Cochlear™ Nucleus® 5 Now Available for our Nucleus 24 and Nucleus Freedom™ Cochlear Implant Recipients
Cochlear™ Nucleus® 5 Now Available for our Nucleus 24 and Nucleus Freedom™ Cochlear Implant Recipients
Cochlear is pleased to announce the availability of the Cochlear Nucleus CP810 Sound Processor and the Cochlear Nucleus CR110 Remote Assistant to our Nucleus 24* and Nucleus Freedom Implant Recipients. These recipients will receive a communication about this upgrade program beginning in April 2011.
*Nucleus 5 for Nucleus 24 does not include ABI recipients at this time.
When can orders be placed?
If your patient has a Nucleus 24 Cochlear Implant, they can join the Nucleus Freedom Implant recipients and begin placing upgrade orders for the Nucleus 5 System in April, 2011.
Both Nucleus Freedom and Nucleus 24 recipients will enjoy the following items in their upgrade:
* Items marked in red require a selection decision at the time of ordering.
The Nucleus 5 upgrade package includes:
choose cable length 2" (6cm), 3" (8cm), 4" (11cm), 11" (28cm)
(Note: the color will be the same as the sound processor)
If Nucleus Freedom recipient is under 5 years of age, they may
add these LiteWear™ items to their upgrade:
- 1 LiteWear Cable (choose color: Sand, Brown, Black, Charcoal, White)
Introductory Pricing Until June 30, 2011
| Upgrade Components (when purchased separately) | $9,633 |
| Upgrade Kit – Introductory Retail Price to Recipients | $7,975 |
Can my patients trade in a Sound Processor?
Yes! There will be $2,500 "Trade–In Credit" given for a returned Nucleus Freedom, ESPrit™ 3G or SPrint™ Sound Processor.*
The trade-in amounts are not available for items covered by Medicare/Medicaid or any other U.S. federal health care program.The trade-in amount must be applied to offset the purchase price and is not available as cash.
(Note: The Ready to Wear option is not available for the Nucleus 24 upgrade recipients at this time. It is still an option for your Nucleus Freedom recipients at $150).
*Trade–in for SPrint and ESPrit 3G expires June 30, 2011.| List Price | $7,975 |
| Nucleus Sound Processor Trade–In Credit | ($2,500) |
| Final Price | $5,475 USD |
If your patients elect the trade–in option, they will receive the necessary return material authorization (RMA) paperwork and instructions when they place their Nucleus 5 order.
NEW! Extended Coverage Plan Option
As with all Nucleus Sound Processor technology, the new Nucleus 5 upgrade is covered under Cochlear's exceptional 3 year warranty. Your patients will have the option to extend this coverage an additional 2 years for only $23.25/month†, resulting in coverage for 5 full years. By purchasing this option at the same time as the upgrade, they will save 42%!5 Year Useful Life
Depending on your patient's insurance coverage, you may find that the latest technological innovation in sound processing is closer than you think and may be covered as a "replacement sound processor."Many insurance companies and Medicare and Medicaid may authorize replacement of a sound processor when it has been in continuous use for its useful life (generally 5 years).
Additionally, insurers may provide replacements when a sound processor is lost or irreparably damaged.† †
Please have your patients check with their insurer.
† Based on 36 month financing plan.
† † Proof of loss is required and irreparable damage is often defined by the insurer and/or would need to be established by Cochlear Americas.
Payment Options
- Personal Check or Credit Card: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
- Monthly Payment Plan: Do your patients need financing? US recipients can contact CareCredit® at 800 365 8295 to apply for a financing option that will allow them to pay for their sound processor over 36 months. Canadian recipients can contact Union Hearing Aid Centre at 866 269 8880. All financing options are available on the website.
- Flex Spending: If your patients have a flexible spending healthcare account at work, they may consider setting aside money to pay for their upgrade in the coming year.
- Medicare/Medicaid support: For those with Medicare or Medicaid coverage (in the states we are enrolled), Cochlear can process the order and submit a claim on your patient's behalf. Contact the Cochlear Upgrade Team at 800 587 6927 option 2.
- Commercial insurance: Generally, insurance companies follow similar replacement guidelines as Medicare. Your patients can purchase their upgrade and file their claim directly with their commercial insurance carrier. We suggest that your patients contact their insurance company and inquire about specific coverage and their co-pay, coinsurance and deductible prior to purchasing an upgrade.
- Third Party Companies (Not Affiliated with Cochlear): If your patient is unable to pay for the upgrade directly and await reimbursement from their private insurer, there are a few companies who may be able to work with the patient and their private insurance company. These companies will sell your patient an upgrade (which they purchase from Cochlear). They typically charge your patient for their co-pay and co-insurance, then accept payment directly from their insurance company for the balance of the purchase price. They may charge your patient a higher amount, depending upon their contracts with the insurer. Be sure your patient understands what their out of pocket costs will be if they elect to work with one of these companies. Once a patient engages with one of these vendors Cochlear has limited visibility to the patient's order status. You or your patient will need to contact these companies directly for follow up questions. To see if there is a company that works with their insurance program, please visit www.CochlearAmericas.com/Upgrade
How do my patients order?
Beginning in April 2011, your patients will be able to place their order in a variety of ways.
- Online: www.CochlearAmericas.com/upgrades
In order to place orders online or by phone, patients should have the following information available when they place their order:
- CareCredit 16 digit approval code (if financing)
- Color and option selections (marked in red above)
- Phone: Cochlear Upgrade Team at 800 587 6927
- Mail: Call 800 587 6927 to request a manual order sheet be mailed directly to your patients
Should your patients still have additional questions, please direct their inquiries to the upgrade team via email upgrade@cochlear.com or phone 800 587 6927.
The Cochlear Community is also a valuable resource for your patients if they would like to connect with others and share their experiences. Please visit www.CochlearCommunity.comIf you have further questions, please contact your Customer Care Team.
