Cochlear Implants

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What is a Cochlear Implant?

A cochlear implant is an electronic medical device designed to restore the ability to perceive sounds and understand speech by individuals with moderate to profound hearing loss. Children and adults who are not sufficiently helped by hearing aids may benefit from cochlear implants. Unlike a hearing aid, which delivers amplified sound acoustically, a cochlear implant bypasses damaged hair cells in the cochlea and stimulates the remaining nerve fibers directly through the application of electrical current. A cochlear implant is a device for people whose hearing technology needs may be beyond hearing aids.

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Who is a candidate for a Cochlear Implant?

• In general, if someone wearing appropriately fit hearing aids cannot understand speech without seeing the speaker’s face, they should be evaluated for a cochlear implant.

• For children, an assessment of any child with a moderate to profound hearing loss should be made as early as possible as outcomes with a cochlear implant are significantly better in children who receive an implant at the earliest possible age.

• Cochlear implant candidacy guidelines have changed to include children and adults with more residual hearing as well as other anatomic, health, and learning issues that would have been considered “absolute” or “relative” contraindications in the past.

• Utilization of other technologies, in combination with the cochlear implant device, have provided further expansions in outcomes bringing recipients closer to “normal” hearing. 

•  With all of these changes have come a new recognition of the quality of life changes and cost utility made possible when the right device is matched to appropriate patients.

 

Audiologic Criteria for Referral:

• Patients who have >60 dB Pure Tone Average and/or score <60% on word recognition scores should be referred for an evaluation.

• Research out of University of Michigan shows that 85% of patients who meet these criteria will be determined candidates.  

• Patients who do not meet candidacy criteria will likely be candidates in the near future and will be re-evaluated as appropriate.

 

What is the process for being evaluated for a cochlear implant?

• Audiologic evaluation includes verifying best fit of hearing aids and completing testing in quiet and in background noise.  Cochlear Implant education and hearing goals are reviewed to determine candidacy and recommendations.

• Medical evaluation includes determining medical candidacy, including a review of overall health, vaccinations and imaging of the ear.

 

Are Cochlear Implants covered by my insurance?

Unlike hearing aids, which are typically not covered by health insurance, cochlear implantation is covered for appropriate candidates by most private health insurance plans, Medicare and Medicaid. Referrals for a cochlear implant evaluation should be made by your primary care physician to our clinic.

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More Information: https://www.acialliance.org/page/CochlearImplant