Medicare - batteries and other supplies

[russboltz]

Now that I realize that I need a more high quality battery (and a lot of them) for the Rondo than I did for my old hearing aid (also a 675 but not the high power one) I have to deal with the cost.

My "insurance" is USA Medicare, which is supposed to cover all "supplies" necessary to make a prosthesis (such as a CI) work, so it sounds as if batteries are covered. How do I order them to have Medicare billed, and if I have to pay out-of-pocket, how do I get that reimbursement?

Those of you with other insurance programs are thanked, but comments won't help me if they aren't about Medicare, although they may be useful for others with other coverages.

 

Thanks!

 

rusty

[Adam]

Rusty

there are a number of different plans and coverages for medicare and medicaid. your best bet is to review your plan or call them so they can explain.

[russboltz]

Adam: I know multiple plans, but all of them are identical between Part A (government managed hospital coverage), Part B (optional government managed doctor/testing coverage) and Part B supplements (picks up deductibles on Part . Calling without knowing the most of an answer already is consigning yourself to Hold Hell. And since using a telephone is something I haven't really been able to do for several years (and was one of the reasons for the implant), and since I just got activated and can't really use a phone on that side, calling isn't really a great option. (CapTel is truly lousy for such situations, since CapTel drops calls constantly when you are on long holds.)

 

It just seemed to me that one of the purposes of the forum is to exchange techniques and information, and that is why I asked if anyone is familiar with this issue with Medicare. Since it sounds as if you are, tell me what you know about how to submit reimbursement claims (of any kind) since I can't find anything on this and I will HUGELY appreciate your help!!! thanks!!!!

 

rusty

[simekj]

Russ do you have something like an internet relay?  Basically a call centre for the deaf to use where they call the centre who then makes the phone call on their behalf.  They type to the deaf person but talk to the other person.  It's not great but helpful if you cannot use the phone.  It can be amusing - they write background stuff like (person coughing) and you can eat and multitask if they put you on hold.

 

No battery insurance deals for us kiwis sorry.  Must be an American thing.

[Adam]

Karen, I use one of those at work. biggest issue is if you get a fast talker. You have to kind of stall untill the operaro is finished typing. there are a couploe good ones out there. will post those a little,alter

[russboltz]

Yes, I use Hamilton CapTel which is nationwide and free, and works on my computer and smartphone (Android). It's extremely helpful, and they will even assign you a telephone number of your own for inward-calls, i.e. when someone calls me and I am on my computer (which is most of the workday and a lot of other times) it goes straight to the "captioning." This means I don't have to tell people who call that I will call them right back.

 

Its main disadvantage is that if you are sitting on hold for a long time, especially if there is nothing happening, you tend to get "dropped" often. This is reminiscent of playing Chutes and Ladders, in that just as you're getting close to the end, BAMMO! You get shot to the "start" all over again. So calling places like the government tends to be extremely irritating. And if you are calling Social Security about something that is very arcane - such as "do you provide batteries for cochlear implants - you tend to get a lot of long pauses, while they try to figure out "What the heck is a Coke implant?" (That's an actual question from one.)

 

So for some questions, I'm hoping for advice from vets like you guys, since I can't believe I'm the first Medicare patient to wonder about this.

 

rusty

[simekj]

Well that's good then.  Yes being put on hold is a problem for a lot of people, seems to be universal.  I usually try and visit an office somewhere and talk to a person if it is possible.  I even drove 4 hrs to Wellington to sort an issue.  I realise it may not help you Russ.  Your insurance companies are different to ours. Could you arrange an appointment with a medicare rep? As for coke implant - slow release high.

[Adam]

Agreed, most often if it is possible, I will go to whatever office i need to to get answers instead of trying to get them via the phone. Russ do you use ASL? American Sign Language? If you do I can send you some really good internet based interpreters for you to make the call.

[Adam]

Russ another thing you might try is to talk to one of the people ther eand ask if you can call them using google chat. Being able to see them face to face will help you understand what is said plus having a customer sit there looking at you might make them a little more eager to get an answer.

[russboltz]

Adam:

 

I love you. Optimism such as yours, even in the face of facts to the contrary, is beautiful. Obviously, you're not yet 65.

 

1) Medicare isn't a place; it's a thing. "Local" Social Security Offices (we are lucky; ours is only 15 miles) can answer Social Security issues with precision. Medicare? Despite being wondrously helpful when they can, when you ask a Medicare question you get the "Schultz Response": "I SEE NOTHING! I HEARD NOTHINK! I KNOW NOTHINK!" You're given a phone number and sent on your way.

2) No, I don't use ASL, but I use a really nice telephone captioning system provided free in California called Hamilton CapTel.

3) When you call Medicare's number, you go into Voice Mail Hell, punching numbers to get to a Representative. Usually, in transferring among options, your call gets "dropped" and you have to start over again. If you played "Chutes and Ladders" (our Brit friends may know it as "Snakes and Ladders") you know that while it was fun when you were 6, it's not fun now.

4) When you do finally get a human being, you can't use Skype or similar video services, since the "800" Medicare number doesn't function with Skype and the Representatives won't give you their extension.

5) When you finally get to a Representative, she/he  will do everything to help you that is possible. Questions about unusual situations - like cochlear implants - get a "We'll get back to you" response.

 

That's why I keep asking people here for their experience, although it seems no one has any, in terms of getting Medicare payment for them. Medicare isn't private insurance, and Medicare provides a lot of things that private insurance doesn't, such as 100% no-deductible/no-copay payment for CIs, if you have a good Part B Supplement. So the private insurance company information isn't relevant. (And if you are one of those who hate "ObamaCare," - much less a "single payor" system - keep in mind that Medicare provides this kind of coverage and isn't going broke, and my monthly Medicare Parts A/B, Supplement and Part F Drugs is under $200. Speaker Boehner and Governor Romney didn't tell you that, did they?)

 

So thanks Adam; I'm trying to use Med-El's customer service representative to find out about this, but she isn't responsive, I guess, so I'll just keep hammering on them.

 

Thanks, all!

 

rusty

[russboltz]

Med-El has confirmed to me that my reading of Medicare rules is correct: Medicare will cover ALL batteries for a CI as a necessary item to make a prosthesis functional. This appears to cover both disposable batteries (which the Rondo eats like an elephant eats peanuts) and rechargeables. It might include rechargers, although I haven't asked about that.

 

From my lawyer background, I would think that insurance companies that provide CI surgery and processors would have a difficult time denying a claim for batteries, since without them a CI processor is merely a funny-looking paperweight, and since batteries themselves power the internal implant.  That, however, is a war that I don't have to fight.

 

rusty

[Camille]

Rusty - you say your "Rondo eats (disposable batteries) like an elephant eats peanuts" ... I'm curious how many days you get out of 3 batteries.  I get 5 LONG days+ which I think is really good.

[Sandy]

Me too, I get 5 days! And cost is $189 for 300. Unfortunately i just found out my medical plan does not cover them.

[hadron]

Rusty,

 

I am on Medicare and order my CI batteries from MED-EL. I place the order with my area representative and she contacts the reimbursement department whom tells her how much I have to pay (if any). The batteries are covered at 80% of Medicare assignment value.  Interestingly Med-EL accepts Medicare assignment on some CI components and not on others.  If you have secondary insurance or an Advantage plan it may also cover the other 20%.

[Carolmarie]

I am glad I read this

i was going to ask about the batteries for rondo

i will be getting rondo with a voucher for rondo 2

 

[Mary Beth]

@Carolmarie

 

Ask your Med-El CSR about the automatic monthly battery plan through your insurance.  It works great!

[Carolmarie]

Thank you very much

i have a rep before I has approved

i like to do things backward to make sure I can have what I need

so I will get two rondo with a voucher

my rep is so wonderful he answered all my questions I never thought to ask about the batteries

i am trying to see myself with 3 rondos on my head lol just when I am nervous I get silly

 

[Carolmarie]

this group is so wonderful and helpful

i don’t feel small or bullied like I was by the other implant group

this group really help me

i am going to tell the world go for med-el

i was bullied because  I needed off the ear processor shame on them

this is the first time I ever spoke up

thank you for lending me you ears

[Mary Featherston]

Well, it never occurred to me that batteries would be covered.  I've been buying hearing aid batteries all my life.  This is cool.  I wonder if this is something the audiologist will be familiar with?  Because my insurance company has something of a hit or miss record with respect to their "customer service" people actually knowing the answers.  I had one person give me three different answers.

This is clearly a skill, but not one I'm looking for!

[Carolmarie]

We are all lucky to have support of this great group

[Mary Beth]

Ask your Med-El CSR to check with your insurance to see if batteries are covered.  Mine are and it shocked me too.

[Mary Beth]

@Carolmarie

I am glad you are comfortable here.  Please stick around.

 

I have Sonnets and Rondos and I can hear every bit as well with my Rondos.  And they have less parts that can break.  They are terrific processors.  You will love them.

 

I think it is great that we have choices so everyone can choose what is best for their life.  There is no right processor.  Different processors are RIGHT for different people.

[Carolmarie]

True you’re right 

I be here for the full run

thank you

[Kara of Canada]

Hi @Carolmarie I too love this group. Other groups were discriminatory as I had Med El and they were not a Med El group. So here I am! This is my semiconductor home! I love everyone here. 

[Carolmarie]

I love this group too people here don’t bully me when I ask questions

in the other group I was bully because I wanted AB to finish the button processor and they said foolish I felt hurt

i can’t wear behind the ear processor

i have been bully all thru elementary hearing school then my parent put me in deaf school and there they bully me because I couldn’t sign well no more bully

i am very happy here?