ANA Discussion Forum

General Category => Hearing Issues => Topic started by: james e on May 13, 2021, 03:54:10 pm

Title: Medicare and Baha
Post by: james e on May 13, 2021, 03:54:10 pm
My audiologist just ordered a BAHA 6 for me about 2 weeks ago. My BAHA 5 works great but she said a 6 will allow me to hear higher frequencies. This is my 2nd BAHA through Medicare and my first one was a BP100 with private insurance.

Medicare will allow a new BAHA every 5 years. My Bp100 was useless to me after 4 years due to my good ear going south. Cochlear appealed and Medicare said nope, see you next year. A year later they approved my application.

My BAHA 5 is now 6 years old so I am eligible. Cochlear’s insurance department sent a long email to me and said they have contacted Medicare and my insurance company, and approval may take 6 to 8 weeks. I don’t think it took that long last time. The email listed several steps that take place in the application and I can check on line the progress of the application. Cochlear’s service is fantastic. I will keep you updated.
Title: Re: Medicare and Baha
Post by: james e on May 20, 2021, 03:23:34 pm
Cochlear emailed me yesterday asking me to call them to confer insurance policies. Had to scan front and back of my supplemental insurance card and send it to them. Said they should have everything completed in a couple of weeks.
Title: Re: Medicare and Baha
Post by: james e on June 05, 2021, 12:42:32 pm
Medicare and my secondary policy have given the okay to Cochlear and my BAHA 6 should be here in 4 days. Need to make an appointment to get it set up.
Title: Re: Medicare and Baha
Post by: alabamajane on June 05, 2021, 09:21:15 pm
Congrats!! I hope you like the 6. I have the 5 Power and it’s pretty good,, better than the 4 I had,,,
I’m going to check on the 6 ,, but I think my 5 is only 4 years old,,, unfortunately,,,
Good for you!!!
Title: Re: Medicare and Baha
Post by: james e on July 13, 2021, 03:03:12 pm
Man oh man! Finally got in to see my audiologist today to program my BAHA 6 Max. My first BAHA was a BP100 about 11 years ago, moved up to a BAHA 5 about 6 years ago. I thought the 5 was a great leap ahead. The BP100 sounded like an old AM radio, sort of a hollow sound. The 5 sound like a symphony and I was amazing. Unfortunately my good ear was going south and the 6 Max hits the high notes that I am missing, and the 5 could not.

I just listened to Santana, the song Smooth, with my good ear plugged up so I could only hear through the BAHA. It heard sounds I have not heard in years....almost cried. The 5 over the BP was a big deal, but the 6 Max is A Stairway to Heaven.

Seriously, I can hear sounds I have not heard in years.