About Eric P. Wilkinson, MD Expertise I am a board-certified otolaryngologist with additional subspecialty training in otology, neurotology, and skull base surgery. This is the subspecialty of otolaryngology that involves the ear, hearing, balance organs, the facial nerve, and surgery of the skull base including surgery for acoustic neuroma and other benign and malignant tumors of the base of the skull.
Experience Medical school, residency in otolaryngology, fellowship in otology/neurotology/skull base surgery
Organizations American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
North American Skull Base Society
American Neurotology Society
Publications Laryngoscope
Otology and Neurotology
Education/Credentials MD Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 2001 Otolaryngology Residency, University of Iowa Department of Otolaryngology, Iowa City, IA
Otology/Neurotology Fellowship, House Ear Clinic, Los Angeles, CA
Expert: Eric P. Wilkinson, MD Date: 8/22/2007 Subject: my daugher has ototoxicity
Question My daugher was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was 4 months old. Now she is five years old and we have found out that she has ototoxicty. Her hearing loss is considered moderate with about a 45% loss in each ear.
Now we have found out that BCBS does not cover the cost of her hearing aids. I am so angered by this. We do not have 4,000. We are not low income, but not wealthy by any means.
I would welcome any comments or suggestions that you might have.
Answer This is a case where you may be able to get BCBS to cover the aids if you can show that it occurred due to the chemotherapy for the disease. You are right that HAs are usually not covered by insurance, but if you write enough letters you may get coverage in this case.
