Let Them Hear Again Working with All CIs
Editor: We recently reported that the Let Them Hear Foundation had
ceased working with two of the three CI manufacturers. They are now
reporting that they are able to work with all three brands. Here's the
press release.
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November 2006
Advocacy Program Letter The Advocacy Program of the Let Them Hear
Foundation has produced remarkable and encouraging results for patients
denied coverage by an insurer for single sided or bilateral cochlear
implantation. Over 425 cases have been undertaken, over 70 % of which
relate to cochlear implants. Almost every state in the USA is
geographically represented in the case mix. In over 200 cases, decisions
have been rendered with 100% success to date! Altogether, the denials that
have been overturned represent over $8 million dollars worth of cochlear
implants and services delivered to children and adult patients due to the
efforts of the Advocacy Program team. Additionally, over 50 million
Americans previously without coverage for single sided or bilateral
cochlear implantation now have coverage under their insurance plans. I
know of no other source for patients where this expertise exists and such
an impact has been made.
Since inception of this program, we have provided Advocacy Program
services free of charge to all patients. Due to its success and the
overwhelming popularity of this program, the amount of funding available
to continue with the work reached a critical level in Q3 of 2006.
It is my pleasure, however, to announce an arrangement which allows the
LTHF Advocacy Program to continue its work for patients desiring Advanced
Bionics products. At a fundraising event October 19, 2006, I was delighted
and honored to make the following announcement:
"Advanced Bionics, a Division of Boston Scientific Corporation,
has been pleased to support the LTHF Foundation's Insurance Advocacy
Program since January 20, 2006. This Visionary Program was developed to
improve access and reimbursement coverage for patients seeking Bilateral
CIs. It is well documented that bilateral implantation can improve the
quality of hearing in many everyday listening situations and can provide
significant advantages over unilateral implantation. The LTHF's Advocacy
Program has been extremely successful in overturning insurance denials as
well as changing some insurers' policies for future cases. Because of the
efforts of LTHF, hundreds of patients have been provided insurance access
for Bilateral CIs.
I am pleased to announce this evening that Advanced Bionics and Alfred
E. Mann have agreed to continue their relationship with the LTHF's
Advocacy Program for the next three years. This relationship will assist
the Foundation in continuing its wonderful work to expand access for
patients seeking Bilateral CIs. In addition, the LTHF Foundation and
Alfred Mann are working together to develop new humanitarian initiatives
to assist the hearing impaired who are uninsured or denied the Gift of
Hearing because of economic hardship."
For a short period of time, due to funding constraints, we have been
unable to provide services to patients who desire Cochlear Corporation or
MedEl Devices.
I am delighted to announce as of November 13th, LTHF Advocacy Program
has reached an arrangement with both Cochlear Corporation and MedEl which
allows us to GET BACK TO WORK FOR ALL PATIENTS WHO WANT BILATERAL COCHLEAR
IMPLANTS WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE DEVICE DESIRED.
We are honored to continue to work on your behalf or on the behalf of
your children. We will continue to do so as long as we are able. I would
like to thank those that continue to assist us in funding this remarkable
program as we seek to permanently change the world of access to cochlear
implants for the hearing impaired. Our funding needs are not solved
permanently but we are very excited to be back at full speed again.
Sincerely,
Dr. Joseph Roberson Founder and President Let Them Hear Foundation
November 13, 2006
