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Is a Soundbridge implant the same as a cochlear implant?

No, a Soundbridge implant is not the same as a cochlear implant. While they sound similar, they work in very different ways. The Soundbridge implant transmits the mechanical vibrations that make up sound into the middle ear. These vibrations are amplified by the device and increase the volume of sound. 

A cochlear implant takes the mechanical vibrations of sound and converts them into electrical signals. These signals are then used to stimulate the nerves in the inner ear. This is useful for people born without, or lose, the ability for their ear to sense the vibrations that form sound. 

The Soundbridge implant is for those with gradual age-related hearing loss, hearing loss due to exposure to loud sounds, and hearing loss as a result of certain injuries. Cochlear implants are used in a wide variety of cases, the most common being those that are born without hearing.

What is a Soundbridge implant?

How painful is Soundbridge implant surgery?

How long do cochlear implants last? How does this compare to Soundbridge implants?

What percentage of Soundbridge implants are successful? How does this compare to cochlear implants?

What are the advantages of a Soundbridge implant compared to a cochlear implant?

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

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