So I got in contact with my local clinic to begin my evaluation for candidacy. You see, you have to meet certain criteria to receive a cochlear implant. You have to have a hearing loss of a certain degree, and have no barriers to surgery and implantation. The rules are somewhat in flux as to what constitutes the degree of hearing loss needed. The FDA's requirements are far more broad than the insurance company's requirements. Age is also a factor. Implants may be given as young as 12 months old. Don't assume that you will or will not be found a candidate until you go through the screening process. You also must be found to gain no serious benefit from hearing aids- a far less invasive way of helping one to hear better.
Let me be clear- hearing aids and cochlear implants do not "correct" hearing loss. These are not like glasses that restore vision to 20/20. Hearing aids simply make sounds louder. ALL sounds. They have some damping effect on sudden loud noises and some compression in them which will electronically move sounds that are in an area of loss to areas where one can hear. This is not making their hearing better- but rather mitigating the loss by making sounds around the person louder so they are MORE ABLE to hear those sounds. Cochlear Implants bypass the ear by using a processor to "hear" and transmit sound electronically to an electrode placed in the cochlea of one's ear which then sends that signal directly to the auditory nerve. This changes the sound from what a hearing person naturally hears to a more computerized sound. I'll let you know what this sounds like when I get mine up and going!
Sadly, it must be mentioned that implants are more likely to be covered by insurance companies than hearing aids. I am lucky and my husband's insurance covers both- to a degree. My previous hearing aids were waterproof and being sufficiently advanced, cost around $3,000 each. Our insurance only covered a portion of that- the rest had to be paid out of pocket. Many insurance companies do not cover any amount of hearing aids. This is often why new parents of young children born with hearing loss chose to go the route of an implant (around 100,000 for surgery and implant, not to mention processor)- because insurance covers it (sometimes). I do not recommend making the decision to have one's child implanted solely based on what insurance will pay for. Lets face it- Insurance companies aren't there for your benefit or they would never make a profit. If you are looking at options for your child, please consult a variety of professionals and look at the wide spectrum of options available to your family. If any professional tells you in absolute terms that "this" (any "this") is the only way.... then walk away. There is no "only way." Do what is right for your child and for your family.
Ok, soap box talk complete! On with the show!
I went in for candidacy evaluation and spoke with a number of professionals. I went through a series of hearing tests with and without my aids in to determine my degree of hearing loss and how much benefit I was getting from my aids. I am a borderline candidate. I JUST fit into the numbers the insurance company dictates a candidate for an implant must match. (These numbers are far more restrictive than the FDA's requirements.) I went through an additional set of tests to check my balance, eye coordination and auditory nerves. I went through a set of MRIs to determine that there were no obstructions, malformations, etc. preventing the implant from being successful. At this point, I became a candidate for an implant!
Next would be my appointment with the implanting surgeon to talk more in depth about the implications and risks involved in having the surgery done.
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