I have been stewing since my appointment last week...
I have more hearing loss in my hearing ear but the doctor says it is still not enough
to worry about as it is serviceable hearing ... it would be serviceable if I had a second
ear to help it out...
...
sit me in a sound proof booth with a plug right in my ear with a clay like clump blocking out
all sound I may make moving in said booth and yes , I can understand words spoken by
tech...( 85% ) ... but that is not the real world...
He sent me next door to see audiologist about TV ears and BAHA... TV ears would solve
watching TV without making my family nuts and can get super model and hook up phone ...
but that would not solve day to day stuff
Like not knowing where my name is being called from and having to do a full spin to
locate who is talking ... or the headaches and confusion from having to concentrate just
to know what is going on around me at school and out in public...
They say BAHA is my next best option... insurance will pay for surgery but not hardware
and they want the thing ordered by hospital... $8995 ....I was told by another patient
that was there to have theirs adjusted or something , that their insurance allowed them to order it
and have it sent directly to their doctor when they had theirs done in Florida in the fall and it
cost them only $4200... so if I do it which at that cost I won't the hospital would make
almost $5000 just to have it delivered to them and hold it til surgery... that just sucks...and
definitely puts it out of my reach...
my insurance would pay for it if I was under 18... so I guess as we get older we are no longer
entitled to hear...
they have a rider I can purchase ($69 per month) that will pick up 60% of
the unit after a 12 month waiting period because the hearing loss would then be a pre-existing
problem...but by that time my co-pays and out of pocket will roll back to zero and the surgery
itself which I was told would run $10000-$15000 would not be covered 100% and it ...that would
run me about $5000 .. . where til June 30th it would only cost me $200 doctor co-pay for surgery and
unit cost...
The doctors told me we could revisit this at my May 19 appointment but I want to jump on it now
and work on getting it paid for or find a way not to have to pay the huge markup on it ... or just forget
about it all together...
I wore the simulator and it sounded different but so much better than silence ...and the doctor said that the
actual BAHA would be much clearer since sound would be going thru bone and not the skin first...
something also told by insurance is that there is a possibility that they would pay if I could prove that
the loss of hearing was causing me significant mental anguish and problems ... me and friends were talking
about insurance and problems we have had with insurance companies... we came up with a plan
this is part of an email
If Cochlear company will sell me the appliance and a screw me and my partner
in crime at day camp figure we can sterilize her garage,put my head in a vice ,
clean it good with betadine and shoot site full of lidocaine (I have some for
veterinary use that would work) then she can drill a pilot hole and take a screw
driver and twist the thing in ...Bo and her husband can stand by as nurses
if I get wiggly and they can hold me still... and need to get a bottle of
Jack Daniels for pain management and relaxing after the procedure ...
I think all of will need a swig y'all think that would prove mental anguish and instability
?
don't really think we will do home grown surgery but just frustrated that there is something that
could help and it is out of reach...
they told me Trans ear was not a good option due to size and shape of my ear canals...and
insuracne wouldn't pay for it either...
any insight and ideas to help find a way would be appreciated... some say fight it on age discrimantion
or pull the nut case card...I may be nutty but haven't really lost it yet
just whining and crying in Tennessee... tomorrow will be a better day
..start it right with Total
Good Night
