Let Congress Hear from You!
HLAA has been meeting with members of Congress, encouraging them to vote YES! to expand Medicare to include hearing aids and services. New legislation is coming up soon that we hope will include a provision for hearing health care under Medicare. That would mean for the first time, people who rely on Medicare to pay their medical bills would also be able to turn to Medicare to cover the cost of hearing aids and related services.
Let your voice be heard!
Tell your Senators and Congress members that hearing health care is important to you!
Below is a sample of what you can email to your congressional representatives. Visit their official websites to send your emailed comments. Or visit their Facebook pages. They listen to voters!
Tips for your email. Make your email short and to the point. Emphasize your personal experience with hearing aids, and your support for Medicare coverage of hearing aids.
Dear Senator [name of your U.S. Senator] or Dear Representative [name of your U.S. Representative]:
I am a hearing aid wearer. I understand that hearing aids and hearing health care services may be included in the proposed bills that will expand Medicare. I support Medicare Coverage for hearing aids and related services.
[add your experience – or your family experience – with the need for hearing aids and the experience of paying for hearing aids out of pocket – or use the following suggested text. Some seniors are still working, stress that it affects your job or volunteer activities which is important to your overall health.]
Hearing aids are important to my life because without them, I cannot do the everyday things that I used to be able to do: continuing to work, talking to my grandchildren, enjoying leisure activities with friends, going to the movies, dinner conversation, or watching television. Without hearing aids, I cannot even hear well enough to understand what is being said in my house of worship.
Treating hearing loss is not simply a matter of allowing me to keep up with family events, as important as that is. Hearing loss has been linked to depression, isolation, falls and even dementia. Simply using a hearing aid may just keep me out of the hospital, a rehabilitation facility, even a nursing home. Hearing health is part of overall health.
Being able to purchase hearing aids important to so many people, but seniors on a fixed income must be able to turn to Medicare to have access to hearing aids and hearing health care services. Without Medicare, where can we turn?
I urge you to ensure coverage for that hearing aid and hearing health care services under Medicare is included in legislation that passes this year.
Please let me know where you stand on this important issue. Thank you!
Contacting your members of Congress makes all the difference. Thank you!
If you have questions, contact Lise Hamlin, director of public policy at HLAA, at LHamlin@hearingloss.org.