Re: additional annual expenses

[Guest guest]

So far since my activation back on 12 July 2007, I have bought;

2 sets of dri bricks at $6 each (that is, a total of $18 for each set of

bricks)

one pack of microphone covers for $42

The bricks I got from my audie and the mic covers I ordered directly from

CA.

Oh, and I also paid $60 for a skeleton ear mold to help keep the processor

in place - I have smallish ears, so it was always falling off until I got

the mold.

And after 3 years, there's the matter of getting a new service contract

after the initial warranty runs out.

Kat

From: pumpkinbj

Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2008 3:39 PM

Subject: additional annual expenses

Hi, I am wondering if anyone could tell me what additional expenses

there are after surgery and " hook up " . I am aware that MAPPING is in

additional to the initial fees. Hopefully insurance would pick up

some of the expense. What is needed after the activation?

I just want to be prepared.

BJ

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the info. I was just wondering what to expect. I'm still

at the beginning of this entire process but hopefully it will start

to move forward soon. Just going to my second Dr. appt.

BJ

>

> So far since my activation back on 12 July 2007, I have bought;

>

> 2 sets of dri bricks at $6 each (that is, a total of $18 for each

set of

> bricks)

>

> one pack of microphone covers for $42

>

> The bricks I got from my audie and the mic covers I ordered

directly from

> CA.

>

> Oh, and I also paid $60 for a skeleton ear mold to help keep the

processor

> in place - I have smallish ears, so it was always falling off until

I got

> the mold.

>

> And after 3 years, there's the matter of getting a new service

contract

> after the initial warranty runs out.

>

> Kat

>

>

>

> From: pumpkinbj

> Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2008 3:39 PM

>

> Subject: additional annual expenses

>

>

> Hi, I am wondering if anyone could tell me what additional expenses

> there are after surgery and " hook up " . I am aware that MAPPING is in

> additional to the initial fees. Hopefully insurance would pick up

> some of the expense. What is needed after the activation?

>

> I just want to be prepared.

>

> BJ

>

[Guest guest]

Kathy,

What about rehabilitation? After two or three mappings are you finished with

the audiologist consultations? And does insurance pay for the audiologist? -

Gerald

Kathy <ksalkin@...> wrote:

So far since my activation back on 12 July 2007, I have bought;

2 sets of dri bricks at $6 each (that is, a total of $18 for each set of

bricks)

one pack of microphone covers for $42

The bricks I got from my audie and the mic covers I ordered directly from

CA.

Oh, and I also paid $60 for a skeleton ear mold to help keep the processor

in place - I have smallish ears, so it was always falling off until I got

the mold.

And after 3 years, there's the matter of getting a new service contract

after the initial warranty runs out.

Kat

From: pumpkinbj

Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2008 3:39 PM

Subject: additional annual expenses

Hi, I am wondering if anyone could tell me what additional expenses

there are after surgery and " hook up " . I am aware that MAPPING is in

additional to the initial fees. Hopefully insurance would pick up

some of the expense. What is needed after the activation?

I just want to be prepared.

BJ

---------------------------------

Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

[Guest guest]

So far, Definity Health paid for the mappings (last year) and now that my

company switched to CIGNA, I don't know. The mapping I had a couple of

weeks ago was the first one this year.

I should say that my company only offers a customer-driven health care plan

which works like this:

There are three levels of coverage -

!) the first level you pay out of is the one the company puts into a

" bucket " and 100 & of expenses up to $1000 are paid out of this first.

2) after the $1000 is used up (which is very fast because of things such as

meds and mappings), there is a 100% member responsibility that I pay - it

depends on how much coverage you elect and whether you use an in-network or

out-of-network doctor or facility.

3) finally when you have paid all of the " member responsibility " part, the

co-pay part kicks in; again this is dependent on the level of coverage and

the network. Of course the lower the co-pay level you choose, the higher

the premiums and the more the member responsibility. This is a type of plan

that favors the young and healthy but it's becoming a very popular type of

medical insurance because it shifts the financial burden from the employer

to the employee.

I should also mention that I also participate in a " flexible spending

account " so I can meet these out of pocket expenses via that but again, I

pay into it out of my paycheck so I pay one way or another.

Our VP of HR hated the old CDHP we had because he felt it was too complex

but I don't see that the one we have this year is any simpler. *sighs*

Kat

From: Gerald Gollinger

Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2008 8:45 PM

Subject: Re: additional annual expenses

Kathy,

What about rehabilitation? After two or three mappings are you finished with

the audiologist consultations? And does insurance pay for the audiologist? -

Gerald

Kathy <ksalkin@...> wrote:

So far since my activation back on 12 July 2007, I have bought;

2 sets of dri bricks at $6 each (that is, a total of $18 for each set of

bricks)

one pack of microphone covers for $42

The bricks I got from my audie and the mic covers I ordered directly from

CA.

Oh, and I also paid $60 for a skeleton ear mold to help keep the processor

in place - I have smallish ears, so it was always falling off until I got

the mold.

And after 3 years, there's the matter of getting a new service contract

after the initial warranty runs out.

Kat

From: pumpkinbj

Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2008 3:39 PM

Subject: additional annual expenses

Hi, I am wondering if anyone could tell me what additional expenses

there are after surgery and " hook up " . I am aware that MAPPING is in

additional to the initial fees. Hopefully insurance would pick up

some of the expense. What is needed after the activation?

I just want to be prepared.

BJ

---------------------------------

Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

[Guest guest]

Kat, Thank you.

I work for the New York State Executive branch. The employee has a choice of

the State Empire plan which consists of Blue Cross and United Health Care or a

HMO. I chose the Empire Plan. Network hospitals are only a $30 co pay, non

network is a deductible and 20% of the remaining balance. For United Health Care

if the provider is participating there is a $12 or $18 co pay depending on

the bargaining unit and United Health Care pays the remaining balance. I make

it a practice to use Network providers. There is also a flex account but that

is liquidated if not used by the end of the calendar year.

My internist is a network provider but recently uses a facility that is non

network so we may have a parting of the ways.

I hear good face to face but the phone is a problem now. And with a CI in

the short term it will take awhile to adapt before I can use the phone better. I

have yet to be evaluated by an implant center but if I have sufficient hearing

and speech perception I may not be a candidate at all. I sent my audiogram to

New York University Hospital but gave a week notice before cancellation. Other

than the phone (and there is the Internet Relay now) I felt I had more to lose

than gain, and I was too frightened to go through with the procedure. If my

hearing becomes noticeable worse I will be glad to consider a CI Implant.

It also should be realized that I have social security plus job salary now.

Prior to SS I was not even breaking even. But the phone is not a critical issue

in my life at the present time.

- Gerald

Kathy <ksalkin@...> wrote:

So far, Definity Health paid for the mappings (last year) and now that

my

company switched to CIGNA, I don't know. The mapping I had a couple of

weeks ago was the first one this year.

I should say that my company only offers a customer-driven health care plan

which works like this:

There are three levels of coverage -

!) the first level you pay out of is the one the company puts into a

" bucket " and 100 & of expenses up to $1000 are paid out of this first.

2) after the $1000 is used up (which is very fast because of things such as

meds and mappings), there is a 100% member responsibility that I pay - it

depends on how much coverage you elect and whether you use an in-network or

out-of-network doctor or facility.

3) finally when you have paid all of the " member responsibility " part, the

co-pay part kicks in; again this is dependent on the level of coverage and

the network. Of course the lower the co-pay level you choose, the higher

the premiums and the more the member responsibility. This is a type of plan

that favors the young and healthy but it's becoming a very popular type of

medical insurance because it shifts the financial burden from the employer

to the employee.

I should also mention that I also participate in a " flexible spending

account " so I can meet these out of pocket expenses via that but again, I

pay into it out of my paycheck so I pay one way or another.

Our VP of HR hated the old CDHP we had because he felt it was too complex

but I don't see that the one we have this year is any simpler. *sighs*

Kat

From: Gerald Gollinger

Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2008 8:45 PM

Subject: Re: additional annual expenses

Kathy,

What about rehabilitation? After two or three mappings are you finished with

the audiologist consultations? And does insurance pay for the audiologist? -

Gerald

Kathy <ksalkin@...> wrote:

So far since my activation back on 12 July 2007, I have bought;

2 sets of dri bricks at $6 each (that is, a total of $18 for each set of

bricks)

one pack of microphone covers for $42

The bricks I got from my audie and the mic covers I ordered directly from

CA.

Oh, and I also paid $60 for a skeleton ear mold to help keep the processor

in place - I have smallish ears, so it was always falling off until I got

the mold.

And after 3 years, there's the matter of getting a new service contract

after the initial warranty runs out.

Kat

From: pumpkinbj

Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2008 3:39 PM

Subject: additional annual expenses

Hi, I am wondering if anyone could tell me what additional expenses

there are after surgery and " hook up " . I am aware that MAPPING is in

additional to the initial fees. Hopefully insurance would pick up

some of the expense. What is needed after the activation?

I just want to be prepared.

BJ

---------------------------------

Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

[Guest guest]

Other expenses include batteries. Whether disosable or rechargeables.

Freedom from cochlear uses both. Mappings are usually more frequent at

first, and the cost of several mappings may have been included with your

estimate to the insurance company. After that, they usually pay a

percentage.

I've had my Nucleus implant for over 10 years, and have bought batteries,

a long cable, so I can switch the implant from the left ear to the right

- for when I have passengers in the car, a dry & store (mine didn't come

with one), and that's about it. Insurance will pick up most of the cost

for these, including batteries, whether rechargeable or disposable.

[Guest guest]

I've tracked my expenses since 1999, and the grand total is $3700, or about

$460/year. This includes the time I needed to buy a new processor (mine was

out of warranty), and the time I needed to buy a new headpiece (also out of

warranty). Most of the other expenses are insurance co-pays, batteries, and

a variety of patch cords and other gadgets from places like Radio Shack or

Audex.

The reason I track these expense is because I deduct them from my federal

income taxes as disability-related employment expenses. It's beyond my

ability at the moment to figure out how much I've saved in taxes with the

deduction, but obviously that would need to be subtracted from the $460/year

to determine the true additional annual expense of my cochlear implant.

Jill

(Your Mileage May Vary - my expenses are for an Advanced Bionics implant)

[Guest guest]

Thanks Jill for the information. It is quite helpful. This is

what I was looking for. BJ

>

> I've tracked my expenses since 1999, and the grand total is $3700,

or about

> $460/year. This includes the time I needed to buy a new processor

(mine was

> out of warranty), and the time I needed to buy a new headpiece

(also out of

> warranty). Most of the other expenses are insurance co-pays,

batteries, and

> a variety of patch cords and other gadgets from places like Radio

Shack or

> Audex.

>

>

>

> The reason I track these expense is because I deduct them from my

federal

> income taxes as disability-related employment expenses. It's

beyond my

> ability at the moment to figure out how much I've saved in taxes

with the

> deduction, but obviously that would need to be subtracted from the

$460/year

> to determine the true additional annual expense of my cochlear

implant.

>

>

>

> Jill

>

> (Your Mileage May Vary - my expenses are for an Advanced Bionics

implant)

>

>

>

>

>

>