Aetna Announces New Policy on Bilateral Cochlear Implants

On October 19, 2007, Aetna Health Insurance Plans, one of America’s largest health care insurers announced that it will begin covering bilateral implantation!  A copy of Aetna’s relevant Clinical Policy Bulletin is available for download (PDF).

This important expansion of cochlear implant coverage demonstrates Aetna’s understanding of, and responsiveness to, recent research on bilateral deafness and its impact on an individual’s communication abilities.  Brenda Battat, Associate Executive Director of Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) and the country’s largest organization representing consumers with hearing loss, reported “Aetna’s coverage change marks an important access advance for the organization’s membership”.  Adding to HLAA’s positive response, Chris Smith, president of Cochlear Americas noted, “Aetna has demonstrated that it understands the significant challenges faced by people with hearing loss in their daily lives.  Bilateral cochlear implants help deaf children and adults move one step closer to normal hearing.”

If an adult or child has only one functional ear (i.e., unilateral hearing) they will generally report difficulty localizing sounds and understanding speech in noise.  Published clinical studies have documented important benefits provided by bilateral hearing. 

Cochlear believes individuals should have access to sound through two ears whenever possible.  Whether through two normally hearing ears, two hearing aids, a hearing aid and cochlear implant, or bilateral cochlear implants, Cochlear's mission is to provide hearing from two sides whenever possible.  For candidates and unilateral implant recipients, bilateral cochlear implantation should be considered for every individual with two ears that meet current candidacy criteria.

OMS Insurance Support and Cochlear’s consumer advocacy team have spent a great deal of time educating and lobbying Aetna for coverage of bilateral cochlear implantation, and applauds Aetna for its decision to expand coverage to its members.

Aetna-covered patients who meet coverage criteria are eligible for bilateral cochlear implants effective immediately.  If you have any questions, please contact Cheryl Anderson, Supervisor of OMS Insurance Support, at reimbursement@cochlear.com