Cochlear Implant Cost

Medicare covered 80%, and Wyo Medicaid covered the remaining 20% (and no, they didn't pay the full price on the bill, only what they accepted). I havent had to pay anything from the surgery/kits. I did pay for the T-Comm for my Neptune and the Snuggies/Huggies for my Harmony myself later on, as they were extra accessories insurance didn't cover.
 
cdmeggers said:
Medicare covered 80%, and Wyo Medicaid covered the remaining 20% (and no, they didn't pay the full price on the bill, only what they accepted). I havent had to pay anything from the surgery/kits. I did pay for the T-Comm for my Neptune and the Snuggies/Huggies for my Harmony myself later on, as they were extra accessories insurance didn't cover.
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Curious, how much did the T-Comm or Snuggies/Huggies cost? (Or, was it really expensive and hard to pay for out-of-pocket?)
 
AlleyCat said:
Wow. So expensive. I didn't even know they break down the costs. I assumed it would be just one bill for the CI, and maybe other bills for hospital stay, OR, etc.
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It was all on one bill but they do break it down for each item and the cost of each item ... each med is listed separately with the cost, OR time is listed, recovery time and so on...
 
Snuggies are $25 for a pack of... 3 or 4. T-Comm was $150 when I bought it (promotional deal), but now it's $300. Of course, if you don't already have a spare T-mic and a BTE UHP cable, you would also need to order them in order for the T-comm to work, which will cost a lot more for the whole set up.
 
44,000 dollars for just a internal implant... O.M.G. Lol, I was expecting maybe.. 15thousands dollars lol. I havent got my hospital bill yet but I paid $500 at the time of visit. Hoping my hospital bill wont come to me! haha
 
We pay a ton for our family insurance but the coverage is wonderful. When I was really sick a few years ago the bill was around a million dollars, crazy!! I was in the hospital for over a month, ICU, MRI's, CT etc. our portion was $35. Then last year I had my CI surgery and we only had to pay a $35 copay. Our rates went up another $2k per year, but still worth it to us.
 
mine's scheduled very soon, so the OP must have mentioned me :lol:

a friend's CI operation costs them only $31,000
 
Lau2046 said:
I was thinking that myself. I'll be sticking with HA.....I feel for people trying to have this surgery and fighting with the insurance companies.

Laura
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What happen if HA no longer work for you?

Laura, you may get CI in the future.
 
I received CI in late 90's so it was around $40,000 with operation and CI processor (Spectra).
 
I couldn't go the HA route because I am totally deaf. Even though I think our insurance is great, I was quite surprised they think HA are cosmetic. Just curious how many of you had this same experience? Did you fight your insurance? Did you win?
 
Ouch, just reading this thread and seeing the prices.

I could have brought a home for the prices of these things.
 
JClarke said:
Do you still use it today?
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Not anymore after Spectra processor stopped work in many years ago so I went with Esprit 3G for trial period but not well because I only hear with useless roaring sound and all EEEEEEEE. My old ENT doctor believe that my implant was possibly damaged or malfunction because of accident or ER.

My new ENT doctor told about good news for me - it is much easier for him to replace the old implant with most recent implant (N5) so operation will take 2-3 hours and go to home on same day, however in my old time, CI operation was too harsher and took 6+ hours to finish.

I know Medicare + my insurance will cover completely, but I haven't make decision about it.
 
Foxrac said:
Not anymore after Spectra processor stopped work in many years ago so I went with Esprit 3G for trial period but not well because I only hear with useless roaring sound and all EEEEEEEE. My old ENT doctor believe that my implant was possibly damaged or malfunction because of accident or ER.

My new ENT doctor told about good news for me - it is much easier for him to replace the old implant with most recent implant (N5) so operation will take 2-3 hours and go to home on same day, however in my old time, CI operation was too harsher and took 6+ hours to finish.

I know Medicare + my insurance will cover completely, but I haven't make decision about it.
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it is up to you if you want to go for it. There has been a huge improvement over these years. It is your personal decision, good luck!
 
JClarke said:
it is up to you if you want to go for it. There has been a huge improvement over these years. It is your personal decision, good luck!
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There is something that hesitate me, is complication and post-operation. I have IBS - alternating between diarrhea and constipation and the painkiller medicine, especially narcotic caused constipation and not sure if antibiotic is required after CI operation.
 
Foxrac said:
There is something that hesitate me, is complication and post-operation. I have IBS - alternating between diarrhea and constipation and the painkiller medicine, especially narcotic caused constipation and not sure if antibiotic is required after CI operation.
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Doesn't hurt to ask the surgerion and the Clinican all these questions?
 
My ENT surgeon doesn't normally give antibiotics after the CI surgery ... but when I questioned him about the possibility of meningitis he said in all his years he had never had anyone have that complication but give me a script for antibiotics to premedicate just so I wouldn't worry about it.
 
Foxrac, if you have your old implant replaced with a new one, it'll be a much quicker surgery, and I've heard from folks who have been reimplanted that the recovery time is shorter too. Definitely talk with the surgeon about your IBS and all that, maybe there is a way for you to keep the pain under control with meds that won't irritate your IBS. Not all surgeons prescribe antibiotics for post surgery (mine did).
 
Angel1989 said:
I couldn't go the HA route because I am totally deaf. Even though I think our insurance is great, I was quite surprised they think HA are cosmetic. Just curious how many of you had this same experience? Did you fight your insurance? Did you win?
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Our insurance doesn't cover hearing aids either. I haven't tried to fight it. I've seen a few plans in the past couple years that are now covering part of the cost, usually $1000-2000 per aid every 5 years.

ncff07 said:
My ENT surgeon doesn't normally give antibiotics after the CI surgery ... but when I questioned him about the possibility of meningitis he said in all his years he had never had anyone have that complication but give me a script for antibiotics to premedicate just so I wouldn't worry about it.
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Odd that your surgeon doesn't give antibiotics after surgery, not even just for meningitis but also for other possible infections. Did they give antibiotics during your surgery? Now you have to get 2 meningitis vaccines before your surgery.
 
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