Getting Started with Bilateral Implants
If you are considering starting the journey toward bilateral cochlear implantation for yourself or your child, you first want to do the following:- Consult a cochlear implant surgeon and audiologist
- Request to be connected with an adult of parent of a child with bilateral cochlear implants
- Review the research articles cited in our bibliography section for additional research that has been done
Read testimonials from some of our Bilateral Nucleus recipients
At Cochlear we feel that bilateral cochlear implantation is the “standard of care” for adults and children; however, we know that there’s a long way to go until the health insurance industry reaches that conclusion. We do know that approximately 700 Nucleus® users in the United States are already taking advantage of the benefits that bilateral implantation can provide.To assist those who may be having trouble getting insurance approval, we have spoken to several people to find out how they were able to achieve insurance approval to make bilateral implantation happen for them. Cochlear does not advocate for any of these methods, rather, we are passing along reports that have been shared with us that may aid others in getting their insurance to pay for the procedure.
We know that each insurance carrier and employer plan is different, but below are some ideas that may assist in getting insurance approval.
- Letter from CI surgeon
- Letter from a bilateral recipient highlighting what benefits they have experienced with having two cochlear implants. May wish to focus on educational, safety, employment aspects
- For children: Letter from educational professional describing school situations where the child may be struggling.
- Letter from speech therapist
