Angela Holley wanted a sustainable hearing solution for her six-year-old son, Evan. Even when it meant calling insurance companies daily, Angela was Evan’s unwavering advocate. Now, Evan has what he needs and is a happier child who hears better than ever.

Here’s Angela Holley’s story–

Evan, who has bilateral hearing loss, started out wearing Cochlear hearing devices. We had a lot of issues and were constantly sending them in for repair. When we finally received the devices back from repair, our Audiologist was unable to program them. The Windows computer system wasn’t compatible with the device program, which caused yet another huge delay for us, and more importantly, for Evan. We were frustrated, and the Audiologist was frustrated.

During this time, our aggravation encouraged us to try demos of the Oticon Medical Ponto. We were excited by Evan’s response and couldn’t wait to get him a pair of his own. So, we sent in the order to the insurance company. To our surprise, it was denied. Because Evan had additional hearing loss from his last screening, we were truly in shock that his case was denied. So began the journey to getting coverage for devices that worked well for Evan…

What I Did to Make the Case

First, I appealed with a letter saying that the devices are not a want but a need. That they contribute greatly to him functioning as a successful individual. He needs the devices to be successful in school and to thrive with his peers. Then, I search for helpful information and made sure I knew about everything that could be helpful. Ear Community and Melissa Tumblin were an excellent resource. Finally, I collected any kind of documentation I could get to help build a case for Evan. Gather and submit documentation such as:

• Letters from Evan’s teachers
• Information from Evan’s ENT and speech therapist
• Hearing Screen Results
• Information from Evan’s pediatrician
• Even a letter from myself explaining our own experiences in communicating with Evan—we were having to repeat ourselves more than ever

I didn’t rely on others to help get the job done, and I suggest the same to other parents. Make sure that you are organized and submit every piece of paperwork in a timely manner—there are deadlines that will affect the outcome. Work with the Audiology clinic that’s pushing through the paperwork, and make sure they’re meeting deadlines. Finally, follow up and then follow up again. Make sure information was received. It is a lot of work, but it can be done. Don’t just accept the denial and don’t rely on other people to do their part.

And hopefully, as with our case, you’ll see the light at the end of the tunnel. Finally, the insurance company approved coverage for one Ponto. Even though Evan needs bilateral aids, we were only approved for one and we felt lucky for that.

Well Worth the Work

All of us moms know we need to fight for our kids, and we need to remember that. Don’t rely on anyone else to fight our children’s battles— it has to be us to do that. What kept me going? The fact that Evan’s demo devices had him hearing better than he ever had before.

The day we got the demos, Evan walked into the bathroom with his shoes on. When he came out, he said, “Mommy, my shoes—they make noise.” Now, at night, he doesn’t want to take them off. It’s still amazing to watch him explore and experience little noises for the first time.

Fighting for what we deserved has helped shape Evan’s future. It’s a lot of work, but well worth it for a positive future for my son. I couldn’t have had a better partner along the way than Oticon Medical. The experience has been fantastic, and more than anything, the people at Oticon Medical LISTENED when no one else did.

Are you working to get insurance coverage? We can help. We can also help connect you with others who have successfully navigated the insurance process. Let us know in the comments section below or on Facebook or Twitter if you’d like help or to be connected.