Yes, you can have Medicaid and Medicare at the same time. Individuals who qualify for both state-administered Medicaid program and federally-administered Medicare are referred to as "dual eligibles". In these cases, Medicare is the primary insurer and , Medicaid is the "insurer of last resort" a.k.a. the secondary insurer.
I can tell you definitively that Medicaid coverage for CIs for adults is definitely a state-by-state thing, as Medicaid is a federally mandated by state funded program. California and Texas and other states cover them, yours apparently does not.
There is a web site which summarizes which states cover CIs for adults under medicaid, which is
Medicaid Payment for Cochlear Implant Services by State -- the information is not regularly updated, and I have other issues with the content on this site, but it might be a good starting point for you for this particular information hunt.
I had one client that actually moved to a state that covered implants for adults under Medicaid, got her implant, then moved back to her original state. Drastic, but effective -- if you want it bad enough, that is always an option.
If you qualify audiologically for initial implantation under Medicare guidelines, it shouldn't matter that Medicaid doesn't cover implants for adults in your state. Medicare will pay their share of the costs as your primary insurece, the only issue is that you cannot have Medicaid as your secondary insurer pay for the costs that Medicare doesn't cover. The only issue with Medicare (other than their pathetic reimbursement levels) is that Medicare doesn't pre-authorize any services, you must have the surgery and hope they pay.
Hope this helps Feel free to e-mail me privately if you have any additional questions
I've been doing a lot of research on Cochlear implant. Since I am over age 21 North Carolina will not pay for the cochlear implantation. I am needing some advice.. I am 22 soon to be 23 years old in November. Can II have medicare and Medicaid at the same time cause Medicare will cover the cochlear implant. I need to know what I should do and where to start. Any advice will help
Thanks a bunch
but they will only cover it IF its medically necessary like deaf enough and dont benefit from hearing aid much or post-lingually (sp?) deafened. (pre-lingually deaf can get it too under some condition)
