General Category > Insurance
Blue Cross and BAHA
Nancy T:
Anyone have any idea on whether Blue Cross will ever come around to paying for the BAHA? I live in Oregon and my insurance won't pay.
I was told by an audiologist that after Medicare started paying for the BAHA (this was more than a year ago, I think) that BC would probably fall in line eventually, but that's not happening.
I'm hoping I'll be able to change insurance and get a BAHA.
Nancy T.
1wareagle:
Hi Nancy,
Sorry to hear about your problem. I have Blue Cross and Blue Shield of MS and they paid everything but the out of pocket expense and deductiable. The reason I think mine went so well is I had my BAHA operation at the same time of my AN surgery. It was all included together and they paid.
Ellis
Brendalu:
I think there is a quality of life thing with insurance companies. If you can get your doctor to wite a letter to the insurance carrier that having the Baha would give you a better quality of life the insurance company will more than likely pay for it. I have been told that most insurance companies deny things like that and things like gastric bypass, plastic surgeries etc. unless the doctors feel that it will enable you to have the quality of life previous to the loss. It is worth a try.
Good luck. You might also check out the trans ear. There are a lot of posts about that.
BrendaO
Nancy T:
Thanks, Ellis & Brenda! I thought my doctor was going to write a letter to the insurance, but I have no idea whether he ever did. I am seeing him regularly and we discuss the BAHA at every visit--I know he would like to do it, he's a surgeon after all!--but he said something like it would probably take a lawsuit before the insurance company decides to cover it.
I don't think they make exceptions for certain cases--their policy states that they don't cover it unless you have a middle or outer ear problem that prevents you from wearing a hearing aid. Even though I'm just as deaf as someone with an outer or middle ear problem, they won't cover it because my deafness is inner ear! Dumb. It's illogical--just a way for them to cut costs. I suppose their logic is that I could wear a CROS aid, but all the professionals I've seen--audiologists and neurotologists--say I probably wouldn't like it because it would occlude my good ear.
However, I can't complain about BC otherwise--they have covered all my tests and expensive medications that some other insurances don't cover.
Nancy T.
harrylewis01:
What is BAHA?
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