Re: How Much For a Cochlear Implant in Sri lanka?

August 29, 2004

My Ci is supposed to be taking place in the next couple of months. In

New Zealand government funding of CI (ie similar to US Medicaid?) is

mainly for children. Older people are expected to have insurance. If

not, then the waiting list is long; I've been waiting over 6 years.

But I digress. My surgeon told me the cost of the CI in NZ is $48000.

That equates to $US 31,400. This will be using Nucleus hardware. This

is the total cost, which includes the rehab and support costs for the

following two or three years.

in New Zealand

> Hi Gang! A story in the Sunday Observer, August 29, 2004, from Sri

Lanka caught the Editors eye

> tonight.

>

> An appeal for funds to benefit a child's hearing with a cochlear

implant.

>

> The cost: 2,000,000 Sri Lanks Rupees.

>

> Which converts, today, in $US to 19,470.40

>

> As oppposed to perhaps a median of twice the figure in the good

ol' US of A !

>

> Is something wrong here?

>

> I'll leave that up to you to decide!

>

> I just post the facts and let it roll downhill from there ! LOL !!

>

> Cheers to all !

>

> Bob

>

> MacPherson

> Editor, Better Hearing News

> hohbob@b...

> bhNEWS

August 29, 2004

Much of the high cost of the CI implant in the US is due to the high cost of

medical care in the states. These costs for the CI, I'm sure, vary from country

to country. Just consider how much less expensive it is for Americans to

purchase medications from Canada and Mexico as compared to our own country.

That's why there's a argument here between some groups - the AARP included -

and the US government which is trying to prevent the ability of Americans to

send prescriptions out of the country to be filled. I am extremely interested

in this as my prescription coverage is low so I'm already paying full price for

anything that is not generic but which I require. I order them from Canada at

about 1/2 the price I have to pay for them here and that includes shipping.

Some of this is do to the exchange rate but not all of it.

Good luck with your CI Pete. You sure have waited long enough. That's patience

if I ever saw it. Keep us informed please.

Alice