$70k for CIs!

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bogle300

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One of my cousins just got news that she is a candidate for Cochlear Implants and the cost is $70,000!


any ideas on how to raise money or finding help purchasing them?
 
bogle300 said:
One of my cousins just got news that she is a candidate for Cochlear Implants and the cost is $70,000!


any ideas on how to raise money or finding help purchasing them?
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Most of those surgeries are paid for by insurance companies. Does your cousin have insurance? If so, that would sure beat having cake walks. :P
 
I was quoted between 40 and 70K for mine and thank god for insurance. I get my right one Thursday afternoon. Have no idea what it will cost but told them up front I sure don't have that kind of money.
Rampratt
 
Somebody mentioned a long while ago (Hear Again?!?) that there was an organization that helps some folks get a CI. Anybody remember...
 
sr171soars said:
Somebody mentioned a long while ago (Hear Again?!?) that there was an organization that helps some folks get a CI. Anybody remember...
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The organization is called "Let Them Hear", I believe. You can google for it to get more information on this organization.
 
Definitely check into insurance, or medicaid. Also check out the CNI Cochlear Implant Assistance Program (program will work with CI manufacturer, CI is donated, but hospital/surgery bill is left to the patient to cover).
Cochlear Implant Assistance Program - Colorado Neurological Institute

Let Them Hear only helped with appeals to denials from insurance, and they're not even doing that anymore these days.


At least it's only about $70,000 for your cousin. For me, it's $100,000 (that's the estimate from my implant center). The hospital my CI center works with is quite pricy from my understanding.
 
Let Them Hear only helped with appeals to denials from insurance, and they're not even doing that anymore these days.
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How come? I have to say that I think that insurance companies are going to start really cracking down on who can/can't get CI b/c it's so PRICEY!
I think too that most people (unless they have super good insurance) will have to make do with one.
 
deafdyke said:
How come? I have to say that I think that insurance companies are going to start really cracking down on who can/can't get CI b/c it's so PRICEY!
I think too that most people (unless they have super good insurance) will have to make do with one.
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Actually, isn't the trend the very opposite? I think most kids are getting approved for two straight out of the gate these days. I don't know many parents who have kids who are bimodal.
 
Actually, isn't the trend the very opposite?
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Just b/c a handful of families with REALLY good insurance are getting their kids bilaterally implanted, it doesn't signal a trend. You know, nowadays its HELL trying to get even ONE covered.
 
deafdyke said:
Just b/c a handful of families with REALLY good insurance are getting their kids bilaterally implanted, it doesn't signal a trend. You know, nowadays its HELL trying to get even ONE covered.
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Nope. Ours was approved, literally, overnight. We intend to get a second later this year.
 
deafdyke said:
How come? I have to say that I think that insurance companies are going to start really cracking down on who can/can't get CI b/c it's so PRICEY!
I think too that most people (unless they have super good insurance) will have to make do with one.
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I don't know why LTH isn't accepting any new appeal cases. They haven't accepted new cases since last fall. Just what I've read on their website.
 
faire_jour said:
Actually, isn't the trend the very opposite? I think most kids are getting approved for two straight out of the gate these days. I don't know many parents who have kids who are bimodal.
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This, I agree. Kids, they can get the implants quickly and easily it seems. It's adults that have to fight. My state medicaid readily approves implants for kids with no problem, but I'm having to appeal to them. kind of frustrating really.
 
probably because researches says cochlear implant are more successful in children than adult.

So they are focusing on children now and saving their budget for children. Back then, it was adults because they weren't all that sure about implants on children.

but I think it is full of crap. Implant does help some deaf adults. It just not the result they were looking for.
 
they are thinking well the children will definately benefit by growing up with them and some adults probably wanted nothing to do with the CIs after they got them...

There was a guy that had CIs that used to go to my church...he said everything sounded like dark vader....(can you imagine going to church to hear the good word and the preacher is talking like darth vader..."YOU DO NOT KNOW THE POWERRRR OF THE LIGHT SIDE....."
 
Lighthouse77 said:
probably because researches says cochlear implant are more successful in children than adult.

So they are focusing on children now and saving their budget for children. Back then, it was adults because they weren't all that sure about implants on children.

but I think it is full of crap. Implant does help some deaf adults. It just not the result they were looking for.
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It all comes down to the most bang for your buck. If it is demonstratively better in kids than adults, then that is where the money will be spent. The adults will then have to have a compelling case to get a second one.

I'm probably one of those that would do very well with a second one but I personally choose not to do so at this time. So for me, it is a moot point but for others...it just depends.
 
Nope. Ours was approved, literally, overnight.
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Wasn't that a few years ago? And wasn't Miss Kat pretty much a prime canidate for CI?
(ie very poor benifit from HA?)
 
bogle300 said:
One of my cousins just got news that she is a candidate for Cochlear Implants and the cost is $70,000!


any ideas on how to raise money or finding help purchasing them?
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Suggest you call Melissa Benton,administrator, of the Dallas Hearing Foundation at 972-644-3227. She may be able to directly help or be a resource of where all to look for help.
 
deafdyke said:
Wasn't that a few years ago? And wasn't Miss Kat pretty much a prime canidate for CI?
(ie very poor benifit from HA?)
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Barely over a year ago, and she was implanted outside the FDA criteria, her loss was only moderatly severe to severe.
 
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