N5 upgrade does not cover loss/theft

August 11, 2011

Just wanted to warn people getting an upgrade, especially those who maybe

upgraded in the past: starting with the N5 upgrade, Cochlear is no longer

including a 1 time loss/theft replacement with the purchase of a new processor.

They revised their policy (without telling anyone) when the N5 upgrades first

became available, so now the loss/theft only applies to the original implant

processor, i.e. the one you got when first implanted.

If you were just implanted and got the N5, you are good for 3 years with 1-time

loss and theft replacement through Cochlear. If you recently upgraded to N5,

you only have the 3 year warranty. No theft/loss. This will come as a shock to

those of us (or whose children) are used to getting the loss/theft included with

each upgrade. I know it came with both the 3G and Freedom upgrades. There are

probably a few people walking around with no loss/theft coverage without knowing

it. If your N5 processor gets stolen, either that is the end of it and you go

back to using the Freedom, or you buy one for $7000 (or somehow finagle your

health insurance company to buy it for you -- good luck.)

I first learned of this because a child who upgraded from the Freedom to the N5

in March 2010 recently lost her N5 processor. Her mom called Cochlear and was

told of the policy change, and that she was not covered. The child's

audiologist thought there had to be a mistake, so she called Cochlear and was

told there was this policy change (that they didn't ever really tell people

about -- even some people at Cochlear were unaware.)

This policy change also affects N22 users who upgraded to the Freedom within the

last 3 years.

So, just a word of warning -- you may wish to insure your shiny new N5 (and it

*is* shiny, after all, and I do like that) through a rider added to your

homeowner's insurance, or through ESCO.

(Oh, and one of the moms on the cicircle called Advanced Bionics to find out

their policy on covering loss/theft for upgrades and was told it was the same as

Cochlear's :-( )

Lydia

Mom of , 14, bilateral CIs

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