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Things are just a wee bit more expensive these days


Adam

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According to this U.S. Inflation calculator, since 1983. cumulative rate of inflation is 138%.

This means that price would now be exactly $35,695.33.

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com

 

BUT how many cochlear implants were sold then and how many today? 

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It's actually difficult to fair comparisons as some CI center's include activation and a set number of mappings appointments in the fee and others bill separately for each item.

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I have read some data that Medicare pay 75,000 USD per 1 implant in 2015.

Academy states that expenses could raise up to 100,000 USD depending of various factors:

http://www.entnet.org/content/cochlearimplants

 

Very confusing.

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It's actually difficult to fair comparisons as some CI center's include activation and a set number of mappings appointments in the fee and others bill separately for each item.

 

Exactly - question is whether the first price is just cost of device or in total with costs of surgery and all professionals involved in the process?

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Well now remember that is including the surgery as well. Mine was about $45,000. For one up here in Ontario. $9600 for the implant/processor and $34000 for the surgery.

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Well now remember that is including the surgery as well. Mine was about $45,000. For one up here in Ontario. $9600 for the implant/processor and $34000 for the surgery.

 

CAD or USD? :)

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I was told when I had my CI two years ago, it was $35,000 CDN. For a new Rondo the cost is $11,000. I priced it with my audiologist last October.

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My surgery had like three different bills - one (I think the main one) was $39,000.  There was other bills that were high too.  I know that it probably total at least $45,000.  I only had to pay my total out of pocket expense which was $3,000.

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I have not heard of the 75,000.00 number before. That's pretty high. Here in the U.S. Each hospital negotiates with the CI companies to come up with a price they are willing to pay for the implants. If the hospital feels the price is too high, they can choose not to offer that implant

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Okay friends. I looked at my insurance claim statements for my first and second surgeries. Both in 2015 at the same CI center. This does not include any of the tests or appointments leading up to qualifying for the CI nor does it include activation or subsequent MAPping appointments as they are all billed separately at my center.

In the US, every insurance company negotiates rates with hospitals etc. So the insurance company receives a bill but then pays only the allowed amount. Depending on whether you have met your annual deductible and maximum out of pocket expenses, you may have to pay a portion of the allowed amount. As long as your providers are in network, you are not responsible for the difference between the billed amount and the allowed amount. If your providers are out of network, you are responsible for that difference which is why we find in network providers.

These were the allowed amounts (paid by my insurance company and a bit by me):

February Right CI surgery total was $46,237.48.

October Left CI surgery total was $46,976.64.

Thank goodness for great health insurance!

Mary Beth

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I have not heard of the 75,000.00 number before. That's pretty high. Here in the U.S. Each hospital negotiates with the CI companies to come up with a price they are willing to pay for the implants. If the hospital feels the price is too high, they can choose not to offer that implant

 

I do not know - if I open 3 links each one will have different amount of spent money and it will not be even close :(

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Okay friends. I looked at my insurance claim statements for my first and second surgeries. Both in 2015 at the same CI center. This does not include any of the tests or appointments leading up to qualifying for the CI nor does it include activation or subsequent MAPping appointments as they are all billed separately at my center.

In the US, every insurance company negotiates rates with hospitals etc. So the insurance company receives a bill but then pays only the allowed amount. Depending on whether you have met your annual deductible and maximum out of pocket expenses, you may have to pay a portion of the allowed amount. As long as your providers are in network, you are not responsible for the difference between the billed amount and the allowed amount. If your providers are out of network, you are responsible for that difference which is why we find in network providers.

These were the allowed amounts (paid by my insurance company and a bit by me):

February Right CI surgery total was $46,237.48.

October Left CI surgery total was $46,976.64.

Thank goodness for great health insurance!

Mary Beth

 

Excellent - thank you Mary Beth for clarification. :)

 

As I do not live in the U.S. I do not have the feel how to understand your health system. When people talk outside about U.S. from Europe, for instance, it seems to us almost impossible that you can afford yourself these costs because we just do not understand the system. But ok.

The price of implant in Croatia is cca 14.000,00 USD. Annually, national health-care system makes procurement for approximate number of planned implant. Costs of the implantation and hospital-stay is cca 3.000,00 USD without any map session which is conducted in the separate center for implantable technologies - I do not know what are their costs. :)

If the implantee is a child up to 18 years, everything is paid out of state budget pocket; if the person is older it can pay up to 20% of costs of hospital stay or with additional insurance, do not pay anything.

 

Our health-care costs are not deductible at all.

:)

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The health insurance system here can be complicated to explain. One benefit here is that there is no limit to how many CIs can be implanted in children and adults in a given year. If you qualify and your insurance approves the implant, you can get the implant.

Thankfully there are ways to get implants in many countries through their various health systems! In the end, that's what we want. CI access for all who want them.

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The health insurance system here can be complicated to explain. One benefit here is that there is no limit to how many CIs can be implanted in children and adults in a given year. If you qualify and your insurance approves the implant, you can get the implant.

Thankfully there are ways to get implants in many countries through their various health systems! In the end, that's what we want. CI access for all who want them.

 

Well, lots of countries - lots of choices... You just need to choose the right path for yourself....

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Understood Ivana. Most people don't have a choice of insurance due to expense if you go outside what your employer offers. Generally that does not make a difference though as pretty much all insurance companies will approve. Some after one rejection. Ha's are not covered in the U.S. Because it is considered a prosthetic device. CI's. Are different.

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Understood Ivana. Most people don't have a choice of insurance due to expense if you go outside what your employer offers. Generally that does not make a difference though as pretty much all insurance companies will approve. Some after one rejection. Ha's are not covered in the U.S. Because it is considered a prosthetic device. CI's. Are different.

 

HAs with more functions are not approved in Croatia either. Just the basic one. Unilateral CIs are paid - but all "over" standard has to be paid. Other implant solutions are not covered either.  In this point I see the problem and find the insurance policy in my country far from satisfied. At least we can have a choice to pay more so we can get more options. Politics.... :(

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