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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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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