Cochlear and their valuable Recipients!!

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HearNowAndAlway

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Hi,

I’m new to this forum and glad to join and be a member. My 1.5 years son is profoundly deaf and got a cochlear implantation in 2010 and he is in rehabilitation for hearing and speech now. So, everything is going fine thanks to God.

But! unfortunately, cochlear does not have interest toward their product’s recipient in regards to the support or information about product accessories. For example, as I’m living in Saudi Arabia and there is no branch or distributor except clinics which double or even treble the prices of each product while we don’t have taxes or any other charges to be paid in our country. Moreover, not all accessories are available for the recipient.!!!!

It is frustrating as it is kind of hustling from the clinics here in our country and supporting them by preventing the recipient outside the US or UK to order from US’s or UK’s cochlear store website.

What I’m looking for is to have Transparency in their marketing and care more for all recipients all over the world.

Hope to see and read your comments and opinions as well as I’m also hopping to have your help to get some of the accessories.

Regards,
 
HearNowAndAlway said:
Hi,

I’m new to this forum and glad to join and be a member. My 1.5 years son is profoundly deaf and got a cochlear implantation in 2010 and he is in rehabilitation for hearing and speech now. So, everything is going fine thanks to God.

But! unfortunately, cochlear does not have interest toward their product’s recipient in regards to the support or information about product accessories. For example, as I’m living in Saudi Arabia and there is no branch or distributor except clinics which double or even treble the prices of each product while we don’t have taxes or any other charges to be paid in our country. Moreover, not all accessories are available for the recipient.!!!!

It is frustrating as it is kind of hustling from the clinics here in our country and supporting them by preventing the recipient outside the US or UK to order from US’s or UK’s cochlear store website.

What I’m looking for is to have Transparency in their marketing and care more for all recipients all over the world.

Hope to see and read your comments and opinions as well as I’m also hopping to have your help to get some of the accessories.

Regards,
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I am not surprised. They take your money and run. Very common.

By the way, if there were a greater being and he made your kid deaf, there was a reason he is deaf, why try to change that?
 
Well said in regards to that common act of them. “take the money and run” I like it.

Anyway, many times in my life I rendered powerless in the face of reality “destiny” and accept it but not this one cause another life’s future is involved here.

The way I see it is not that complicated. It is simply that God decided for my son not to hear normally but to hear with lately invented supportive technology which God enlighten the human to invent. It is like an examination and the idea is not to give up seeking the mercy of God anywhere anyhow & anytime. !!

That makes it easy for me to accept and be persistent.
 
To the above speculation re: God "making some persons deaf/blind whatever" consider also we have "God given intelligence". Since the beginning of time humans have tried to deal with the many "problems of humanity". Medicine as such is NOT upending God's Providence.

The use of Cochlear Implants is NOT denying the sovereignity of God. Whether one considers- if suitable Implants or the use of ASL to this condition-deafness- is a personal choice.

As for the original question re Cochlear Corp dealing in Saudi Arabia. No comment. It seems "strange" to offer Implants only to clinics. Is it matter so few as sold there- thus the high cost of parts?

Implanted Advanced Bionics-Harmony activated Aug/07
 
Not all counties may have the same medical equipment rules that USA uses. Saudi Arabia may required that medical equipment and supplies can only be obtained from clinics or doctors. There may be a FDA rule about who can order supplies from the Cochlear web store in USA. My insurance pays for supplies. I would not think that Cochlear will deliberate restrict sales on their web store unless there is a regulation involved that needs to be followed.
 
Cochlear’s products monopoly to the clinics is something and trebling the price is something else for example my son’s CI operation costs over $ 50,000 which was paid without a second thought but when I start thinking of getting some of sound processor accessories like a Snugfit or Rechargeable Battery Kit which by the way is priced here with $ 950, I searched the net to order from outside and found out that I couldn’t.!! If it is FDA rules then they should announce it to the public in their web site, don't you all agree?

All what I’m looking for now is resting my mind in peace by getting all the accessories I need without involving the clinic. And that to save money also not to support such a hustling.

What concerns me in real is what if I wanted to upgrade to N5 sound processer as my son has freedom now. How much is it at your country by the way?! :hmm:
 
Is it possible that someone here can order them for you and you pay them through payola, for example you could be friended with a cochlear user here in US and have them order the batteries for you are it was theirs, then ship them to you, you both agree on terms, I would be happy to help you if I can but I'm not yet an implant user, I will have my surgery tomorrow, LOL
 
HearNowAndAlway said:
Cochlear’s products monopoly to the clinics is something and trebling the price is something else for example my son’s CI operation costs over $ 50,000 which was paid without a second thought but when I start thinking of getting some of sound processor accessories like a Snugfit or Rechargeable Battery Kit which by the way is priced here with $ 950, I searched the net to order from outside and found out that I couldn’t.!! If it is FDA rules then they should announce it to the public in their web site, don't you all agree?

All what I’m looking for now is resting my mind in peace by getting all the accessories I need without involving the clinic. And that to save money also not to support such a hustling.

What concerns me in real is what if I wanted to upgrade to N5 sound processer as my son has freedom now. How much is it at your country by the way?! :hmm:
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Have you tried calling Cochlear's customer support? They are generally very responsive. I called with questions about and plans to order a new accessory for the N5 and they shipped me (free) an adaptor and let me know I could use accessories we already had for the Freedom instead of spending money for something new.

I think the cost for each processor + batteries + various accessories was roughly $8K, and I think that figure was before trade-on for the Freedom, so likely ~$5K apiece. Actual cost to my insurance co. was a bit higher, because they had to go through an intermediary to make payment that charged a surcharge.
 
Fl885 said:
Is it possible that someone here can order them for you and you pay them through payola, for example you could be friended with a cochlear user here in US and have them order the batteries for you are it was theirs, then ship them to you, you both agree on terms, I would be happy to help you if I can but I'm not yet an implant user, I will have my surgery tomorrow, LOL
Click to expand...

Efficient solution indeed. I’m thinking of your offer thanks & Good luck with your surgery.:roll:

GrendelQ said:
Have you tried calling Cochlear's customer support? They are generally very responsive. I called with questions about and plans to order a new accessory for the N5 and they shipped me (free) an adaptor and let me know I could use accessories we already had for the Freedom instead of spending money for something new.

I think the cost for each processor + batteries + various accessories was roughly $8K, and I think that figure was before trade-on for the Freedom, so likely ~$5K apiece. Actual cost to my insurance co. was a bit higher, because they had to go through an intermediary to make payment that charged a surcharge.
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Well, calling I didn’t try but sending emails I did a lot. Even cochlear HQ in Australia I did send emails to them but till now no reply. And with regards to the cost, one of my friend called the clinic and said it costs over $13,000 apiece!!. Honestly, I couldn’t stop thinking of my son would get his sound processer broke or damaged anyhow and have to get a new one with that cost. It is a nightmare.

By the way, a thought came up and want to share. What if you had a technical problem with your SP and been told that it takes 3~5 days to be fixed. Would you get a spare or go home and say enough hearing those coming days.???.
 
I do not know where you coming from. My insurance pays for two processors. While I have a backup I also learned sign language while I was at N.T.I.D. My CI audiologist knows sign language. I try to have several backup plans available for my needs. In two years before my implant operation I had a bad case of ear fungus that temporary knock out my hearing and I was one of the first persons to request a professional sign language interpreter at a brand new Kaiser Permanente facility at Rock Creek in Colorado at the time and it worked out just fine. If I was at school I would request CART or a note taker for the next few days. Depending on your sistuation there are serveral possible solutions and more.
 
HearNow,

I hope you can get some answers soon. Your son should not have to be without his implant and you should be able to get accessories. Have you tried contacting Cochlear Europe. There are two headquarters for Europe the one in Switzerland handles Saudi Arabia according to the Cochlear website. Hopefully they can answer your questions.
 
HearNowAndAlway said:
Well, calling I didn’t try but sending emails I did a lot. Even cochlear HQ in Australia I did send emails to them but till now no reply. And with regards to the cost, one of my friend called the clinic and said it costs over $13,000 apiece!!. Honestly, I couldn’t stop thinking of my son would get his sound processer broke or damaged anyhow and have to get a new one with that cost. It is a nightmare.

By the way, a thought came up and want to share. What if you had a technical problem with your SP and been told that it takes 3~5 days to be fixed. Would you get a spare or go home and say enough hearing those coming days.???.
Click to expand...

The price is high, but my health insurance covered it, fortunately. Are you without coverage? Perhaps Cochlear has subsidized pricing for those without health insurance.

If our processor broke or was damaged, it would be repaired without cost by Cochlear for the first 3Yrs (they have a standard warranty). After 3 years, I will purchase an insurance rider to cover it, unless we get another upgrade and start the warranty all over as we did this past year. If lost, they offer one full free replacement. I have her old Nucleus Freedoms mapped at the same time as her N5s with a similar set of programs for use as a back-up if ever we need them, but at times when I've not had a back-up synced, Cochlear has shipped a replacement overnight and then asked for return of the damaged product upon receipt. They haven't ever made me wait for repair of my original processor. But not really a big deal if that were to happen -- it has, we once went a couple of weeks without because a faulty cord shorted out 3 processors in succession while we were traveling on vacation! -- my daughter would just shift to all-ASL for the duration.

Terrible, about the email silence -- they used to have live chat, which I loved, but I think they eliminated that.
 
Hello,
I am in Canada, and here, there is another company that sells the Cochlear accessories and product for almost half the price of Cochlear America web site charges, and on top of that, they ship free.

It is called Union Hearing Aid Centre in Toronto. You can email them at: info@uhac.net . They also have a website: Union Hearing Aid Centre | home or you can phone at 1-866-269-8880.

Hope this helps.
 
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