Referral | Costs

At SACIC we are committed to providing a personal, responsive and accessible hearing implant service to meet individual needs.

Referral

As cochlear implant and bone conduction implant technology improves over time, so too is candidacy criteria changing. This means a cochlear implant or bone conduction implant might now be the device of choice for you.

Your hearing aid provider, ENT Specialist, General Practitioner (GP) or any other health care professional involved in your care can refer you to SACIC. You can also self-refer.

However, to claim the Medicare rebate associated with services at SACIC you will require a referral from your GP or Medical Specialist to one of our ENT Surgeons:

  • Dr Paul Varley
  • Dr Michael Schultz
  • Dr Sonja Latzel

Costs

Audiology Costs

SACIC is committed to keeping costs as low as possible and reducing your cost of lifetime care. Medicare rebates apply to all audiology services if you have a valid Medicare Card and Doctor’s referral.

SACIC bulk bills all routine audiology appointments for the ongoing maintenance and support of your hearing implant. For these services, there are no out of pocket costs to you.

Candidacy assessments and switch on appointments attract an out of pocket expense. The amount will depend on the Medicare rebate you receive for these services, which may vary depending on your personal circumstances and your Medicare Safety Net threshold. The total fee for these services is payable in full on the day. SACIC will automatically transmit your claim to Medicare, which will be reimbursed to your nominated bank account within 24 to 48 hours.

If you have a Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Gold Card or a White Card with approval for Hearing Services, your costs at SACIC are covered in full.

If you are an overseas client and do not have a Medicare Card you will be required to pay the fee for the service in full on the day.

Surgical Costs

Out of pocket costs for surgery will vary according to Surgeon, Anaesthetist and your private health fund. Please discuss surgical costs directly with your ENT Specialist.

You may incur costs associated with anaesthetic services. You will need to discuss these costs directly with your Anaesthetist.

Depending on your level of private health cover you may also incur costs associated with your hospital stay. If so, you will be required to pay any excess on your insurance policy at the time of admission to hospital.

If you have a Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Gold Card or a White Card with approval for Hearing Services, surgical costs are covered in full.

Device Costs

Device costs through SACIC are typically funded by your private health insurer. Please check with your private health fund to confirm your level of hospital cover and eligibility.

If you have a Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Gold Card or a White Card with approval for Hearing Services, device costs are covered in full.

If you do not have private health insurance, we can refer you to the South Australian Public Cochlear Implant Program at Flinders Medical Centre. Alternatively, you can take out private health insurance and wait the necessary qualifying period or you can self-fund surgery and the device.

To find out more about how SACIC can help you, contact us or request an appointment.