Cochlear implant performance varies. People hear better over time with practice. It takes a while to get used to hearing sounds in a new way. Speech processors are computers worn on the person and can come in a body pack - about the size of a deck of cards. Use of the phone varies among individuals.
Some people plug into the speech processor directly.
Others hold the phone up to the ear, while others are not able to use the phone comfortably after their implant. Medicare covers cochlear implants. Research shows that they improve the quality of life and are therefore cost-effective interventions. A variety of assistive devices can be combined with cochlear implants to improve their effectiveness. For example, patch cords can connect speech processors to assistive listening devices.