I want a Baha. NOW!

[Denise S]

Lyn,
Hopefully your office will bill it like a prosthetic vs. and aid.   I read that somewhere on the Cochlear Amercia webiste, plus the audiologist at MEI said that is how they treat it (just like if you lose an arm.....you can get a prosthetic that can be put on or of to help with your limitation.   Well, you lose you're hearing {one of our main senses} should be in the similar catergory).

You've probably been on the site, but Cochlear America even has the post on how to help get insurance to cover a BAHA if it has been denied.

[leapyrtwins]

Mei Mei -

one of the nice things about having BAHA surgery after AN surgery was that my skull was still numb.  When the doc shot the lidocaine into my head I had to actually ask him if that was what he had just done.  I could feel a pinch or two, but that was all.  See, they are good things about AN surgery 

Lyn and Denise -

I posted the insurance info from the Cochlear Community on this Forum http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=11751.msg135380#msg135380  The Community is full of great information and interesting people; I joined it a few weeks ago.

The BAHA is an implant or prothesis, which is what distinguishes it from a conventional hearing aid and which is usually what gets the insurance companies to cover it.

Pooter -

now you've got me feeling my head LOL  The abutment does indeed get drilled into your skull and my dent isn't an empty hole, it's just a depressed area from my AN surgery.  It's even more depressed now due to the BAHA; the abutment when implanted sinks somewhat and leaves a kind of "divot".

I know my abutment is in the same area of my AN surgery because my doc talked about the screws from my surgery interferring a little bit.  He said the screw that might pop through my skin is one of the ones he used to screw my bones together during the AN surgery. 

I had lots of hardware (titanium mesh, titanium plate, titanium screws) during my AN surgery, plus belly fat - and my "window" of skull was put back so it could fuse into my skull again.  I think this is why I was told my head would have to heal for a few months post op before getting a BAHA.

Some docs place the abutment further back on the skull if there is a need to do so.  I may have mentioned it before; Lori's abutment is a lot farther back on her head than mine is.  She showed it to me @ the symposium.  I remember her saying that there wasn't enough "bone" to put it in the place where mine is.  I think she's somewhat unique in this though.

Perhaps her doc didn't want it to interfere with her halo  - which obviously isn't an issue for me LOL

Jan   

[Mei Mei]

Dear Jan,
Thanks once again for the really thorough explanation.  Until now I didn't know I had screws in my head as well as Titanium.  I've always joked before about loose screws!!!   Can you tell me what you meant about belly fat?

Mei Mei

[lawmama]

Sara, I'm on a student plan with Aetna that specifically list "implants" as covered. 

Wow, all kinds? That's a generous policy.

(Yes, I am being facetious.)

Sara

As I was drifting off to sleep last night, I finally got this joke.  Good one!!!     (Did they remove my sense of humor during my surgery?  LOL)


Lyn

[ppearl214]

Sara, I'm on a student plan with Aetna that specifically list "implants" as covered. 

Wow, all kinds? That's a generous policy.

(Yes, I am being facetious.)

Sara

As I was drifting off to sleep last night, I finally got this joke.  Good one!!!     (Did they remove my sense of humor during my surgery?  LOL)


Lyn

t'is ok Lyn... also had my humor removed when my head was zapped.

back on topic folks! Thanks!
Phyl

[leapyrtwins]

Mei Mei -

some docs, mine included, do an abdomenal fat graft at the same time as the AN surgery.  They use this fat to "plug up" the hole in the head where the tumor resided.

I'm not sure of the theory behind this, but I thought at one point someone on the Forum said it was to prevent CSF leaks.  However, I'm not sure that's the reason, as some here have had fat grafts and still had CSF leaks (I didn't).

My docs do the fat graft from the left side of the abdomen so that in future years it's not confused with an appendectomy scar - in case a patient is incapacitated and can't communicate with medical personnel.  My scar is slightly to the the left and a few inches below my belly button. 

And no, they didn't take enough belly fat in my opinion.  I wish they had taken several pounds of it 

I didn't lose my sense of humor during AN surgery 

Jan

[Mei Mei]

Had I known about this ahead of time I would of asked for a Tummy Tuck at the same time.....Ha Ha!!!
Mei Mei

[lawmama]

Had I known about this ahead of time I would of asked for a Tummy Tuck at the same time.....Ha Ha!!!
Mei Mei

I literally did ask for this.  I said, "Hey!  I'll already be under, how about doing a tummy tuck while you're at it?"  They said, "Uhhhh....no."   

Lyn

[Denise S]

I've been getting good feedback from Cochlear America via e-mail.  PLUS today I got a package from Fedex and it came with a CD too (didn't watch it yet).    It also included the phone number and some info. for getting insurance to help pay.   

(have to say I also got all answers from TranEar that I asked them via email and got stuff from them last week too).

[leapyrtwins]

Pooter -

update on abutment placement.

Check out this post by Lori http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=11939.0

It's the one where she says I'm correct - wish she would have typed that in all caps 

Jan

[Pooter]

Jan,

Jan,

So, just to clarify for my feeble little brain.. If the skull piece that was removed during your AN surgery was replaced, then they can put your abutment into that part of the skull.  If it was not, then they have to find another place and likely it would be further back on your head?  If that's not true, then where have I gone wrong?

I don't think mine was replaced (granted, I don't know for sure)..  I'd almost rather it be higher up than further back if I ever get one implanted..

Denise, I got a package from Cochlear also..  I haven't watched the DVD yet either.. (Just came yesterday)

Regards,
Brian

[leapyrtwins]

Pooter -

don't knock your brain; it's been through surgery, you know 

You are understanding this correctly.  Basically the abutment needs to be placed in "good bone" - as Lori describes it.

Your doctor will be able to give you a better idea of what that means to you.  I appparently have "good bone" in the area of my AN surgery, so that's where my abutment is.  Others might not have "good bone" in that area, so the abutment is placed above or behind that area. 

The main idea here is to make sure the abutment is put in an area that it will stay in once the skull has calcified.  If the area is "bad" the abutment may become loose or even fall out (although this is pretty rare).

Jan

[Denise S]

UGH!!!!   O.K. Brian.........where's the rich uncle??  hahaha

I got a call from Michigan Ear Institute and they said Cochlears OMS helped them with trying to get BAHA covered by my insurance.   The rep for my insurance said a straight up NO because my stuff says: No hearing aids and no surgically implanted hearing aids.    Not what I needed Monday on an already depressing day.  Supposedly the rep also told MEI there is no appeals, no nothing because it is black & white in my policy.

WELL, of course I don't just sit back.   I called the Cochlear OMS rep and asked a few questions (she was AWESOME).   She said the only possibility is if our insurance may be self funded and someone would be able to take a bunch of info to the decision board and try to push it as a Prosthetic.   What the hey, I called my husbands human resource dept. (in Texas, we're in Michigan) and I got the Secretary who actually knew I had gone through the surgery, etc. etc.     She said right away "Denise, we are self funded to a certain amount and if you can get me documents from Cochlear as to procedure, why they treat it more as prosthetic vs. hearing aid, and the cost amounts, a letter of necessity from the doctor, and a letter from me stating why I think I need it"   SHE personally will take it to the board for me and try her best.   Sometimes it works, but she has never came across this situation.   Her own comments were : "you guys are a young family and have kids and losing 1/2 your hearing has to be devastating"       

Oh MY......I wish I could have reached through the phone to hug her!!!    So I made the calls to get all the info. soon and send it to her and say more prayers.    If she can't do it, then for sure I'm done.       SO......don't just give up is my comment for others.      Of course I will post on the Cochlear Community too.    Still have no clue and not getting my hopes to high, but all I can say is wow!         AND.....Cochlears OMS is GREAT while I dealt with them!    So, wish me luck and say a prayer.......I am HATING and my family too is struggling with this sudden SSD.

Denise Sanford (MI)

[Mei Mei]

Dear Denise,
I admire you for your persistence!   You ROCK!!!

Mei Mei

[ombrerose4]

Hi Denise,

I really hope this works out for you. This SSD is for the birds! I can't even imagine how hard it must be with raising kids, mine are grown and its hard enough. I will be thinking of you.