In the US, Medicare considering expanding eligibility for cochlear implants

[Mary Beth]

This has been a long time coming and many organizations have worked hard to get this to happen.  If approved, Medicare eligibility requirements for cochlear implants would be more in line with commercial insurance plans.

https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncacal-decision-memo.aspx?proposed=Y&NCAId=306&fbclid=IwAR1_sBzaVKsbQylRpCWz4SRkT4xhS6iEXKCLO8YNG_86ulOMkPrV8PH-pOo

[Dianna]

Awesome!

[Mary Beth]

Medicare did approve this CI candidacy requirement.  It now aligns with commercial insurance criteria.

 

Note:  This is about qualifying for a CI under Medicare and not about bilateral CIs or single sided deaf & CI under Medicare.

 

https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncacal-decision-memo.aspx?proposed=N&ncaid=306

[Dianna]

Awesome!

[John F]

From how I’m reading this, and going on only a few hours of sleep (yay for autocorrect), Medicare is removing the 40% dealio?  How’re they going to qualify folks for CI?  Might be in there somewhere… apologies if I’m just not seeing it.

[Mary Beth]

@John F

yes the 40% requirement was much more limiting than commercial insurance which uses 60%.  That is what changed.

[John F]

That’s good news for more folks to qualify!