Guest guest Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 What does it cost to upgrade? Thanks, e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Hal, do you have any idea what your insurance company means by the word " supported " ? I just this morning went to the Audiology Clinic and checked with the girl in the insurance area who had told me that she would work with my insurance to see if they could advise her whether or not they would help me pay for the upgrade. They won't say. It all boils down to this: I pay, then file a claim with required attachments (see below) and hope for the best. They have said that I would need a Medical Letter of Necessity, Prescription, and one other thing that my brain misplaced somewhere and I still can't find it. So, I've got to call them again to get that info. I am only stating all this to give others who might want to upgrade from the 3G to the Freedom a heads up to call their Insurance Providers to get a list of required forms/letters or whatever it is that their Insurance Providers may require in order to check to see if they will pay. My insurance company is saying these items are required to file with the claim to just be all correct & complete so they can then check to see if it is denied or not. Obviously, if it is missing any one of the required forms or letter, they will return the claim with no action taken whatsoever. This is to merely put the claim into action for them to THEN check to see if they will help with the cost or deny it. All they will tell me at this point is that it is not on the list of deniable claims BUT, they go on to say that this is not to say that they will pay. They will NOT commit to anything at this point. When I went to the _www.cochlear.com/upgrades_ (http://www.cochlear.com/upgrades) web page, it informs me that my records do indicate that I have Medicare. The configured order is saved but blocked from entering my payment option. They go on to say that Medicare probably will not cover the sound processor upgrade/trade-in, but a signed Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN) is required before I can select my payment option. It tells me to email the Freedom Upgrade Team at _freedomupgrade@..._ (mailto:freedomupgrade@...) to request the required ABN so that I can sign it, get it sent to Cochlear. Then, Cochlear Americas will email me when the original, signed ABN is received. THEN, I will be able to finalize the order with my payment option. This is all just to satisfy the steps necessary I guess to get Medicare to officially turn it down and then I believe the way it would work is that then Medicare would submit their denial to my secondary insurance to let them determine if they will or will not help with the cost. PLEASE NOTE: I'm talking about the UPGRADE from 3G to Freedom. NOT the initial surgery and instruments/sound processors/package you get when you are activated. Evon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Evon, " Supported " generally means the manufacturer continues to repair or replace parts for the processor. At this time , the 3G will be still supported, and probably will be for quite a while, probably years. Steinerman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 It depends on what processor you are trading in or if you are trading in a processor. If you check Cochlear's website there is a link about the upgrades. Connie e Goforth <agoforth@...> wrote: What does it cost to upgrade? Thanks, e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 e, The standard Freedom BTE is $6,850. What you are allowed for trade in can be found on the upgrade web site. If you got your upgrade letter, then log in and you will get the information. *---* *---* *---* *---* *---* Bad weather reports are more likely to be accurate than good weather reports. & Dreamer Doll (Guide Dawggie) Newport, Oregon N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup rclark0276@... http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Thanks, . I don't have anything to trade in yet. I'm about to be implanted with the Nucleus Freedom next Thursday (October 26) in Spokane. This is going to be a bilateral and my third implant (Ineraid, 1989-2001; Med-El, 2001-present). The surgery itself is going to be ho-hum except for skipping breakfast, which is always difficult! Hook-up is November 28. That is NEVER ho-hum. It's going to be a real adventure and lots of hard work. I joined this interesting group just a few days ago. e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 e, Oh ok then the upgrade is moot in your case. Well good, you will be all set next week, and I will be only too happy to eat breakfast for yuh. Keep us posted. *---* *---* *---* *---* *---* Life isn't like a box of chocolates...it's more like a jar of jalapenos. & Dreamer Doll (Guide Dawggie) Newport, Oregon N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup rclark0276@... http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Alllene Please keep us posted as to how you are doing after surgery and when you are activated. Connie e Goforth <agoforth@...> wrote: Thanks, . I don't have anything to trade in yet. I'm about to be implanted with the Nucleus Freedom next Thursday (October 26) in Spokane. This is going to be a bilateral and my third implant (Ineraid, 1989-2001; Med-El, 2001-present). The surgery itself is going to be ho-hum except for skipping breakfast, which is always difficult! Hook-up is November 28. That is NEVER ho-hum. It's going to be a real adventure and lots of hard work. I joined this interesting group just a few days ago. e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 , You may be a long time waiting for that breakfast. Spokane ENT's policy is to send the youngest into surgery first. I'm 63, and there are at least three of us scheduled for CI surgery that day, so I could be sitting around for hours dreaming of that breakfast! When I had my second CI surgery (in another location), it was after 12 noon before they got around to me. I hadn't eaten since 6 p.m. the night before. Somebody told me that they also consider distance from implant center. I live 80 miles from Spokane, so maybe that'll help. Will keep you all posted. Thanks for taking an interest. e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 Thank you, Connie. I will do that. e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 e, Well I just wont be waiting then. LOL If you are last then dont dream of breakfast, try dinner. Unless you are thinking of breakfast the following day. LOL *---* *---* *---* *---* *---* What's another word for Thesaurus? & Dreamer Doll (Guide Dawggie) Newport, Oregon N24C 3G 8/2000 Hookup rclark0276@... http://webpages.charter.net/dog_guide/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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