ANA Discussion Forum

General Category => Hearing Issues => Topic started by: Nancy T on October 29, 2007, 10:58:47 pm

Title: BAHA costs, insurance coverage
Post by: Nancy T on October 29, 2007, 10:58:47 pm

I hope it's OK to do a "cross-reference" here--I posted some questions about BAHA costs and insurance coverage in the "insurance" forum here--just hoping to get as many people as possible to look at it, in hopes of snagging someone who may be in my similar situation.

Thanks,
Nancy T.

Title: Re: BAHA costs, insurance coverage
Post by: linny on December 22, 2007, 09:51:27 pm

I didnt read the insurance  part, but I hope someone answers because Im interested in this too. My docter recommended one (BAHA)  and right now I dont have insurance but when I get it  IM thinking on getting one. Do you know anyone that has one? And do they work good? Im completely deaf left ear it would be nice to hear something on that side.. ???

Title: Re: BAHA costs, insurance coverage
Post by: Trevi16 on January 02, 2008, 12:16:26 am

I have been trying to get a BAHA for the past year and a half.  My insurance won't cover it... I am just wondering if it is worth it to just buy it.  I would love to hear some testimonies about how good it works.  I guess something is better than nothing, right? ???

Title: Re: BAHA costs, insurance coverage
Post by: Boppie on January 02, 2008, 01:46:33 am

I believe the BAHA unit is around $6,000.  But you will need to consider the costs of the surgery to have the BAHA post implant.  That costs two to three times the price of the unit.  I have seen the BAHA insurance costs around here on this forum.  Maybe the costs are less for cash out of your pocket and without insurance but you'd need to check the two amounts out.

Title: Re: BAHA costs, insurance coverage
Post by: lori67 on January 02, 2008, 10:41:26 am

I had the BAHA surgery in November, but haven't gotten the external piece yet - hopefully next Tuesday!

The bill for my outpatient surgery for the implant was $33,000.  The cost of the processor, according to the cryptic insurance papers I have, was $6,790.40.  I've heard others say it runs about $4,000, so it's possible that they may have lumped something else in that figure.  I was fortunate that my insurance paid for it.  They don't pay for a regular hearing aid, but if the doctor codes it as a "prosthetic hearing aid", it's covered.  You may have to talk to the doctor and find out if there's any right way to word it so that insurance will cover it.

I'll let you know next week how it works out for me.  I'm really looking forward to participating in conversations again!
Lori

Title: Re: BAHA costs, insurance coverage
Post by: Nancy T on January 06, 2008, 02:09:29 am

Linny--Hi, I see you were at OHSU--are you in Portland? I am too. There is a great BAHA users site at http://www.baha-users-support.com/cgi-bin/2bb/2bb.cgi. It's UK-based, but plenty of posters from the US, too, and tons of info and experiences with BAHA.

Lori: $33,000!!!??? Wow, that's the most I've heard! Here I was quoted approximately $20,000 from one neurotologist (including the device) and $14,300 from another facility (also including the device). How do they come up with such differing figures, even in the same city?? I see on the other thread that you got your processor--congrats!

My new insurance kicked in Jan. 1, so now I'm waiting to get an appointment... who knows when, or if, I will actually end up getting a BAHA, but I am very hopeful. (I cannot afford $14-20,000, so insurance is the only possibility.) Not being able to hear on the left is quite annoying at work, when you keep having to ask people to repeat, keep missing out on things and you don't know whether you've missed something important or not. You just can't ask people to repeat everything.

Nancy

Title: Re: BAHA costs, insurance coverage
Post by: lori67 on January 06, 2008, 10:45:24 am

Hi Nancy.  EVERYTHING is more expensive here in TN for some reason!  I've lived in NJ and NY for most of my life and things were even cheaper there.  Plus when they have the name "Vanderbilt University" attached to anything, i think the price goes up even more.  Fortunately, my insurance will take care of it.  I don't know what I'd do if they didn't.

I guess I can understand the surgery itself costing different amounts depending on how many people they load into the operating room at the time who want a cut of the profit - but the processor should cost the same no matter where you go.

Lori

Title: Re: BAHA costs, insurance coverage
Post by: claire1 on March 31, 2008, 10:03:21 pm

Trevi16

Don't buy the BAHA. Try it first. Ask you otolaryngologist to let you have a trial run. They can give you a demo to try to see if it is the right way to go for you.  My otolarnygologist is getting me a trial BAHA to use to see if the sound is going to help me or drive me nuts.(my term)
Good luck
Claire