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Sunday, November 08, 2009

$7,975.00

Per ear. $7,975.00 to upgrade to the newer implant that has just come out. $15,950.00 to get two. I have heard of Hollywood stars insuring their body parts. I think Chance's ears are worth more than any of the rest of the family's parts for sure.
Wow. That is a lot of cash. We would get some trade in value when we traded his current implants in. (That just sounds funny, trading in your implants like you do a car. Although they cost about as much:) There is apparently a group discount as well if implant center orders in bulk. Anyone want to go in on a group order?
The plus side is, the FM system will be cheaper by about half since you don't have to buy boots to hook onto each implant. So we would save money there, but it wills still cost money to buy the FM System as well. Isn't this the way it works out sometimes? You will save money, yet you have to spend money first? Chance will eventually need an FM System. It seems to make sense now to wait until we can upgrade the implants. At $15,950.00 it may be a while. Unless Chance's dad has money he has been holding out on telling me about. Or someone with lots of extra money decided to make a spontaneous donation to our implant cause.
Honestly, Chance will be fine with his current implants for a while. Yes, studies show that the newer ones facilitate a boost in hearing by up 10 decibels. While that is quite a bit when you are talking about being able to hear better, Chance is doing really well with his current implants. Eventually, there will be a way for us to get for Chance what he really needs when he really needs it. We have been blessed in this journey of deafness to have that.
And make no mistake about it - Chance's hearing is worth every penny that we've spent so far, and the $9 a day ongoing cost to allow him to hear.
The bigger issue is, we won't want to buy an FM system for his current implants at $4,000.00 when the system will be half that with the newer models. And they probably aren't compatible. One will not work for both implants.
Well, it is good to know that someone in the family has body parts worth $15,950.00 in cash:)

4 comments:

Ammie said...

That is crazy! I can't believe how much those implants cost! I think Chance is doing awesome with the ones he has!:)

PinkLAM said...

Just curious, where'd you get the info that the new processor boosts hearing by 10 dB? I'd be interesed in seeing it...Maybe, just maybe it would persuade the insurance companies.

As far as FMs go, both the current Freedoms and the new processors can use an FM through telecoil, in which you have to only buy one neckloop so it's cheaper. I've heard they will be coming out with boots for the Nucleus 5 soon, so it wouldn't really be a difference FM-wise. Shouldn't the school be the ones purchasing an FM, anyway? My school district bought one, and I use it at school but also bring it home to use for activites.

Ann said...

I share the pain. I desperately want to get those new implants, but at that cost, it won't be happening for a long time to come. My joke is that at a value of approximately $60,000 (it might be more now) for each implant, I wear my $120,000 home I never bought on my head!

Anonymous said...

I have previously been able to upgrade and bought my freedom out of pocket after trade in and now I am bilateral. I know it is a lot of money, however with the trade in and the payment plan through CareCredit, I know that Cochlear wants us all to be able to upgrade. I have one N5 already and I am loving the crisper, clearer sound and all the capabilities of the Remote Assistant....lots of thing you can adjust that your audi had to previously do. I am wearing a Freedom on one side (N24 internal) and an N5 on the "new" ear (Freedom internal) and they are working together just fine...

Just my experience...

Good luck in the process!

Paula