This upcoming May, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) plans on re-introducing S. 2055, the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act. This bill will allow Americans 55 and over or Americans purchasing aids for dependents (18 and younger) to receive a tax credit not to exceed $500 per qualified hearing aid once every five years. Currently, the SHHH advocacy team, together with hearing aid manufacturers, audiologists, and hearing instrument specialists, is busy building support for the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act in the Senate Finance Committee and in the Senate at large. However, our efforts alone might not be enough to push this legislation through in such a tough budget year. With this in mind, we strongly encourage you to write to your Senator in support of the S. 2055. Please click on the following links for information on the bill and instructions for contacting your elected officials.
What would S. 2055, the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act, do?
Provide a tax credit of up to $500 per hearing aid, available once every 5 years, towards the purchase of such hearing aid, available to: 1) individuals age 55 and over, or 2) those purchasing a hearing aid for a dependent.
Why do we need this special tax treatment for hearing aids?
While 95% of individuals with hearing loss could be successfully treated with hearing aids, only 22% (6.35 million Americans) currently use them according to the most recent ‘MarkeTrak’ report, the largest national consumer survey on hearing loss in America.
40% of individuals with hearing loss have incomes of less than $30,000 per year.
The average cost for a hearing aid in 2002 was over $1,400, and almost 2/3 of individuals with hearing loss require two devices, thereby increasing the average out of pocket expense to over $2,800.
What is the potential utilization of S. 2055?
S. 2055 would provide a potential benefit to a population of around 2 million individuals, many of whom cite financial reasons as the primary barrier to treatment, and would be available only once every 5 years.
S. 2055 is not intended to cover the full cost of hearing aids, but will simply provide some measure of financial assistance to the groups who are most in need of these devices but are unable to afford them: those approaching or in retirement, and families with children.
Who supports this bill?
This bipartisan initiative is supported
by the Hearing Industries Association, Hearing Loss Association
of America, The American Academy of Audiology, Siemens
Communications, the International Hearing Society, and
the 18 consumer and professional organizations represented
by the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance.
Contacting Your Senator
With post-9/11 security measures in place, a written letter can take weeks before it arrives at the desk of your representative. So, for timely consideration of your views, we strongly recommend that you either fax or e-mail all correspondence.
If you wish to contact your Senator in regards to S. 2055, feel free to use the following letter as a guide.
Dear Senator _________:
I am writing to ask you to support S. 2055 the Hearing Aid Tax Credit Bill. Very few health insurances cover hearing aids and Medicare excludes them from coverage. As a result, Americans with a hearing loss are forced to pay out of their own pockets for hearing aids that can cost as much as $2-$3,000 each. Something has to be done to help people get the hearing aids they need.
(Include a paragraph talking about your own experience with hearing loss and trying to afford hearing aids that you need)
Please sign on as a cosponsor of this bill. I thank you for considering this
