Services & Support
by Cochlear Guest Author

Pediatric Spanish Rehabilitation Resources For Your Patients!

March 28, 2016
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Cochlear Americas has updated The Communication Corner to include new Spanish materials for pediatric patients. The Communication Corner is an innovative website which helps make the most of a patient’s hearing with fun and engaging games, printable resources and practice tools developed specifically for each age group.

From early listening skills to more effective everyday conversations, the Communication Corner supports the needs of children, parents and adults with hearing loss, as well as the professionals who serve them. Whether your patients are using hearing aids, a bone conduction device, or a cochlear implant system, the Communication Corner helps tailor learning programs to any age and communication level. Each program comes with a description and sample exercise so that the user can “try it on for size” to see how it fits. Completing the accompanying assessment provides guidance on where to start and how best to use the selected program. At the end of the program, there is a suggestion as to which program might be attempted next.

Programs include:

  • NEW – Sound Foundations for Babies and Toddlers (Spanish) – provides guidance in developing a child’s spoken language through listening both before and after receiving a hearing device.
  • NEW – Sound Foundations for Children (English) – this program follows the same flow as the babies and toddler program with advanced language learning tools for kids just staring school.
  • NEW – Bucket of Frog Activities – These games are built around learning different speech sounds in fun and engaging games for play groups. Follow the link to buy your own toys for the activities.
  • Sound Foundation for Babies and Toddlers (English) – provides guidance in developing a child’s spoken language through listening both before and after receiving a hearing device
  • LEAPing on with Language for School Age Children – provides practical strategies that aim to accelerate a child’s spoken language learning beyond simple sentences to more complex and abstract language
  • Telephone with Confidence – allows daily practice using the phone by calling a toll-free number with rotating word lists and phrases
  • HOPE Notes – helps improve music perception and appreciation
  • Improving Understanding with Communication Strategies – helps assess different communication styles and uses strategies to improve understanding in a variety of listening situations

Visit The Communication Corner at https://www.Cochlear.com/US/CommCorner

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Cochlear Guest Author

In an effort to keep our content fresh and reflective of a diverse industry, Cochlear Americas features a mix of employees and professional partners to contribute to Cochlear ProNews as Guest Authors.

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5 ways your patients can use free time to improve listening skills

April 28, 2020

With more time at home as a result of recent global events, this is an opportunity for your patients to work on listening skills at home. 

If your patients are homebound, encourage them to try out these listening activities:

1. Practice focused listening while watching the TV news

For example, catching up with current affairs is one way to incorporate focused listening into daily routine. It also provides a chance to connect visual and auditory cues.

2. Play games

Light-hearted games provide many opportunities for natural conversation to occur. Not only do they require learning how to play the game, but also actively listening and communicating with the friends and family involved.

Ideally, the game should require both listening and communication. Consider games such as Celebrity Heads, Taboo, Trivial Pursuit, Rummy or Go Fish.

3. Practice with someone

Practicing with a partner can build skills in recognizing commonly heard phrases. The partner can say the sentence. Without lip reading, the recipient can try to repeat as many words as possible. Then, the partner can express which words are correct and encourage the use of strategies to clarify parts of the sentence that may be wrong.

Using phrases, such as “can you repeat?”, “did you say…?” or “can you say it a different way?” are all recommended.

It’s best to use words, phrases and sentences that are used in everyday life, social activities or in the workplace so they’re more familiar.

4. Reading aloud, audiobooks and YouTube

Listening to someone reading aloud from a written passage or listening to audiobooks while following along with a printed copy of the book can be a good way to re-learn the rhythm and pattern of sentences and individual words. It is also helpful for identifying words in connected speech.

5. Use music and lyrics to help word recognition

Reading lyrics and listening to music can be a great way to recognize words.

Your patients can also boost their music appreciation skills with Cochlear’s Bring Back the Beat™ app, available from the Apple® App Store or on Google Play.

For additional resources for improving listening skills at home, download Cochlear’s Adult Individual Hearing Therapy Tips Guide now. 

Apple, the Apple logo, FaceTime, Made for iPad logo, Made for iPhone logo, Made for iPod logo, iPhone, iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Google Play is a registered trademark of Google Inc.

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A Reimbursement Support Success Story

July 25, 2019

Reimbursement Success

By Nicole Craig, Senior Manager of Managed Care and Market Access, Cochlear Americas

At Cochlear, we are committed to ensuring patient access to implantable hearing solutions, extending from the earliest days of candidacy through a lifetime of service and support for our recipients.

Last month we posted information on best practices for obtaining commercial coverage for cochlear implant and bone anchored systems. This month we’d like to share a real-world success story that demonstrates how Cochlear’s Otologic Management Services (OMS) team works collaboratively with other stakeholders to ensure patient access to Hear now. And always

Patient story: Richard, age 35, Missouri

Becky Berkley, Sr. Reimbursement Specialist for OMS, recalls receiving an appeal request in October 2018 from the provider clinic of patient Richard. His unilateral Cochlear™ Nucleus® Profile Implant surgery was tentatively scheduled for December 12, 2018. His insurance carrier had denied his cochlear implant as a plan benefit exclusion, stating that his employer only covered cochlear implants for persons under age 27 – a criteria that Richard did not meet.

Nucleus Profile ImplantRichard remembers receiving the denial. “I received a letter in the mail that stated there was an error made and my surgery was denied. My heart broke. Receiving this implant was going to be a life changer for me and my family. At that moment I felt like that future had just been ripped away from me. But I was not going to let that denial letter stop me.”

Becky explained to Richard that the insurance plan elected by his employer was self-funded and suggested he reach out to his company’s Benefit Plan Administrator in the Human Resources department to inquire if they would be willing to review the procedure and pursue a benefit exception on his behalf.

“I was able to go to the headquarters to meet with the Director of Human Resources. After meeting with her and sharing my story, she said she would do whatever she could to help me. She suggested that I schedule an appeal hearing and my case would be presented to the board,” recalls Richard. Meanwhile, Becky worked with Anne Anthony, Cochlear’s Sr. Manager Regional Reimbursement for the Central region, to gather and provide supporting literature and documentation and was able to present this information to the board members in the review of Richard’s case. OMS received notification in November that the board approved the cochlear implant. In addition, they committed to removing the age restriction on medically necessary cochlear implants for all health plan members.

Richard's Implant“I am so grateful that they understood that receiving a cochlear implant would greatly impact my life, both professionally and personally. Not only did they approve my surgery but they changed the plan for all employees starting January 2019. I honestly believe that all things happen for a reason. If this wouldn’t have happened, then maybe there wouldn’t have been a change in the policy and others wouldn’t get the chance to improve their quality of life,” remarked Richard.

As demonstrated by Richard’s story, OMS will work with recipients, professionals, HR representatives and employers to assist in providing information to obtain approvals which can sometimes lead to a policy change. Let us know how Cochlear’s reimbursement services have worked for you – send us your story! rsteinke@cochlear.com

For more information on services provided by OMS, visit our webpage or contact via email at OMS@Cochlear.com.

About our guest author:
Nicole Craig is the Senior Manager of Managed Care and Market Access for Cochlear Americas. She oversees OMS and managed care contracting for Cochlear’s external DME replacement parts and accessories.

Information provided by Cochlear Americas regarding insurance coverage or reimbursement is provided as guidance only and is not intended as reimbursement or legal advice. Cochlear Americas makes no representation or warranty regarding such information or its completeness, accuracy, fitness for a particular purpose, or that following such guidance will result in any form of coverage or reimbursement from any insurer. Information presented is subject to change at any time. To be sure that you have the most current and applicable information available for your unique circumstances, please consult your own experts and seek your own legal advice regarding your reimbursement needs. In all cases, products or services billed must be medically necessary, actually performed and appropriately documented in the medical record.

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