Navigating Your Next Steps After the C1 Announcement

Your internal implant is functioning — and that matters. Many C1 recipients are in this position: the device they rely on continues to work, but accessing the external components needed to keep using it is becoming more difficult. Your priority is preservation, and that is a completely legitimate choice.

What to understand and do

• ✓ "End of support" does not mean your implant will stop working immediately. It means that Advanced Bionics has discontinued service and support for C1-compatible Harmony and Chorus sound processors. Your internal device is not affected by this announcement.
• ✓ Identify which external components you rely on — batteries, chargers, cables, coils — and assess your current supply. Knowing what you have helps you plan.
• ✓ Act sooner rather than later when sourcing parts. The supply of C1-compatible parts is finite and will not be replenished over time. Contacting CIAF and AB's C1 CareConnect team now gives you the best chance of finding what you need while components are still available. Availability of specific items — including batteries — varies and is not guaranteed, so contact them directly about current stock.
  
  CIAF: ciafonline.org  |  CareConnect: 1-844-863-7222 or C1CareConnect@advancedbionics.com
• ✓ About CIAF. The Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation (CIAF) is a nonprofit organization that supports cochlear implant recipients — including C1 users — by helping connect them with parts, resources, and community. They are actively working to assist C1 recipients during this transition. Visit ciafonline.org to learn more.
• ✓ Contact your cochlear implant center. Your audiologist and clinical team are your best allies in monitoring your device, troubleshooting issues, and helping you plan for the future on your timeline.
• ✓ Connect with the C1 recipient community. Others in your situation may have found parts sources or solutions worth knowing about. AB's C1 Care Connect webinars are one place to connect. Register here.
• ✓ Keep a record of your equipment. Note your processor model, battery type, serial numbers, and current inventory of consumable parts. This documentation will help your care team support you.

If your device has failed or you're experiencing significant problems, you are facing a more time-sensitive decision. The most important first step is connecting with your cochlear implant center — they can assess what's happening and walk you through options specific to your situation.

Steps to take

• ✓ Contact your cochlear implant center as soon as possible. An audiologist or surgeon can assess whether the issue is with your internal implant or your external equipment, which significantly affects your options. If your center is unable to help, or if you've moved since your implantation, find a participating center near you using the ACI Alliance Center Locator.
• ✓ Understand what revision surgery involves at a high level. Revision surgery replaces the internal implant with a new device. It involves anesthesia, an operating room procedure, and a recovery period. It requires surgical candidacy evaluation — not everyone is automatically a candidate.
• ✓ Ask your surgeon about your specific candidacy — your health history, hearing status in both ears, and other individual factors all influence this assessment.
• ✓ Let your cochlear implant team lead on insurance. Coverage for revision surgery involving a failed device can be complex. Your CI center is experienced in navigating pre-authorization requirements and advocating on your behalf — this is not a conversation you need to have alone with your insurer.
• ✓ Ask about timing. Your surgeon can advise whether there is urgency to a decision and what the considerations are around waiting vs. acting sooner.

If surgery is not a realistic option for you, you are not without support. Advanced Bionics has stated a commitment to continuing to replace parts for recipients who cannot undergo revision surgery, for as long as inventory allows. Here is how to make the most of the support that is available.

What you should know and do

• ✓ Advanced Bionics has committed to continuing parts support for recipients who are unable to undergo revision surgery, as long as inventory is available. Contact AB's C1 CareConnect team directly to understand what this means for your specific situation: 1-844-863-7222 or C1CareConnect@advancedbionics.com
• ✓ Contact CIAF (ciafonline.org). The Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation accepts and distributes donated parts. Check their current availability — availability of specific components varies, so contact them directly about what is in stock.
• ✓ Have a frank conversation with your cochlear implant team about your situation and what your priorities are. Ask them to help you build a plan that works for your circumstances.
• ✓ Document your current equipment and needs. A clear inventory helps your care team and AB's support team advocate for you more effectively.
• ✓ Consider whether a family member or care partner should be part of this conversation. Having an advocate who understands your equipment and needs can be helpful as you navigate support channels.

Not knowing what to do right now and wanting to take time to consider your options is completely reasonable. This is a major decision that deserves careful thought — not a rushed decision. Taking time to gather information, ask questions, discuss with your friends, family, and caregivers and deliberate on your options is a reasonable approach for many patients.

How to begin exploring

• ✓ Start with your cochlear implant center. Schedule a conversation — not necessarily a surgical consultation — just to understand the landscape and what your options look like given your specific situation.
• ✓ Attend an AB C1 CareConnect webinar. These sessions are designed to inform recipients and answer questions. Hearing from others in similar situations can help clarify your thinking. Register here.
• ✓ An exploratory surgical consultation is not a commitment. Meeting with a surgeon to understand candidacy and options does not obligate you to do anything.
• ✓ Ask about all device options, including devices from other manufacturers. Your surgeon can explain the full landscape so you can make an informed comparison if and when you decide to act.
• ✓ Connect with the C1 community. Hearing from others who have navigated or are navigating this decision can be valuable — both for practical information and for emotional support.

As a prior C1 recipient and based on the audiological criteria for implantation, you are very likely a candidate for a CI in your other ear. If that ear has not been implanted, this may be an option worth exploring.

What to explore

• ✓ Talk to your cochlear implant team about bilateral candidacy. If your other ear has not been implanted, ask whether you are a candidate. Your audiologist and surgeon can evaluate your hearing in both ears and walk you through what bilateral implantation would involve. Keep in mind that just because your other ear hasn't been implanted doesn't mean that it should be — this is an important discussion to have with your hearing healthcare team.
• ✓ Ask about device options for the new ear. A second implant gives you the opportunity to explore current devices and what they offer in terms of technology and ongoing support.
• ✓ Let your cochlear implant team lead on insurance. Coverage for bilateral implantation varies and can be complex. Your CI center is experienced in navigating pre-authorization and advocating on your behalf — this is not a conversation you need to have alone with your insurer.
• ✓ Connect with bilateral implant recipients. Hearing from others who have gone through this process — including those who started with one ear and added a second — can help you understand what to expect and what questions to ask. Advanced Bionics is willing to help connect you with bilateral recipients through their C1 CareConnect program (1-844-863-7222 or C1CareConnect@advancedbionics.com) or through your local AB customer support representative.