C.I. - Very Expensive, True?

web730

web730

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My friend just told me yesterday that she learnt something shocking about them C.I.s

Her friend is rather so old and want one. She got approved by her v.r. recently to receive them someday soon and say it takes only an hour surgery and poof go as an outpatient. My friend even doesn't understand why she wants but respect her since it's her body, naturally.

But for the shocking part, she told my friend that it costs about $200,000 for her set of C.I.s... either from Germany or Australia.

She said both types from Germany and Australia offers best qualities while USA offers poor quality that has been known for its problems. Those made in USA I believe costs around $50k or close enough for a piece, right?

I don't know as if it's true about the price. If so, it's so outrageous for our or your state taxes going waste that much for these pieces especially for those who wouldn't benefit much from it. If true enough, tell me which world am I in?!
 
My Medicaid and Medicare covered my CI and all CI-related expenses. I got my Medicare Summary in the mail and saw that it didn't cost more than 8-10k for CI, surgery, CI-related hospital expenses, audiologist, surgeon, hearing tests in the booth, and Medicare and Medicaid is going to cover my speech therapy.

There are ways for VR/Medicaid/Medicare to reduce CI-related expenses so they don't have to pay as much as say, Blue Cross Blue Shield or other insurance through your job or whatever, from what I understand, and in my case I didn't have to pay one penny. So, it doesn't necessarily have to cost VR $200,000.

And as for brands of CI from Australia, US, Europe...Australia has Cochlear (Freedom and previous processors), Europe has Med-EL, and US have Advanced Bionics. Your friend should be able to choose between 2-3 major brands. I was able to choose between Advanced Bionics and Cochlear at my CI center, it depends on your friend's CI center.

Hope that helps! :)
 
web730 said:
My friend just told me yesterday that she learnt something shocking about them C.I.s

Her friend is rather so old and want one. She got approved by her v.r. recently to receive them someday soon and say it takes only an hour surgery and poof go as an outpatient. My friend even doesn't understand why she wants but respect her since it's her body, naturally.

But for the shocking part, she told my friend that it costs about $200,000 for her set of C.I.s... either from Germany or Australia.

She said both types from Germany and Australia offers best qualities while USA offers poor quality that has been known for its problems. Those made in USA I believe costs around $50k or close enough for a piece, right?

I don't know as if it's true about the price. If so, it's so outrageous for our or your state taxes going waste that much for these pieces especially for those who wouldn't benefit much from it. If true enough, tell me which world am I in?!
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well, we in USA ONLY can get CI that is FDA approved, those three CI makers has their CI approved by FDA are Cochlear Americas, Advanced Bionics and Med-EL

Cochlear Americas (reason for "Americas" is because they have offices in USA) is child of Cochlear Inc. in Australia. Cochlear Americas get parts from Australia designed for market in USA. No one can bypass and get parts that don't have FDA approvals. Or will have to fly to Australia to get those special stuffs.

Advanced Bionics is child of Boston Scientifics and AB office is in California. Parts are made in USA. (better than "made in china" eh)


Med-EL is Austria based company and has few offices in USA

if one mentions 200,000 it may be whole package like surgery, outpatient cost, mapping and activation plus the implant and processor etc.

but implant and processor itself should be less than 100K alone.

There are other brands but they do not have USA market or does not have FDA approval.
 
Like Lucia, Medicaid paid for both of my CIs. If I remember correctly, the final hospital bill wasn't any more than $50,000-$60,000. My CI center gave me the choice between Cochlear, Advanced Bionics and Med-El. This varies from center to center depending on which CI brands they work with. Many people I know are allowed to choose from two companies (Advanced Bionics and Cochlear) while others are restricted to one.
 
Boult said:
well, we in USA ONLY can get CI that is FDA approved, those three CI makers has their CI approved by FDA are Cochlear Americas, Advanced Bionics and Med-EL

Cochlear Americas (reason for "Americas" is because they have offices in USA) is child of Cochlear Inc. in Australia. Cochlear Americas get parts from Australia designed for market in USA. No one can bypass and get parts that don't have FDA approvals. Or will have to fly to Australia to get those special stuffs.

Advanced Bionics is child of Boston Scientifics and AB office is in California. Parts are made in USA. (better than "made in china" eh)


Med-EL is Austria based company and has few offices in USA

if one mentions 200,000 it may be whole package like surgery, outpatient cost, mapping and activation plus the implant and processor etc.

but implant and processor itself should be less than 100K alone.

There are other brands but they do not have USA market or does not have FDA approval.
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Boult, thanks for the above explanation -- I was at a group session last night where our Regional Volunteer Manager was involved and she gave me a business card with "Cochlear Americas" and I was wondering at the "s" at the end of Americas. Makes sense now!
 
I thought the reason why Cochlear Americas had that 's' at the end of their name was because they had offices in North and South America.
 
Hmm.. interesting. Thanks for replying.

Still if at half price or thereabout would be still too much money for the vocational rehabitation to pay, I think... I meant for that old lady as explained in the first topic here.

Ye, I assume $200k involves all works like the surgery, outpatient, procedures, and set of c.i.s, etc..
 
web730 said:
Hmm.. interesting. Thanks for replying.

Still if at half price or thereabout would be still too much money for the vocational rehabitation to pay, I think... I meant for that old lady as explained in the first topic here.

Ye, I assume $200k involves all works like the surgery, outpatient, procedures, and set of c.i.s, etc..
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Do you have a problem with her getting CIs at a old age? And, is she getting bilaterial CIs or just one CI?
 
Yes, it's expensive. I would rather wear a $1,000 hearing aid than $50,000 implants.
 
Sunshine1 said:
Hmmm how old is too old?
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That is a good question because there are health risks issues with a majority of older people like in their 60s and beyond so would a surgery compromise their health?
 
Actually, they have been implanting people as old as in their '80s. So, I guess it just depends on the person. For some it is a great decision and really improves their lives while others it was problematical.
 
I know someone who was implanted in her 90's and doing wonderfully with her CI. :)
 
VamPyroX said:
Yes, it's expensive. I would rather wear a $1,000 hearing aid than $50,000 implants.
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As long as you can benefit from HAs, I agree. However, since $1,000 HAs are wasted on me, I'd rather wear $100,000 billateral CIs. :)
 
VamPyroX said:
Yes, it's expensive. I would rather wear a $1,000 hearing aid than $50,000 implants.
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It is always relative depending upon one's need. If a HA didn't do squat for you, you might have to consider a CI. At that point, cost becomes irrelevant for anybody (assuming one has the means insurance or otherwise).

Changing the perspective a little, actually the comparison makes no sense whatsoever as one might try a HA and see if one likes it. If not, one can return it or put it away and be done with it. Not so easy with CI especially with the implant part. Very, very few individuals do a CI on a lark. It is invarably done with every intent to use the thing. When it doesn't work or works poorly, there is lots of questioning on what went wrong (not a simple shrug situation here).
 
Sunshine1 said:
Hmmm how old is too old?
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Sorry, I didn't check this thread out a while. She is a 80 years old, my friend told me. So you would understand more why I said it would be not worth it especially for the $200k price. So that adds up, rather so. I am not against anybody who chose C.I. But for this case, I think I am. All of us 3 agreed so.

So do you guys agree this?
 
I met many CI users at spa. Most says that CI cost Public Healthy Insurance between 30,000 and 70,000 EUR ($39,500 and $92,000) including surgery, therapies, spa, etc.
 
web730 said:
Sorry, I didn't check this thread out a while. She is a 80 years old, my friend told me. So you would understand more why I said it would be not worth it especially for the $200k price. So that adds up, rather so. I am not against anybody who chose C.I. But for this case, I think I am. All of us 3 agreed so.

So do you guys agree this?
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So, because she's so old, the CI won't be worth it? :roll:

IT IS HER BODY, THEREFORE IT IS HER CHOICE AND DECISION.

NOT YOUR DECISION.

:roll:
 
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