Founded in 1991, the Johns Hopkins Cochlear Implant Center, formerly known as The Listening Center, is one of the largest cochlear implant centers in the world. We perform hundreds of surgeries each year in adults and children, lead multiple clinical trials and provide state-of-the-art-care.
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Meet Our Specialists
Meet the specialists who have devoted their careers to caring for patients with cochlear implant.
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Appointments and Locations
Request an appointment at a care location convenient to you.
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Patient Resources
Learn about cochlear implants and what to expect before and after the implant procedure.
Request An Appointment
Schedule by phone
Send an Email
Cochlear Implant Resources
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About Cochlear Implants
Cochlear implant basics, pros and cons, how it works, etc.
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Cochlear Implant Surgery and Rehabilitation
Learn about cochlear implant surgery, activation, rehabilitation and programming
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Living with a Cochlear Implant
Answers to frequently asked questions of cochlear implant users
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Children's Cochlear Implants
Everything parents need to know when considering a cochlear implant for a child
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Vaccine Information for Candidates
Vaccine requirements for adults and children receiving a cochlear implant
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MRI Information
If you have a cochlear implant* and your physician has determined that you need an MRI, you may need to have your implant bound before the MRI procedure.
Hear From Our Experts
Introduction to Cochlear Implantation | Q&A With Dr. Charles Della Santina
Cochlear Implant Activation Process | Q&A With Audiologist Steve Bowditch
Cochlear Implants for Single-Sided Deafness | Q&A With Audiologist Steve Bowditch
Cochlear Implant Cost and Insurance Coverage
Does insurance cover cochlear implants? It might if candidacy criteria approved by the Food and Drug Administration are met, as determined by the patient’s audiologist. The first step when considering a cochlear implant is to contact your health insurance company.
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- Contact the customer service department (information is on the back of your health insurance card).
- Ask, “Is procedure code 69930 covered under my policy?”
- Your insurance provider may request the following information.
- Diagnosis code. It is H90.3 (sensorineural hearing loss, bilateral).
- Device code. It is L8614.
- Cochlear implant surgery is an outpatient procedure.
The insurance company will not be able to provide an exact cost until your doctors submit a claim. However, your insurer should give you information about the portion of the cost for which you will be responsible. This cost may include services and fees not covered by insurance, as well as a copay or a deductible that applies at the time of surgery. For example, your insurance provider may cover 80% of the cost, which means you will be responsible for the remaining 20% of the cost.
Your doctors’ appointments before and after the implant surgery may be billed separately. For instance, the cost of the internal and external device may be included in the cost of surgery, but cochlear implant activation may not be covered in the cost of the surgery.
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Medicare covers cochlear implants for some people, and eligibility for older adults was expanded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in September 2022. This change allows Medicare beneficiaries with aided speech discrimination test scores of up to 60% to consider cochlear implantation if hearing aids are no longer helpful. (Previous guidelines only provided coverage for patients who scored less than 40% on aided speech discrimination tests, leaving many unable to obtain cochlear implants even though their hearing was impaired.)
The decision provides a significant improvement in access to care for those with moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss.
Why Choose Johns Hopkins Cochlear Implant Center
Advanced Research
New Treatment Option for Single-Sided Deafness
Child and Family- Friendly Center
World-Class Care
Cochlear Implants and Rehabilitation | Joyce’s Story
After being deaf for nearly 30 years, at age 66, Joyce was a perfect candidate for cochlear implantation. Learn how her wish to hear the voices of her children again came true following her implant and rehabilitation.
View other patient storiesAppointments and Locations
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
4940 Eastern Ave
Baltimore, MD 21224
Johns Hopkins Health Care & Surgery Center — Green Spring Station, Lutherville (Pavilion III)
10803 Falls Rd
Pavilion III
Lutherville, MD 21093
Johns Hopkins Health Care & Surgery Center Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery, Bethesda
6420 Rockledge Dr, Ste 4920
Bethesda, MD 20817
Levi Watkins, Jr, MD, Outpatient Center
601 N. Caroline St
Baltimore, MD 21287
Sibley Memorial Hospital
5255 Loughboro Rd, NW
Washington, DC 20016