ChristopherGClick Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Thank you all for the lively dialogue and special thanks to Winden Royalty for her encouraging contribution on the likely advantage of hearing memory for the unilateral CI ear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted January 14, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Don't be a stranger Chris This is a great group of people all at different stages of their hearing journey. Looking forward to getting to know you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearme Posted January 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Hello, Everyone, Today I had an additional hearing evaluation and met with the ENT regarding my candidacy for a single-sided CI. The answer is a mixed blessing: I am NOT a candidate for CI because my bilateral hearing-aided speech recognition scored high above the FDA and Medicare thresholds for CI, meaning I do rather well with speech discrimination when I wear hearing aids. Am I disappointed? No, not really, because I'm fortunately not "deaf enough" to warrant a CI. I go back to the ENT in about 3 years (when I'll be nearly 70 years old!) to evaluate my hearing at that time, as well as to see how CI technology has evolved. The next step for me now is to try bi-cros hearing aids. If they don't work, I'll just get new hearings aids to replace my 7-year-old models. My sincerest thanks to all of you on this forum for helping me during this process! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 15, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Best of luck Hearme Hearme 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted January 15, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Hearme I had bicross AIDS for a while. They are pretty much love em or hate em. I am believing that things will work out with them. Keep regular hearing checks, especially if you notice things getting harder to understand. Please also come back to chat. Just because you don't have a CI doesn't mean we don't want your friendship Adam Hearme 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearme Posted January 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Thanks for your kind words, Adam and Mary Beth. I'll keep you posted on my adventures with a Bi-Cros. By the way, has anyone ever used a "Roger Pen"? My ENT suggested that I might find it useful in noisy situations. What I'd love to have is a device of some kind that I could use in meditation and yoga classes, since I have a hard time hearing those class leaders because they talk so softly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted January 15, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Yes - we discussed the use of Roger Pen. Good stuff. Also, regarding the results - why would you be dissapointed? A cochlear implantation is still pretty extensive process going through the operation and the process of rehabilitation... Possibly, raised a little bit of lower frequeinces? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted January 15, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 That's a Mary Beth topic!!! She will tell you about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted January 15, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Hearme I have not used a roger pen but do have a PHONAK smart link FM system. The instructor can hold or wear the transmitter and talk. It is sent straight to your hearing aid. She could be across the room and it sounds like she is talking right into your ear. Very handy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearme Posted January 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Also, regarding the results - why would you be dissapointed? A cochlear implantation is still pretty extensive process going through the operation and the process of rehabilitation... Possibly, raised a little bit of lower frequeinces? Not at all disappointed...just peace of mind knowing that I'm exploring everything I possibly can to ameliorate my hearing loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearme Posted January 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 I have not used a roger pen but do have a PHONAK smart link FM system. The instructor can hold or wear the transmitter and talk. It is sent straight to your hearing aid. She could be across the room and it sounds like she is talking right into your ear. Very handy Adam, is the FM system applicable to a class where we're all bending, twisting, etc.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted January 15, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 The receiver attaches to the bottom of your hearing aid. The instructor can wear the transmitter which has a clip that you can attach to your shirt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted January 15, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 I am involved in crossfit which there is a lot of movement I don't have any issues. I don't know much about the roger pen so I could give an opinion one over the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted January 15, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 I'm sure your Audi can give you the benefits and drawbacks of both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearme Posted January 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 I am involved in crossfit which there is a lot of movement I don't have any issues. I don't know much about the roger pen so I could give an opinion one over the other. I'm sure your Audi can give you the benefits and drawbacks of both. Adam, thanks! I'll be sure to ask the Audiologist about that accessory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted January 15, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Let us know what you decide, good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted January 15, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 The Roger Pen by Phonak can be held by you and aimed at the speaker, placed on a table or worn by the speaker. The receiver attaches securely to your HA. Great sound quality reported by many. Hearme 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearme Posted January 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 The Roger Pen by Phonak can be held by you and aimed at the speaker, placed on a table or worn by the speaker. The receiver attaches securely to your HA. Great sound quality reported by many. Mary Beth, I will definitely ask about the Roger Pen. My thanks for your share. Mary Beth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Ivana Marinac Posted January 16, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 16, 2016 Not at all disappointed...just peace of mind knowing that I'm exploring everything I possibly can to ameliorate my hearing loss. Of course - a person has to explore all options no matter what it involves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristopherGClick Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Hello again to each of you, It's been two weeks since I posted a reply on this topic. I met with my UCSF surgeon to review my history on 19 January. While he regards me as a unilateral CI candidate and will set a surgery date at my request, I appear to fall in the middle ground (further down the road than Hearme) of being this surgeon's ideal candidate (hearing memory left candidate ear) with some hearing in my better ear that he too believes provides for better and faster rehabilitation, but may be borderline for Medicare but unable to predice how it will respond at present. Apparently the wording of its denial may influence my secondary insurance's determination of "medically necessary"? Or is the FDA threshold for my better ear an independent one? That said, Medicare does not make its threshold decision without the actual filing of a claim. I spoken with my secondary insurance who clarified that it covers a CI (as durable medical equipment, DME) if medically necessary and provided me a procedure code for pre-authorization. However it will respond to a pre-authorization request only from the provider (UCSF) not me. I will contact my surgeon again, but am wondering if any of you can share your experience if in (or know of) a similar circumstance? Essentially I'm asking if the provider will notify me if my secondary insurance says "no" to a CI in the short-term. I understand that a surgery pre-authorization "date" is actually a window of specified time, e.g. 60 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes hadron Posted January 28, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Hi Chris, If I remember correctly the provider works closely with a MED-EL insurance specialist to provide your insurance company with the required pre-authorization paperwork. So the specialist from MED-EL or from the provider can inform of you the decision. If you call your MED-EL customer service rep they can tell you who the specialist is. You can ask the specialist to inform you via email when a authorization decision has been made. That is how I was informed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted January 28, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Chris, dealing with insurance can be a royal pain. As hadron has stated, Medel has people that help work all that out. Hoping your doctor intercedes for you. You also have to look at quality of life. Hoping all goes smoothly. Keep us up to date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristopherGClick Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 hadron & Adam, thank you both for the replies that will assist me in my next contact with provider and other parties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted February 2, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 Yes good luck Chris. Keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Adam Posted February 2, 2016 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 No problem Chris, please let us know how things go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.