$2824.00

I just paid $2824 for a two year service agreement plus loss damage coverage for two Freedom processors. I saved $314 by paying for two years rather than paying $1500 for one year for both Freedoms. Elijah has NEVER lost a processor, but as they say never say never. We do get good use our of the service agreement. In the last three months alone we have replaced three coils and two controllers. Hopefully in two years we can upgrade Elijah to the N5 processors. His Freedoms will be five years old by then and most insurance companies will pay for upgrades every five years. When will trade in his older Freedoms that stay in a drawer and are not under a service agreement. If he is able to upgrade to the N5, these will have a three year service agreement and loss/damage. There may even be a new processor in two years.

There is no price that I would not pay for Elijah to hear. I am amazed at the technology and what he has accomplished. At least I can write it off on my income taxes under medical when I file my 2013 income taxes!

Maintaining Processors

Elijah's cochlear implant processors usually require very little maintenance. He changes his batteries when they die and that is usually what we deal with the majority of the time. He told me last week that his right ear sounded funny. I had seen the red light on the processor(Freedom) blink a few times, and there had been no code for a dying or dead battery(H1 or H2) code. The coil wire was very bent and I know it has been at least six months since we have changed it. I called Cochlear and they sent me a new one under the warranty. We have two back up coils, so I had already change it out and had the old one ready to be mailed back. The new one came in today and I got the old one all ready to be mailed back.

Sitting at dinner tonight, Elijah tells me that his left ear is now bugging him. We change his program and he says it sounds better. Later I notice the red blinking light and ask him to come over. This time there is a distinctive H3 code, which means the coil is NOT on his head, but it was on his head. So, we put a new coil on this processor and now I will call Cochlear on Monday and get them to send us another coil. At least this time, there was a code so I knew that the coil wasn't working.

He has a controller(bottom piece) that I need to replace, because the FM port cover came off. However, when they send you a new one of those, someone has to be at the house to sign for it. UGH, that is a hassle. I am going to wait for Spring Break and call before then and get another one. It works just fine and he uses his FM at school everyday, so I am sure the next controller's door will come off as well.

Elijah's warranty/service agreement on his processors expires in June of this year. I will pay for another warranty for another year. I think it is worth the money. I will also get the loss/damage coverage WITH the service agreement.

Update on Loss/Damage Coverage

I have been on the phone several times with Cochlear and with my home owners insurance. They can cover it under home owners, but it would have to be lost or damage AT HOME. They can also cover it under a personal articles policy that would have no deductible if lost or damaged. Well, Cochlear has had to send me three different emails, because they kept making mistakes on a quote for the home owner's people. Finally, after we get it all figured out, I am quoted a price of $1330 for a YEAR to cover both processors....$110 a month. WELL, that is a heck of a lot more than the $550 I paid ESCO for one years worth of coverage.

To top things off, I get the letter in the mail today stating that ESCO cannot cover Elijah's processors again. When I checked Cochlear's website, the warranty PLUS the loss/damage for two processors is $1570. I just don't need the warranty right now, I just need the loss damage. Needless to say, I am not happy. I may have to talk to the home owner's insurance people and see if that is the ONLY coverage they can offer. I am sure I could call some other insurance companies, but they may not deal with me since my home owners is not with them. You never know though. We may just have to roll the dice and go without coverage for a year. He has never lost one before and been implanted for almost 11 years. I just hate the thought of it.