Washington, D.C. (August 6th, 2024) — UnitedHealthcare announced an important expansion in their coverage of cochlear implants in children. Effective September 1, 2024, UnitedHealthcare will cover cochlear implants for children 6 months old or older with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) as well as children 9 months old and older with single-sided deafness (SSD).
ACI Alliance Executive Director Donna Sorkin applauded the decision by UnitedHealthcare stating: “This decision will have a profoundly positive impact on outcomes in children who are bilateral or unilateral cochlear implant candidates. Research demonstrates that early access to sound facilitates the language learning process in a young child. By listening to our input and reviewing the clinical research, UnitedHealthcare demonstrated leadership in making this significant coverage change.”
This expansion builds on a January 2023 decision by UnitedHealthcare to cover cochlear implants in adults over 18 with SSD but excluded children under the age of 5. Cochlear implants have long been approved by the FDA and covered by private and public insurance. ACI Alliance has and will continue to work on expanding access and coverage for all.
For more information on insurance coverage for cochlear implants: www.acialliance.org/page/Insurance
ACI Alliance is a not-for-profit membership organization created with the purpose of eliminating barriers to cochlear implantation by sponsoring research, driving heightened awareness, and advocating for improved access to cochlear implants for patients of all ages across the US.
