What is the cost of a cochlear implant?
The biggest deterrent for adults that may benefit from a cochlear implant or other implantable technology, like the BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Aid) is the perception that cochlear implant pricing is unaffordable.
There are a number of costs to implants to consider: the implant and processor, the surgery and hospital costs, and the associated audiology services such as candidacy assessments, switch-ons, mapping and programming.
A cochlear implant and processor can normally cost up to $30,000, and Bone Anchored hearing aids near $10,000. While some of these costs can be covered by Medicare or basic private health insurance, some providers charge up to $10,000 for their implant programs!
Implants through the Public Hospital system
If you satisfy the Queensland Health cochlear implant candidacy criteria, costs for implants and surgery and audiological rehabilitation can be provided by the State Government. Criteria for implantation from Queensland Health includes
- Hearing loss severity
- Expectations of outcomes
- Patients are only eligible for implantation through the RBWH program if both ears meet cochlear implant candidacy.
The eligibility criteria are fairly strict and patients are prioritised based on several different indicators such as the severity of their hearing loss and their participation in the workforce. So what if you are not eligible or low on the priority list, what can you do? That’s where private cochlear implant providers, like QVCC, can assist – and at a remarkably accessible cost level.
Cochlear implant costs: Private health cover and Medicare can help
Queensland Vestibular + Cochlear Clinic is proud to be able to facilitate the uptake of hearing loss implant solutions by reducing costs as much as possible. We use a combination of private health insurance where available and Medicare to cover much of the costs of implants.
If you have private health insurance, the costs of the cochlear implant and processor can be covered. Check with your provider, or plan ahead now and investigate any restriction periods for the coverage of implantable devices from your private health cover provider.
The majority of surgical costs are also covered by Medicare and private health insurance, but there can be some gaps dependent on your private health insurance and the Ear, Nose and Throat specialist’s billing technique. On average we find that this equates to a couple of hundred dollars of out of pocket expenses for the implant procedure.
For the audiology component, QVCC is proud to deliver these cochlear implant/bone-anchored services for our candidates using Medicare bulk-billing with your ENT referral. This includes any pre-surgery vestibular candidacy assessments that others charge $1000s for.
We also deliver these services in all our clinics throughout the state, ensuring that costs for travel and time away from family is minimised for you as much as possible.
Rest assured, just because we try and keep your costs low does not mean the advice and expertise is anything but excellent. QVCC partner with some of the best surgeons around and Grant Collins, Specialist Cochlear Audiologist at QVCC, is one of Queensland’s foremost experts on vestibular assessment and implantation services.
If you are, or your loved one is considering an implant solution to address profound hearing loss, talk to QVCC about the cost-saving options available to you.
Call today on 07 4410 9490 or request a callback using the button below to discuss how implants can help you.