Ten-month-old Ashlyn, who was born without ears, would be deaf without her bone anchored hearing system. Like so many, the system is critical to her development and wellbeing.
Her mother, Andrea Dowell, is speaking out and opposing the change to Medicare coverage that could eliminate coverage for bone anchored hearing systems.
“It means a lot to a lot of people.”
A bone anchored hearing device is the only answer for her daughter.
As you may have heard, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the governing body that runs Medicare, is proposing to eliminate the coverage for bone anchored hearing devices in 2015. The proposal’s aim is to classify bone anchored hearing systems as hearing aids, which are specifically not covered under Medicare. If this proposal is passed, it will effectively terminate all Medicare coverage for new bone anchored implant surgeries as well as terminate funding for replacement processors for current bone anchored implant users under Medicare.
Equally disturbing is the potential ripple effect this proposal will have on non-governmental private payers and state Medicaid policies. These groups routinely look to Medicare as the standard for their policies and use Medicare coverage guidelines for justification of coverage, or removal of coverage for treatment options. It is not overstating a concern to say if this proposal passes, coverage for everyone using a bone anchored system is threatened.
Because sound matters… you can help us help others!
By working closely with advocates like you, we’ve come to realize that our most important work gets done when we spent time with you – hearing your story and getting to know your wants and needs for you or your child’s device.
In order to take a deeper dive into your experiences, we’re hosting a small group session completely dedicated to feedback.
The group that comes together for this two-day workshop will help drive advances in healthy hearing, help us shape our research and development and take part in crafting and launching new community initiatives that get more people informed. You’ll also have the opportunity to get inside information on where the industry is headed.
If you are interested, we ask that you fill out this short questionnaire and apply for the all-expenses paid trip to our U.S. Headquarters office in Somerset, New Jersey.
In honor of the amazing connections that happen at Ear Community’s Microtia and Atresia Summer Picnics, we’ve asked attendees to share their experiences with you here on our blog. First up we have Kristy Smith.
Enter Kristy
My 14 month old daughter Olivia was born with Microtia and Atresia of her left ear. I came across Ear Community shortly after she was born. The hospital knew absolutely nothing about her condition. No references or literature. It was a very emotional and confusing time.
The Ponto Streamer opens the door for new communication possibilities and connections with people, information and entertainment for Ponto Plus users. Today, we wanted to share more information about the Ponto Streamer. Better yet, we also wanted to give you an opportunity to hear from those who know it best— the people who use it every day.
First, let’s dive into what the Ponto Streamer and ConnectLine products are.
ConnectLine is a system that helps you connect to a wide variety of communication and entertainment applications. Simply put, it transforms your Ponto Plus into a personal wireless headset. The Ponto Streamer is your gateway to a range of different electronics. Audio can be transmitted through the Ponto Streamer wirelessly to your Ponto Plus. The Ponto Streamer is worn around the neck and has three buttons for the core applications: phone, TV and microphone.