Friday, March 19, 2010

So frustrating

A few weeks back, I sent an inquiry to the Wyoming EqualityCare office about their criteria for cochlear implant coverage. Today I've gotten a response. Since I sent in the inquiry, they've removed the "no communicating" bit from their criteria. Great!

But... I have to have scored 40% or worse in order for Medicaid to cover the implant for me. I've scored somewhere a bit over 50% with the right ear (0% for left ear). Ugh! Advanced Bionics insurance reimbursement already knows of this. I'm waiting on a response from Allison Biever to see if there's something else we could do. I am so incredibly frustrated right now. I do know there is still the CNI Cochlear Implant Assistance's program, and I may have to go that route afterall. I want to see what Allison has to say first.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Oh wow. The news of the meningitis outbreak in Oologah, Oklahoma has gotten to me. So far in the past week, 7 kids have contracted meningoccocal meningitis, and 2 of those kids have died. I am hoping that the other 5 victims get over this and get better as quickly as possible, with no lasting after-effects, and that no one else contracts the illness. Just thinking about this is making me sad right now.




In other news... I ordered the documentary "From Silence to Sound" from Amazon.com, and it arrived today (along with Seasons 2, 3 and 4 of ER). It's about 45 minutes long, about this deaf man from Oklahoma named Justin. He's been deaf all his life, and was the first person in the state of Oklahoma to get bilateral cochlear implants in March 2006. Was a very interesting DVD to watch, so I'm glad I bought it. The documentary is basically of Justin sharing his story of what his childhood was like, and of his experience getting the implants.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Medicaid's Criteria

Advanced Bionic's insurance reimbursement just caught this contradiction with Medicaid's cochlear implant for adults coverage criteria.
The first criteria states: "patient must have post lingual deafness" so patient need to have developed speech before becoming deaf.
But then later on, it states "patient must have no means of communicating." Contradicting, isn't it?

Hopefully Advanced Bionics will be able to get a hold of someone at the Medicaid office and let them know of this "error" and that they get it fixed. I'm surprised I didn't catch this sooner. Wow.