Let Them Hear Foundation

[jillio]

Absolutely, but only if you can provide verifiable evidence of WHERE the figures came from and WHEN the figures were generated for data validation purposes, otherwise they are useless. I suspect based on the absolute lack of knowledge you have exhibited regarding how CIs are billed and reimbursement averages that I likely won't agree with them.

Well, they come from your form 990. Since you signed it, I would assume that you agree with the figures.

 

[shel90]

Insurance, rent, administrative staff, and medical support staff all cost huge amounts of money. When insurers reimburses $36 per clinic hour for an audiologist (which is the amount reimbursed for some hearing impairment related services), you are all but guaranteed to lose money, especially in California.

Thanks for answering. Umm..why do u keep using the "hearing impairment" term? I think that term is degrading. I am just not comfortable with it.

 

[vallee]

With my appeal that you worked on around a year, my approval was a result of a policy change from Blue Cross Blue Shield. I don't believe that it would have happened without those cases. The insurance company would not have kindly changed the policy. It was very stressful. Sheri will tell you I was so frustrated and upset over it, but because of Sheri, Chris and Amy's communications with me, I had a lot of hope. I do know someone who did not have to go through the appeal process because of the results of the policy change. She had one denial and then it was approved because of policy.

The cost of CI surgery, speech processor and everything else, I do know, I have the bills. I can say after all the billing, I only have to pay 1,000. All the other cost for the billing year are 100% until January.

 

[shel90]

If you have a written denial, or can send us a copy of the page from your plan saying there is no coverage, you can submit an application.

Sheri

Ok will do! Hope my case wont get turned down cuz I am an adult requesting HAs. Thanks!

Are u appealing cases for adult HA users?

 

[jillio]

With my appeal that you worked on around a year, my approval was a result of a policy change from Blue Cross Blue Shield. I don't believe that it would have happened without those cases. The insurance company would not have kindly changed the policy. It was very stressful. Sheri will tell you I was so frustrated and upset over it, but because of Sheri, Chris and Amy's communications with me, I had a lot of hope. I do know someone who did not have to go through the appeal process because of the results of the policy change. She had one denial and then it was approved because of policy.

The cost of CI surgery, speech processor and everything else, I do know, I have the bills. I can say after all the billing, I only have to pay 1,000. All the other cost for the billing year are 100% until January.

Thank you. Precedence.

 

[vallee]

Clinical Services Team
LTHF’s team of Audiologists and Speech-Language Therapists provides auditory training and speech language therapy.


LTHF’s Clinical Services Team:
- Serves 2,500 individuals on a regular basis
- Has provided over $250,000 of free services to over 350 local lower-income families through its Sliding Scale Program
- Has granted 400+ individuals with loaner hearing aids through its Hearing Aid Loaner Program
Insurance Advocacy Program (IAP)
Only 8% of the 500,000 Americans who could benefit from cochlear implants have them, often because insurance companies refuse to pay for them. To address this need, LTHF’s team of legal professionals fights to reverse insurance company denials to finance hearing-related services.


For a few IAP successes, see below:
- Since 2006, IAP has achieved insurance coverage for bilateral cochlear implantation for 156 million Americans, all of whom were formerly denied it.
- Since 2004, IAP has completed 525 appeals.
- IAP has secured cochlear implant devices for over 500 individuals in 2007. The average Otolaryngologist provides only 50 per year.
- IAP has prompted 9 of the 10 major U.S. insurers to alter their policies to cover bilateral cochlear implantation

 

[shel90]

Clinical Services Team
LTHF’s team of Audiologists and Speech-Language Therapists provides auditory training and speech language therapy.


LTHF’s Clinical Services Team:
- Serves 2,500 individuals on a regular basis
- Has provided over $250,000 of free services to over 350 local lower-income families through its Sliding Scale Program
- Has granted 400+ individuals with loaner hearing aids through its Hearing Aid Loaner Program
Insurance Advocacy Program (IAP)
Only 8% of the 500,000 Americans who could benefit from cochlear implants have them, often because insurance companies refuse to pay for them. To address this need, LTHF’s team of legal professionals fights to reverse insurance company denials to finance hearing-related services.


For a few IAP successes, see below:
- Since 2006, IAP has achieved insurance coverage for bilateral cochlear implantation for 156 million Americans, all of whom were formerly denied it.
- Since 2004, IAP has completed 525 appeals.
- IAP has secured cochlear implant devices for over 500 individuals in 2007. The average Otolaryngologist provides only 50 per year.
- IAP has prompted 9 of the 10 major U.S. insurers to alter their policies to cover bilateral cochlear implantation

only loaners? Why is that?

 

[jillio]

Clinical Services Team
LTHF’s team of Audiologists and Speech-Language Therapists provides auditory training and speech language therapy.


LTHF’s Clinical Services Team:
- Serves 2,500 individuals on a regular basis
- Has provided over $250,000 of free services to over 350 local lower-income families through its Sliding Scale Program
- Has granted 400+ individuals with loaner hearing aids through its Hearing Aid Loaner Program
Insurance Advocacy Program (IAP)
Only 8% of the 500,000 Americans who could benefit from cochlear implants have them, often because insurance companies refuse to pay for them. To address this need, LTHF’s team of legal professionals fights to reverse insurance company denials to finance hearing-related services.

For a few IAP successes, see below:
- Since 2006, IAP has achieved insurance coverage for bilateral cochlear implantation for 156 million Americans, all of whom were formerly denied it.
- Since 2004, IAP has completed 525 appeals.
- IAP has secured cochlear implant devices for over 500 individuals in 2007. The average Otolaryngologist provides only 50 per year.
- IAP has prompted 9 of the 10 major U.S. insurers to alter their policies to cover bilateral cochlear implantation

Exactly. So the great majority of deaf/hoh are HA users, for whatever reason. But they are not being advocated for by this organization in the same manner that those who choose CI are.

 

[vallee]

only loaners? Why is that?

That is clinical service. I don't know the others. Shel have you received a denial from your insurance company for digital hA? My school system did tell me that they do not cover HA. Even with a denial, you need to work it through your school system first. They had to provide me with documents stating what they covered. I did around 3 appeals from Vanderbilt first. When I was on my last appeal then I went to Let Them Hear.

I hope you get the HAs. I have had others say digital is awesome.

 

[shel90]

That is clinical service. I don't know the others. Shel have you received a denial from your insurance company for digital hA? My school system did tell me that they do not cover HA. Even with a denial, you need to work it through your school system first. They had to provide me with documents stating what they covered. I did around 3 appeals from Vanderbilt first. When I was on my last appeal then I went to Let Them Hear.

I hope you get the HAs. I have had others say digital is awesome.

Yes, I recieved a denial as usual...not the first nor the last time I will get a denial.

Clinical service? U mean LTH is a clinical foundation?

 

[jag]

[If you are receiving a salary you are receiving personal compensation. But insurance payment does result in payment to the doctors performing the surgery that are connected directly to the clinic. No one has attempted to invalidate the benefits of the appeals program, but simply to point out that those involved in the appeals process are simply being paid to do a job that is secured through the promotion of CI surgery.


.

Well the way I see this is, if you think people like LTHAdvocate should not recieve a salery for helping those in need (who choose to get the CI's of their own free will). why should those who 'help' people get their accomdations needed to get their eduation get compensated with a salary? Do any of those advocay foundations that file appeals or ligtagation for people refused services they need not recieve saleries? Why should the schools pay someone to do the work of getting the services for the disabled?


Sheri has worked for little or no cost, How about you?

Then end point is the individual gets the service that he needs, whether in education or medical. I believe people should be compensated to some degree, don't you? We all need some money to live ya know.

 

[jillio]

Well the way I see this is, if you think people like LTHAdvocate should not recieve a salery for helping those in need (who choose to get the CI's of their own free will). why should those who 'help' people get their accomdations needed to get their eduation get compensated with a salary? Do any of those advocay foundations that file appeals or ligtagation for people refused services they need not recieve saleries? Why should the schools pay someone to do the work of getting the services for the disabled?


Sheri has worked for little or no cost, How about you?

I have the figures on Sheri's salary for the year 2005. Hardly little or no cost. And far more than what a support coordinator receives.

Then end point is the individual gets the service that he needs, whether in education or medical. I believe people should be compensated to some degree, don't you? We all need some money to live ya know.

More that a million in income to a foundation? And given the salaries reported, they are living quite well, compared to the majority.

 

[LTHFAdvocate]

Not sure I understand the question. We don't have a program that gives people free HAs permanently, if that is the question. We do have a loaner program, which allows people who want aids access to hearing while we try to help them sort out a permanent solution through charities or other longer term acquisition of devices. Sometimes people need aids for the 3 month aid trial required to establish CI candidacy, even with 110 dB losses, the trial is still necessary -- we try to avoid making them buy expensive hearing aids they don't intend to use for more than 3 months.

I apologize for causing you any discomfort by using the term hearing impaired, it is actually the term I use to describe myself, my father, and my daughter, so I certainly don't intend anything bad through its use.

only loaners? Why is that?

 

[LTHFAdvocate]

If you mean by clinical foundation that LTHF is a foundation with an audiology clinic, then yes, we are a clinical foundation. But to reiterate, 97 % of the appeals I do are for clinics other than ours.

Sheri

Yes, I recieved a denial as usual...not the first nor the last time I will get a denial.

Clinical service? U mean LTH is a clinical foundation?

 

[shel90]

Not sure I understand the question. We don't have a program that gives people free HAs permanently, if that is the question. We do have a loaner program, which allows people who want aids access to hearing while we try to help them sort out a permanent solution through charities or other longer term acquisition of devices. Sometimes people need aids for the 3 month aid trial required to establish CI candidacy, even with 110 dB losses, the trial is still necessary -- we try to avoid making them buy expensive hearing aids they don't intend to use for more than 3 months.

I apologize for causing you any discomfort by using the term hearing impaired, it is actually the term I use to describe myself, my father, and my daughter, so I certainly don't intend anything bad through its use.

Just the word "impairment" makes deaf people sound defective. I know u dont intend anything bad through its use.

Ok thanks for answering my questions.

 

[LTHFAdvocate]

Silly me, when you talked about posting financial figures, I thought you were going to post something to back up your ridiculously false assertion that clinics are making $40,000 on every implant, not something that was publicly available that *I* urged everyone to go look at already !.

The foundation is located in Palo Alto California, home of the $1.1 million dollar two bedroom fixer-upper. Thanks for taking that into account. My 10 years of college education necessary to give me the skills to do what I do today provided me with an income in 2005 comparable to that of a low end secretary, and put me in the bottom 20 % of income for my area. In our county, the median income is well over over $100,000 per year, and believe me, given the cost of living here, no one at the Foundation is getting rich.

The NAD had 4 times the revenue than we did, and they are a foundation as well. The amount of income has nothing to do with the value the foundation provides to the community.

Sheri

More that a million in income to a foundation? And given the salaries reported, they are living quite well, compared to the majority.

 

[LTHFAdvocate]

I absolutely don't intend to convey the thought that anyone who is deaf is "defective" in any way, so thanks for understanding that.

Just the word "impairment" makes deaf people sound defective. I know u dont intend anything bad through its use.

Ok thanks for answering my questions.

 

[jillio]

Silly me, when you talked about posting financial figures, I thought you were going to post something to back up your ridiculously false assertion that clinics are making $40,000 on every implant, not something that was publicly available that *I* urged everyone to go look at already !.

And I urge them to go look at it as well. Some very interesting information.

The foundation is located in Palo Alto California, home of the $1.1 million dollar two bedroom fixer-upper.
Perhaps they should consider relocating.
Thanks for taking that into account. My 10 years of college education necessary to give me the skills to do what I do today provided me with an income in 2005 comparable to that of a low end secretary, and put me in the bottom 20 % of income for my area.
And anyone seeking an advanced degree ends up in that situation directly out of school.
In our county, the median income is well over over $100,000 per year, and believe me, given the cost of living here, no one at the Foundation is getting rich.
I guess that would depend on where they live. And no one said anything about getting rich. I said compensated well.

The NAD had 4 times the revenue than we did, and they are a foundation as well. The amount of income has nothing to do with the value the foundation provides to the community.

And the NAD represents ALL deaf people. Nor do they promote one particular methodology.

 

[LTHFAdvocate]

The Foundation has never, and will never, turn away a patient based on their choice of methodology.

Do let me know when you are planning to back up your previous financial assertions, instead of continuing to quietly drop topics that you can't back up after stating your "facts". Meanwhile, I still fail to understand how you consider the bottom quintile "compensated well" Sure I could live like a queen on that income in Montana or North Dakota, but there aren't many implant centers in those locations . . .

And now you are going to post what you earn, right?

Sheri

Silly me, when you talked about posting financial figures, I thought you were going to post something to back up your ridiculously false assertion that clinics are making $40,000 on every implant, not something that was publicly available that *I* urged everyone to go look at already !.

And I urge them to go look at it as well. Some very interesting information.

The foundation is located in Palo Alto California, home of the $1.1 million dollar two bedroom fixer-upper.
Perhaps they should consider relocating.
Thanks for taking that into account. My 10 years of college education necessary to give me the skills to do what I do today provided me with an income in 2005 comparable to that of a low end secretary, and put me in the bottom 20 % of income for my area.
And anyone seeking an advanced degree ends up in that situation directly out of school.
In our county, the median income is well over over $100,000 per year, and believe me, given the cost of living here, no one at the Foundation is getting rich.
I guess that would depend on where they live. And no one said anything about getting rich. I said compensated well.

The NAD had 4 times the revenue than we did, and they are a foundation as well. The amount of income has nothing to do with the value the foundation provides to the community.

And the NAD represents ALL deaf people. Nor do they promote one particular methodology.

 

[jillio]

The Foundation has never, and will never, turn away a patient based on their choice of methodology.

Do let me know when you are planning to back up your previous financial assertions, instead of continuing to quietly drop topics that you can't back up after stating your "facts". Meanwhile, I still fail to understand how you consider the bottom quintile "compensated well" Sure I could live like a queen on that income in Montana or North Dakota, but there aren't many implant centers in those locations . . .

And now you are going to post what you earn, right?

Sheri

[/QUOTE

My salary isn't a matter of public record, nor do I claim to work for no compensation. In addition, I don't work for a foundation that portrays themselves as altuistic and broke. I don't claim that I am not compensated for the work that I do. But,in the sense of fairness....I work for a graduate student stipend. Given your educational background, I"m sure that you realize that it puts me well below the national poverty level in income.

Perhaps they don't turn a patient away based ontheir choice of methodology, but they do promote an oral methodology. And giventhe fact that you are directly involved in pediatric implantation, that would lead to the conclusion that you are supporting an oral environment for deaf children. Research has consistently shown that the highest functioning deaf children,whether CI implanted or HA user, are those exposed to both sign and speech.

The figures will follow. Compare your salary to the mean salary of the population whom you claim to serve....the deaf....and I'm sure that you will come out well above what they are getting paid, in Palo Alto or elsewhere. Perhaps there aren't many implant centers in Montana or North Dakota....but there are deaf individuals that could benefit from advocacy.

Got those ratios yet?