Cochlear Americas

To Whom It May Concern: Cochlear Americas (“Cochlear”) appreciates this opportunity to respond to the issue addressed in the above-referenced complaint initiated by the CustomerCompany Cochlear is the leading global expert in implantable hearing solutions and is dedicated to bringing people the gift of soundCochlear is responsible for distributing the Nucleus Implant SystemThis remarkable technology provides individuals with severe to profound hearing loss with access to soundThe Nucleus Implant System consists of two primary components: the external sound processor and the implant that is surgically placed underneath the skin and attached to an electrode that is inserted in the inner ear (cochlea)The external sound processor picks up sound through a microphone, translates that sound into electronic impulses and passes the sound to the implant through a cable coil and magnetThe implant then receives the electronic impulses transmitted by the external sound processor and stimulates the hearing nerve so that the patient is able to hearRecognizing that cochlear implant recipients will have their device for the rest of their lives, and thus have a lifelong relationship with the Company, Cochlear strives to provide its recipients with superior customer service, and we are disappointed to hear that we have fallen short of meeting the Customer’s expectationsThe Complaint:The Customer’s complaint is that she has experienced reoccurring problems with her wireless phone clipsIn addition, the Customer is upset that she recently purchased a new phone clip due to the fact that her old phone clips are out of warrantyTimeline:In October 2015, the Customer underwent bilateral implantation (meaning, she was implanted with a Nucleus CIcochlear implant in both ears)She elected to receive three wireless phone clips as part of her initial Nucleus Implant SystemsMany cochlear implant users find it hard to hear over the phone; therefore, Cochlear offers the wireless phone clip offering convenience and clarity by providing a hands-free, cordless solution that transmits phone calls right to the customer’s sound processor Between January and April 2017, Cochlear replaced six phone clips for the Customer due to alleged poor sound quality and pairing difficultiesThese replacements included two out of warranty exceptions, whereby Cochlear replaced two phone clips that were already past the month warranty periodDuring a recent Black Friday promotion, the Customer purchased a new phone clip for $According to the Revdex.com complaint filed on November 29, 2017, the Customer still possess two phone clips that are not working properlyResolution:A Cochlear Customer Service Representative will be contacting the Customer to offer support in resolving the performance issues with her remaining two wireless phone clips

To Whom It May Concern: Attached please find the response to Complaint No [redacted] Thank you

See attached response

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*** *** *** Re: Complaint ID #*** Dear *** *** Cochlear Americas (“Cochlear”)
appreciates this opportunity to respond to the issue addressed in the above-referenced complaint initiated by the CustomerCompany Background: Cochlear is the leading global expert in implantable hearing solutions and is dedicated to bringing people the gift of soundCochlear is responsible for distributing the Nucleus Implant SystemThis remarkable technology provides individuals with severe to profound hearing loss with access to soundThe Nucleus Implant System consists of two primary components: the external sound processor and the implant that is surgically placed underneath the skin and attached to an electrode that is inserted in the inner ear (cochlea)The external sound processor picks up sound through a microphone, translates that sound into electronic impulses and passes the sound to the implant through a cable coil and magnetThe implant then receives the electronic impulses transmitted by the external sound processor and stimulates the hearing nerve so that the patient is able to hearRecognizing that cochlear implant recipients will have their device for the rest of their lives, and thus have a lifelong relationship with the Company, Cochlear strives to provide its recipients with superior customer service, and we are disappointed to hear that we have fallen short of meeting the Customer’s expectationsThe Complaint: The Customer’s complaint is that Cochlear no longer provides support for her Nucleus *** Sound Processor, which was rendered obsolete on December 31, In addition, Customer is dissatisfied with her Nucleus Sound Processor (“N6”), which Customer upgraded to in April Timeline: The Nucleus *** Sound Processor was made commercially available in Cochlear’s promise of “Hear nowAnd always” means we strive to bring recipients improved sound processor technologies and services designed to help them hear the moments that matter mostRecent advancements in sound processor technology have led to improved reliability and hearing outcomesAfter being commercially available for over a decade, the Nucleus *** Sound Processor was reaching its end of life; therefore, in January 2016, Cochlear issued a public announcement that the Nucleus *** Sound Processor was being obsolesced and would no longer be supported by Cochlear after December 31, In April 2016, Customer upgraded her obsolete Nucleus *** Sound Processor to Cochlear’s NOn August 10, 2017, Customer filed a complaint with the Revdex.com claiming that her Nis “defective” and that she can “only hear background noise and no speech.” Resolution: Cochlear has contacted the Customer’s mother, as well as the Customer’s audiologist to offer support in resolving the issues Customer is experiencing with her N

Revdex.com Serving Denver/BoulderEFlorida Ave., Suite 350Denver, Colorado 80210Re: Complaint ID #***To Whom It May Concern:Cochlear Americas (“Cochlear”) appreciates this opportunity to reply (“Reply”) to Customer’s rejection dated December 21, 2017.The Rejection:Customer rejected Cochlear’s response on grounds that Cochlear did not address certain facts regarding Customer’s correspondence during the time period in question and further expressed clarifications for delay in fulfilling Customer’s order. Cochlear’s Reply:Cochlear is pleased to report that, during the period between Customer filing her rejection and the date of this Reply, Customer’s order has been fulfilled in accordance with Customer's Desired Settlement in the initial complaint. Cochlear expedited all outstanding and unresolved matters on behalf of Customer to ensure her order was successfully transacted and attempted to keep Customer apprised of these events throughout the process. Cochlear sincerely apologizes for any undue delay which may have caused a poor customer experience. Sincerely, Cochlear Americas

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me
Sincerely,
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[redacted]    Re:    Complaint # [redacted]      ...

  Dear Ms. [redacted]:Cochlear Americas (“Cochlear”) appreciates this opportunity to respond to the issue addressed in the above-referenced complaint initiated by the Customer.Company Background:  Cochlear is the global leader in innovative, implantable hearing solutions and distributes the [redacted]® cochlear implant system.  This remarkable technology provides individuals who experience severe to profound hearing loss with access to sound.  The cochlear implant system consists of two components:  an internal/implantable component, and an external component.  The external component picks up sound through a microphone, translates that sound into electronic impulses and passes the sound to the internal/implanted component through a cable coil and magnet.  The internal component is implanted into a patient’s cochlea (inner ear) by his/her surgeon, and its function is to receive the electronic impulses transmitted by the external component and stimulate the hearing nerve so that the recipient is able to hear. Recognizing that cochlear implant patients will have their device for the rest of their lives, and thus have a lifelong relationship with the Company, Cochlear strives to provide its recipients with superior customer service, and we are disappointed to hear that we have fallen short of meeting the Customer’s expectations.The Complaint:The Customer’s complaint is that Cochlear waited too long to process her insurance claim for a new sound processor, and as a result, the Customer’s insurance plan had expired, resulting in higher out-of-pocket costs to the Customer.Timeline:On June 2, 2016, Cochlear received an email from Customer stating that she was getting married at the end of July and that she would be covered on her fiancé’s insurance.  Customer’s order was received by Cochlear on June 6, 2016.  Upon review of the order details and contacting Customer’s insurance plan, Cochlear sent a letter to Customer on June 14, with an estimate of costs.  In the letter to Customer, Cochlear set the expectation that orders typically take 6-8 weeks to process.  The letter further explained that the cost breakdown is only an estimate, and a final determination can only be made after the Customer’s insurance company processes and pays the claim.  On June 14, Cochlear received prior authorization from Customer’s plan, [redacted].  On June 15, Customer confirmed her shipping address, and on June 21, Customer called to inquire how long the authorization process would take, at which time Cochlear advised that the process could take up to two weeks depending on her insurer’s claims processing times.  On June 29, Customer paid Cochlear $2,000 via credit card as part of her estimated co-insurance.  In order to prevent Customers from incurring additional charges from their credit card provider, Cochlear does not attempt to charge the credit card on file until the order is ready to ship.  Upon attempting to charge Customer’s credit card on July 28 (when the sound processor was ready to ship), her credit card payment was declined.  On July 29, Cochlear contacted Customer twice, leaving two voicemails to inform her that her credit card had been declined, that another credit card would be required to process the transaction, and that Cochlear would be unable to ship her new sound processor until she paid her co-insurance estimate with a valid credit card.  It wasn’t until August 8 that Customer called with a new credit card number and was able to pay the estimated co-insurance amount.  Customer further authorized Cochlear to process her reimbursement request to her husband’s insurance plan, [redacted], while simultaneously pursing reimbursement from her old plan, [redacted].  On August 10, Customer’s husband called and was advised that Customer’s old insurance plan had expired, which required Cochlear to process Customer’s claim through her new plan with [redacted].  As a result of changing insurance plans and the time that had elapsed as a result of the first credit card being declined, Customer’s new plan covered less than her old plan, leaving her with a total out-of-pocket responsibility of $6,290.37, of which she has already paid $2,000 to Cochlear.Resolution    Cochlear understands the frustration associated with the health insurance claims process and will do everything in its power to reach a mutually agreeable solution with the Customer.  Accordingly, Cochlear will contact the Customer to explain the current balance and offer an option to pursue a 24-month, no interest payment option, or determine whether financial hardship may be applicable.

Thank you for submitting your comments and allowing us to look into your concern. Please note that we are a contracted in-network provider with your health insurance plan and the estimate that we provided prior to services being rendered is in fact the amount that your plan determined you owed. As a...

result, you are not expected to pay anything more than what was quoted to you originally. The confusion was a result of an oversight caused your plan's contracted rate, which we have since adjusted to allow your balance to reflect the correct amount. We understand the frustrations this may have caused and can assure you that Cochlear does everything possible to provide accurate out-of-pocket estimates to our recipients. We thank you again for bringing this to our attention and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

To Whom It May Concern: Attached please find the response to Complaint No. [redacted]. Thank you.

To Whom It May Concern: Cochlear Americas (“Cochlear”) appreciates this opportunity to respond to the issue addressed in the above-referenced complaint initiated by the Customer. Company Background: Cochlear is the leading global expert in implantable hearing solutions and is dedicated to...

bringing people the gift of sound. Cochlear is responsible for distributing the Nucleus Implant System. This remarkable technology provides individuals with severe to profound hearing loss with access to sound. The Nucleus Implant System consists of two primary components: the external sound processor and the implant that is surgically placed underneath the skin and attached to an electrode that is inserted in the inner ear (cochlea). The external sound processor picks up sound through a microphone, translates that sound into electronic impulses and passes the sound to the implant through a cable coil and magnet. The implant then receives the electronic impulses transmitted by the external sound processor and stimulates the hearing nerve so that the patient is able to hear. Recognizing that cochlear implant recipients will have their device for the rest of their lives, and thus have a lifelong relationship with the Company, Cochlear strives to provide its recipients with superior customer service, and we are disappointed to hear that we have fallen short of meeting the Customer’s expectations. The Complaint:The Customer’s complaint is that she has experienced reoccurring problems with her wireless phone clips. In addition, the Customer is upset that she recently purchased a new phone clip due to the fact that her old phone clips are out of warranty. Timeline:In October 2015, the Customer underwent bilateral implantation (meaning, she was implanted with a Nucleus CI512 cochlear implant in both ears). She elected to receive three wireless phone clips as part of her initial Nucleus Implant Systems. Many cochlear implant users find it hard to hear over the phone; therefore, Cochlear offers the wireless phone clip offering convenience and clarity by providing a hands-free, cordless solution that transmits phone calls right to the customer’s sound processor.  Between January 2016 and April 2017, Cochlear replaced six phone clips for the Customer due to alleged poor sound quality and pairing difficulties. These replacements included two out of warranty exceptions, whereby Cochlear replaced two phone clips that were already past the 12 month warranty period. During a recent Black Friday promotion, the Customer purchased a new phone clip for $236.00. According to the Revdex.com complaint filed on November 29, 2017, the Customer still possess two phone clips that are not working properly. Resolution:A Cochlear Customer Service Representative will be contacting the Customer to offer support in resolving the performance issues with her remaining two wireless phone clips.

Cochlear Americas (“Cochlear”) appreciates this opportunity to respond to the issue addressed in the above-referenced complaint initiated by the Customer. Company Background: Cochlear is the leading global expert in implantable hearing solutions and is dedicated to bringing people the gift of...

sound. Cochlear is responsible for distributing the Baha® System. This remarkable technology provides sound to individuals with conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss and single-sided deafness. The Baha System consists of three components: the implant, an abutment and a sound processor. The external sound processor picks up sound vibrations from the environment. The sound vibrations are transferred through an abutment to a small titanium implant inserted in the bone behind the ear. The sound vibrations are then sent directly through the bone to the inner ear (cochlea) where they are converted into electrical impulses by tiny hair cells inside the cochlea. These impulses travel to the brain, allowing the patient to perceive sound naturally. Recognizing that Baha recipients will have their device for the rest of their lives, and thus have a lifelong relationship with the Company, Cochlear strives to provide its recipients with superior customer service and we are disappointed to hear that we have fallen short of meeting the Customer’s expectations. The Complaint: The Customer’s underlying complaint is that Cochlear did not process her upgrade order in a timely manner and she has experienced additional delays with the processing of her insurance claim. Timeline:On October 11, 2017, the Customer called Cochlear to order a new Baha sound processor to replace her current device. Cochlear delayed placing the order due to the fact that Cochlear was unable to verify the Customer’s insurance. On November 9, 2017, the Customer called back to inquire about the status of her order. Cochlear’s Customer Service representative explained that Cochlear was still having difficulties verifying the Customer’s insurance and, therefore, the order had not yet been placed. Ultimately, the Customer Service representative satisfied the Customer’s request and processed the upgrade order despite difficulties verifying the Customer’s insurance. Cochlear and the Customer spent the following month (between November 9th and December 7th approximately) gathering pertinent information from the Customer’s insurance provider regarding the amount of coinsurance the Customer would ultimately be responsible for. Once Cochlear learned that the Customer would be responsible for little-to-no coinsurance if the order was processed utilizing 2017 insurance benefits, Cochlear immediately reached out to the Customer’s clinic to obtain the necessary documentation regarding medical necessity. This documentation was submitted to the Customer’s insurance provider for authorization on December 8, 2017. On December 11, 2017, Cochlear’s Reimbursement team reached out to the Customer’s insurance provider and requested that the Customer’s order be expedited to ensure processing by year’s end. According to the insurance provider, the nurse responsible for the Customer’s case was not available but the insurance representative ensured that an e-mail would be sent to the appropriate nurse in order to help expedite the claim processing. After communicating with the Customer’s insurance company, Cochlear left the Customer a voicemail updating her on the order status. Currently, Cochlear is attempting to negotiate a One Time Agreement (OTA) with the Customer’s insurance provider in order to minimize the Customer’s out-of-pocket costs. Unfortunately, at this point in time, Cochlear cannot guarantee that Cochlear and the Customer’s insurance provider will be able to reach agreement regarding the terms of the OTA or that such agreement will be reached by year’s end. On December 20, 2017, a representative from Cochlear’s Reimbursement team left the Customer a voicemail informing her that Cochlear was attempting to negotiate a OTA with her insurance provider. In addition, the voicemail explained that if the Customer wants to ensure that her upgrade order is shipped by the end of the year, the Customer may choose to sign a Consent and Acknowledgement Form. This Form allows Cochlear to ship the order without a finalized OTA with the Customer’s insurance provider. The voicemail also explained that if Cochlear and the Customer’s insurance provider are ultimately unable to reach agreement regarding the OTA and the order has already been shipped, the Customer will be responsible for any balance bill charges owed for the device. Cochlear has not yet heard back from the Customer regarding how she would like to proceed. Resolution: Cochlear’s Reimbursement team is currently working in close contact with the Customer’s insurance provider and is working diligently in an attempt to have the Customer’s order processed by year’s end. Cochlear will continue to be in close contact with the Customer and will continue to keep her apprised of her order status.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2015/06/03) */
Please see attached reply
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 8, 2015/06/08) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I do not agree with their response as it is the same information that they have...

already given me with absolutely no thought or care for the fact that the product is bad. They are giving refurbished product back to the customer and I believe this is the issue. To offer someone more warranties at a discount (the discount was ridiculously minor) and then say that resolves the issue is ludicrous. They are not working with the customer. Again I fall back to the fact that the only insurance they accept is medicaid. My daughter unfortunately does not have this.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2015/06/19) */
Please see response attached