sentences in background noise.
We conclude with an explanation of your unique results and a discussion of next steps so you have a clear idea of the status of your ear and hearing and what you can do next to optimise.
We can also comment on potential management strategies for tinnitus or hearing in background noise.
We want you to feel confident in managing your ears and hearing.
A report will be sent to any referring doctors and to you.
We ask that you arrive a few minutes earlier to complete any administrative paperwork.
If you have any previous hearing results, we ask that you also bring these to the appointment or email it to us ahead of time so we can compare at our appointment.
Please bring your doctor’s referral (if you have one) to your appointment.
Check out our service quality guarantees, funding options, booking terms and conditions, contact details and privacy policy.
$220 | 60 minutes
You’ve had your hearing assessed and are now wondering about your next steps?
Book this appointment to receive honest, accurate and no pressure advice covering a wide range of solutions and strategies to meet your listening goals.
If we are exploring a hearing aid trial, we use this appointment to determine which hearing aids are best for you based on wide ranging criteria, so that we can be confident that you are trialling the best option for your unique lifestyle circumstances.
It is almost impossible to self-determine the best hearing aid for one’s self.
Although there is now more information on hearing aids on the internet then ever before, it can be very difficult to work which sources are reliable and what would work best for your unque needs.
Hearing aids can be expensive and the cost of getting it wrong can be immense.
It is important to see such hearing devices in person to see how they sit and feel in your ears.
For most people, hearing aids are not something that is simply tune for your hearing and that works brilliantly afterwards. Optimising the hearing aid sound for your needs, and building up daily hearing aid use are essential factors to successs with hearing aids.
Your success with hearing rehabilitation is critical to our succes too. We want you to do well, and we do not want to see any more hearing aids ending up unsued.
At Hear With Me, our longer appointment will allow for enough time to determine a range of factors that will help us decide which hearing device may best assist you.
We use this appointment to better understand the listening situations and people you most want to hear or understand better.
We take into account all the key factors in your decision, holistically using information from you alongside scientific and technical data to ensure accurate recommendations are made for you.
What we want to know include:
Our recommendations may or may not include hearing aids – we try to keep an open mind about all possible solutions for you, including the decision to delay treatment. It is important to us that you are able to make an informed decision that is right for your circumstances.
We discuss our rehabilitation plan for the journey ahead, including costs, ongoing support and tineframes.
We are happy to answer your questions and try to provide you with supporting facts. We want to enhance your knowledge so that you are making your best decision.
When you do well, we all do well.
Bring to your appointment any previous hearing results as well as any recent hearing devices that you already own. Please note that this appointment typically doesn’t allow for hearing aid adjustments due to time contraints.
If you have been referred by an ENT or other doctor, please bring your referral to your appointment. Medicare does not rebate these appointments.
We’d love to answer any of your questions. Please feel free to write them down and ask us anything hearing or hearing device related when you see us.
Most other clinics offer this additional appointment for free – so why do we charge?
We believe that we offer immense value to you in our discussion appointments.
We are not tied to a particular device or hearing aid manufacturer.
We will discuss your personalised next steps with you at the appointment. You are under no obligation or pressure to accept any our recommendations or to proceed with a hearing device from us.
Our pricing ensures our ability to remain truly independent.
We want to ensure the your needs are met and the best outcomes for you.
Check out our service quality guarantees, funding options, booking terms and conditions, contact details and privacy policy.
Experience
Hearing is one of the most challenging senses to understand well.
While a blurry image may indicate vision issues, sounds that we are unable to hear simply do not seem to exist to us.
A hearing aid trial provides you with first-hand knowledge of what you are missing, and if the missing sound is able to help you understand others more easily and with much less effort.
When you undertake a hearing aid trial, you become your own expert and do not rely as much on the audiologist’s theoretical knowledge of your own life experiences.
As the brain can be a slow to adapt to changes in hearing, it is not simply a process of choosing a good hearing aid and tuning it to your hearing loss to achieve success.
The process of hearing rehabilitation can be the difference between success and failure.
That’s a big difference to your time and money.
When you choose HEAR WITH ME, you undertake a state-of-the-art research-backed process enhanced with the lived experience of Dr Gerard William, who himself trials different hearing aids periodically to stay abreast of latest developments.
We will coach you from start to finish and evaluate your success at the end of the trial (more below).
We will try to ensure that your chosen hearing aid style fits within your budget.
Our no obligation approach means that you decide your next steps at the end of the trial.
We fit all major hearing aid brands are are not tied to any particular manufacturers. Hearing aid brands on offer at HEAR WITH ME include (alphabetically) Beltone, Oticon, Phonak, Signia, Starkey, Unitron and Widex.
If you have
And you are ready to do better with your hearing, and connect better with others more effortlessly.
We fit the hearing devices uniquely to your ears to ensure that you are happy with the look of the hearing aid and how they feel in your ear(s).
We set the hearing aids up for the level of technology that you desire to trial.
We program hearing aids specifically to your hearing levels for each ear using our advanced software.
We then objectively measure the hearing aid levels using Real Ear Measurements (REMS) to ensure that the hearing aids are technically proficient.
We finely-tune the hearing aids to your preferred sound to ensure that you are able to hear others and yourself clearly and comfortably, and that sounds are not too soft or loud.
We then go through our specialised Rehabilitation Plan that will guide you from a new user to an experienced user over our trial period.
Finally, we coach you in the insertion, removal and maintenance of the hearing aids.
At follow-up appointments, we check on your progress and warmly receive your feedback to continually optimise your hearing aids to your unique needs. We help you to resolve any issues that may arise.
At the end of the trial, we will assess the success of your hearing aid trial against:
Using this information, we will jointly agree on your next steps using our no-obligation process – whether that might be to progress onto your own hearing devices, to explore other alternatives towards better hearing, or to cease your current journey after the hearing aids trial.
You become the expert by the end of the trial so we are there to support you in your decision!
We recommend that you bring a support person to your hearing aid fitting appointment as there can be a lot to learn at this appointment.
We will advise you about what to bring to your follow-up appointments. (Typically this includes your trial hearing devices!)
Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns at any stage prior to or during the hearing aid trial.
Check out our service quality guarantees, funding options, booking terms and conditions, contact details and privacy policy.
$220 | 60 minutes (no hearing test required)
$300 ^ | 90 minutes (if a hearing test is required)
Note: A hearing test is required if you do not have recent hearing results (within 12 months) of our appointment.
If you would like a second opinion on a recommendation made to you, we’d love to help.
At Hear With Me, we believe that people who get hearing aids should be able to get the most out of them.
If you aren’t confident in your current hearing aids, or what has been recommended to you by others – we can help.
In this appointment, we explore your listening needs, your hearing levels and (if applicable) assess any current hearing aids .
We begin with a comprehensive hearing assessment, unless you’ve had one completed recently.
We discuss your hearing results with you so you can understand the causes – such as why you might have particular difficulties in some areas and not others, and why some devices might work while others might not.
We explore your lifestyle, goals and listening needs. We find out who and what is important to you. By listening to you, we can make an accurate recommendations for your unique circumstances.
We don’t typically recommend that anyone obtain new hearing aids if your current hearing aid(s) can still be optimised.
But if you need a recommendation regarding the latest hearing aids that can work for you – we can do that with great precision too.
Book this appointment appointment to explore your available options and ask questions, so that you can decide what is best for you.
This appointment is adapted to your individual needs.
It is important for both of us to work with good hearing results as this can greatly influence expectations and outcomes. Therefore, we need your most recent hearing results (within 12 months). If the hearing results were not comprehensive enough, we may have to conduct a new hearing assessment.
We explore your needs and lifestyle as part of reviewing the suitability of your current hearing aids for your unique circumstances, as we do in our Hearing Solutions Discussion appointments.
If you already have hearing aids, we ask that you bring your hearing aids to your appointment so that we can evaluate them. We typically do not recommend that anyone obtain new hearing aids if your current hearing aid(s) can still be optimised.
If you do not have hearing aids yet, we will explore what you have been recommended to you by others.
Based on your unique lifestyle, hearing levels and listening needs, we then provide various recommendations that suit you.
We aim to provide you with confidence about your next steps in managing your hearing.
Bring to your appointment any previous hearing results as well as any hearing devices that you would like optimised.
If you have been referred by an ENT or other doctor, please bring your referral as a Medicare rebate may sometimes be possible.
We can discuss your personalised next steps with you at the appointment. You are under no obligation or pressure to accept any our recommendations.
Check out our service quality guarantees, funding options, booking terms and conditions, contact details and privacy policy.
$150 | 45 minutes
Note: Excludes any replacement parts if devices are outside of warranty.
Most hearing aid manufacturer warranties in Australia are 36-months for hearing aids, and 12-months for accessories such as chargers and hearing aid receivers.
Occasionally hearing aids may not work optimally.
Book this if you are having ANY trouble with your hearing aids.
We will help you fix your hearing aids.
A lot of hearing aid issues can be resolved easily. If you need your hearing aids to work well for you, we can help you get back on track to connecting well with those around you.
There is no need to return to a life of regular frustration.
We are patient in asessing the problem, resolving it with you and coaching you so you are empowered to manage similar issues in the future.
Occasionally, the problem may not in fact be the hearing aid but rather due to a change in hearing. A change in hearing may seem like the hearing aids are no longer working as well. If this is the case, we will let you know and adjust your hearing aid settings to the right levels again.
We assess your hearing aids to identify the cause of the issue – if it’s hearing or hearing aid related.
If there is a change in hearing suspected, we may advise a hearing assessment. Ear wax can be removed during the appointment if time permits.
Once diagnosed, we will then resolve the issue with you and coach you so that you are empowered to manage similar issues in the future.
If we have to send your hearing aids away for a more serious repair, or if we have to order more parts for your hearing aids, we will try to find an interim solution that is suitable for you.
We want to ensure you are back on track as soon as possible.
Please bring your hearing devices and any cases or chargers that you have for them.
If you haven’t had your hearing tested in the past 24 months, we may require a hearing assessment to more accurately fine-tune your hearing aid settings. In that case, please book a “Hearing & Hearing Device Assessment” appointment.
We will do everything we can to fix your hearing aids on-site. If we are unable to do so, we will need to send your hearing aids away or order replacement parts. We will advise you on any associated costs and timeframes should we have to do this.
Check out our service quality guarantees, funding options, booking terms and conditions, contact details and privacy policy.
$130 | 30 minutes initial appointment.
$100 | 30 minutes within 30 days of last appointment.
$90 | No wax fee (but a ear and hearing status appointment is still conducted)
If you feel like your ears are blocked, or have had issues with ear wax – let’s start here.
We can see anyone that can remain fairly still while we remove ear wax – usually this means ages 8 years and older.
You ears may feel more comfortable especially if there has been a lot of ear wax.
Your hearing may also improve if the ear wax had built up enough to affect your hearing.
We begin by understanding more about your ears and general health.
We then remove ear wax using the most appropriate method for each individual ears.
We remove ear wax safely and effectively using microsuction or currettes.
We take before and after pictures of your ears so you can see – and hopefully hear – the difference!
We then send a copy of the images (before and after) to your GP and you after the appointment.
You don’t need to do anything specifically to prepare for the appointment.
If you are already using drops recommended by a doctor, please continue to do so.
If (for various reasons) we cannot remove all the impacted ear wax within the first appointment, we offer a reduced rate of $80 if you return within 30 days.
There are currently no Medicare rebates available for ear wax removal.
Please note that we reserve the right to charge a fee (currently $80) for appointments even where there is no ear wax is present. We will discuss alternative options if you are experiencing blocked or uncomfortable ears despite not having any ear wax present, for example, this may suggest the need for a comprehensive hearing assessment.
Check out our service quality guarantees, funding options, booking terms and conditions, contact details and privacy policy.
There are five major funding options for audiology services and devices in Australia. The following table summarises what is on available to you.
HEAR WITH ME only services Medicare, Private Health Insurance and self-funded (private) patients at this time. We DO NOT currently offer services under the Hearing Services Program (HSP), National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) and WorkCover.
Please note that there are specific requirements for certain funding programs – such as Australian Permanent Residency or Citizenship for Medicare and NDIS. Refer to each program’s website for specific details and advice.
Funding Option | Audiology Services (e.g., Assessments) | Audiology Devices (e.g., Hearing Aids) |
---|---|---|
Medicare | Yes, if referred by a Medical Practitioner (GP, ENT or other). | No |
Private Health Insurance (Health Funds) | Rarely, and depending on the Extras cover for certain funds. | Yes, depending on the Extras cover for certain funds. |
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) | For approved claims only. Typically requires a severe or worse hearing loss in adults. | For approved claims only. Typically requires a severe or worse hearing loss in adults. |
Hearing Services Program (HSP) | Yes if eligibility criteria is met. | Yes if eligibility criteria is met. A subsidy is provided for basic devices and you can elect to pay the difference for higher end devices. |
Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) | Yes if eligibility criteria is met. | Yes if eligibility criteria is met. A subsidy is provided for basic devices and you can elect to pay the difference for higher end devices. |
WorkCover (WorkSafe VIC) | Yes, for approved claims for specific assessments to prescribed limits. | Yes, for approved claims. Mid-level hearing aid technology is provided with no co-pay allowed for higher-end technology. |
Self-funded (Private) | Yes | Yes |
^ Medicare rebates are available under the following conditions
We will need your referral and Medicare Card to process the claim on-site at the time of your payment. Medicare rebates you by electronic funds transfer or by cheque within 48 hours based on your account set-up.
Please bring your referral on the day. To save time, upload it when booking online or email a copy to us prior to your appointment.
Not necessarily.
We can accept referrals for hearing assessments addressed to other providers as long as it has been completed by a medical practitioner, dated and
If you have any questions about your referral, please email a copy to us prior to your appointment and we can best advise you.
Medicare rebates typically range from $16 to $60 for comprehensive hearing assessments (adults and children) or ear and hearing status checks. Comprehensive hearing assessments typically attract a higher rebate (closer to $60) compared to ear and status checks (mostly below $20) due to the procedures covered.
Greater rebates are available to those who qualify for the Medicare Safety Net.
Please note that hearing rehabilitation services and hearing aids are covered by Medicare rebates only through the Enhanced Care Plan. If you are interested in pursuing a trial of hearing aids, you may benefit from the Enhanced Care Plan which can provide up to five Medicare-rebated appointments with approximately $55 benefit per appointment.
Ear wax removal by an audiologist is not covered by Medicare rebates.
Please note that you cannot top-up the balance of your Medicare-rebated appointment with private health insurance cover.
We do not want finances to be a barrier to you when accessing our services. Therefore, we can offer you a reduced rate if required, such as if you have a Health Care or Pension Card.
As a general rule, most funds only rebate a portion of hearing aid purchases (i.e., products) based on your “Extras” cover every three to five years. Some health funds may cover audiology services which includes hearing assessments and consultation appointments (such as hearing solutions discussion for hearing rehabilitation). It is important to check with your health fund cover.
You do not need a referral to access health fund cover for audiology.
Please also note that we cannot process all HICAPS claim on site. You may need to submit your claim to your health insurance provider.
Please note that you cannot top-up the balance of your Medicare-rebated appointment with private health insurance cover. However, private health insurance may be able to cover some of the payment “gap” for HSP and DVA clients.
Hear With Me offers services under the Hearing Services Program (HSP). If you are eligible, please let us know when booking in.
Hear With Me does not currently offer services under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Hear With Me does not currently offer claimable services for Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) patients.
Hear With Me does not currently offer services for WorkCover/Worksafe VIC.
We promise warm, honest, personalised and comprehensive audiology care to help you connect with loved ones.
Guided by the lived and professional experience of hearing impaired and accredited audiologist Dr Gerard William, PhD.
Street parking is available outside (cashless paid parking closest to the building; free 2P further away).
Wheelchair accessible and friendly.
Serviced by PTV buses 503, 546, 551 and 903 and the Heidelberg Train Station.
Running early? Visit The Pepper Tree Cafe on Burgundy St and mention that you are seeing us!
Wilson Parking is available underground and we recommend pre-booking through the online booking system or app.
Southgate Medical is a 10 minute walk from Flinders Street Station. Cross the Princes or Evan Walker Bridge and head up one floor within the Southgate Mall.
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