When her daughter Grace was born with hearing loss nine years ago and her insurance company refused to cover the cost of hearing aids, Jeanine Gleba started a long, but ultimately successful process of passing legislation requiring New Jersey to provide funding for children's hearing aids.
Currently only 11 states require mandatory health insurance coverage for children's hearing aids, even though there is compelling evidence to suggest that early treatment of a child's hearing loss is crucial in preventing a wide range of future learning, emotional and social problems.
Unfortunately, many families can't afford the price of hearing aids, which can cost between $1,000 and $4,000 per hearing aid.
Gleba suggests several ways activists and concerned parents in other states can get similar legislation off the ground, including getting groups and individuals involved in the effort, and persuading a lawmaker to push the bill through the legislature.
To learn more about the journey to the passing of Grace's Law in New Jersey and what Jeanine Gleba suggests for pursuing law changes, visit Amazing Grace: How One Little Girl and Her Mom Got Hearing Aid Bill Off the Ground.
