News on Hearing Aids Costs

Hearing loss is the third largest health problem after heart disease and arthritis in America today. When people cannot afford hearing aids it impacts their work and earning potential, relationships, education opportunities, and their ability to participate socially.

Representatives Tom Latham (R-IA) and Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) have reintroduced the bipartisan Hearing Aid Tax Credit (H.R. 1479) with 36 original co-sponsors, including 4 members of the House Ways and Means Committee.

The Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (CASLPA) is supporting a bill to amend the Income Tax Act relative to hearing impairment. The amendment would ensure all eligible individuals with hearing disabilities have fair access to the disability tax credit.

The Hearing Aid Tax Credit which must next be considered by the Michigan House of Representatives. Michiganders - contact your state Reps and a hearing on the bill during the Lame Duck session after the November 2 elections.

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) emphasized the importance of enacting the Hearing Aid Tax Credit (S. 1019) to help people and families who need hearing aids at an event attended by 170 Michiganders in East Lansing on Sept 3.

Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) urged a capacity crowd of 120 Texas Hearing Aid Tax Credit supporters to help him work for passage of the bill (H.R. 1646) in the final months of this Congressional session or in the new Congress that will convene in January.

Your help is needed to attract an impressive crowd to support the Hearing Aid Tax Credit Bill. HIA is partnering with the Michigan AG Bell, HLAA and IHS chapters to host a dinner event for Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in East Lansing on Friday, September 3.

The tax credit coalition continues to work with lead sponsors Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) to insure that the Hearing Aid Tax Credit is considered when major tax reform legislation moves to the top of the Congressional agenda.

Financial Assistance for Hearing Impaired Children is available from AG Bell. Applications are due by July 30, 2010.

The Hearing Aid Tax Credit was introduced to provide assistance to some of the 34 million people who need a hearing aid to treat their hearing loss. If enacted it would provide a $500 tax credit per hearing aid for children and people age 55 and older.

Applications for the AG Bell 2010 School-Age Financial Aid Program are now available. The program offers financial awards for students ages 6 to 21 who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Negotiations continue to determine which elements of the House bill will be adopted including the specifics of a proposed tax on medical devices. HIA and a coalition of hearing health groups continue to support the provision which would exempt hearing aids from the device tax.

West Palm Beach, Florida - October 1, 2009 - Designed to help millions of Americans aged 50+ who have untreated hearing loss, the AARP Hearing Care program, provided by HearUSA...

Bad economy affects our heath and hearing because many people who need hearing aids just can't afford them. Since neither Medicare nor most private insurance plans cover hearing...

Seven million children in the United States between the ages of six and nineteen are hearing impaired, and research has shown that these children are much more likely to have...

From Dr. Douglas L. Beck, Editor-In-ChiefDear Colleagues and Concerned Consumers: There is a process occurring in Washington, DC which MAY allow your monies spent on aids...

Early Detection of Hearing Impairments Can Lead To Improvements in Child Development HARRISBURG, Pa./PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker today signed into a bill...