The number of cochlear implant surgeries covered by compulsory health insurance has doubled. While there were 36 such interventions in 2023, in 2024, 72 implants were performed, 42 of which in children, IPN reports.
The cochlear implant is a device that enables sound and speech processing for people with severe hearing loss. The National Health Insurance Company points out that these operations are among the most expensive cases financed from compulsory health insurance funds.
The average cost of a treated case, including expensive consumables, was about 420 thousand lei last year. More than 30 million lei were allocated for the 72 interventions from AOAM funds.
The interventions are carried out in two public medical institutions contracted by CNAM, such as the Republican Clinical Hospital "Timofei Mosneaga" and the Institute of Mother and Child.
For the first time, such surgeries were covered by compulsory health insurance in 2020 for children, and from 2021 onwards, adults will also benefit from these interventions, according to medical indications.
