Senator Ira Silverstein has introduced Illinois Senate Bill 68 in Illinois to require insurance companies to provide hearing aid coverage, up to $2,500 per ear. This bill is unique because it does not have an age restriction attached to it. This bill will provide coverage for people of all ages in Illinois.
Isn't it about time?
Many people are often surprised to find out that insurance companies do not routinely cover hearing aids. Families with newly identified babies can get hearing aid coverage via state programs but once their kids age out of a program or families earn too much, then they enter the "no hearing aid coverage" zone.
It costs $250 every time a hearing aid needs to be fixed and with a family of five wearing ten hearing aids, something is usually breaking down. My husband has a hearing aid with a "t-coil" switch that stopped working long ago. I have a hearing aid with a missing battery door. I simply tape the battery door gap with tape when I play volleyball. A few weeks ago, a plastic part snapped off of my other hearing aid, rendering it useless-- unless I pay the $250 to get the 10 year old hearing aid fixed. Right now, I'm wearing my son's old hearing aid, and my husband is wearing the other, thanks to the programming that our audiologist did to make the hearing aids work for us.
The other day, I talked with a friend who had bilateral cochlear implant surgery. She was fortunate to have complete insurance coverage, for the bill was over $200,000. I couldn't help but think of all my friends who wear hearing aids--if only we could have a law that would mandate similar coverage for hearing aids.
WE CAN.
All it takes is a collaborative effort to get this law passed in Illinois:
Illinois Senate Bill 68.
If there ever was a moment where your input was needed, it is now. Write a letter, send an email, use your videophone, text relay, TTY, cell phone-- whatever it takes to contact your Senator or Representative and tell them that you want hearing aids to be covered by insurance.
Passing this law will open the opportunity for other states and even a federal law providing insurance coverage for hearing aids.
All it takes is a few minutes of your time. That's it, a few minutes to make a change that will last a lifetime.
I would like to applaud Mr. Silverstein for taking the steps to make history.
