By Shawn Nowlin
Hundreds of Roanoke students are hearing impaired, a term used to describe individuals with any degree of hearing loss, ranging from profound to mild. When not treated, hearing loss can directly impact a child’s ability to develop language, speech and social skills, among other things.
Effective Jan. 1, health corporations and organizations are now required to provide healthcare subscription contacts for hearing aids and other related services. Because of this, families with hearing-challenged children no longer have to worry about coming out of pocket to cover certain expenses.
A significant achievement for the healthcare industry, this bill highlights the importance of emphasizing the needs of children. Coverage consists of one hearing aid per ear, up to a $1,500 cost, every two years with input from an otolaryngologist.
“I am honored to have worked alongside my co-sponsor, Senator Spruill, to introduce this bill,” said Senator Bill DeSteph (R) in a press release when the bill passed. “Hearing loss can have a significant impact on a child’s development, and we believe that every child in Virginia deserves access to affordable hearing aids. With this new law, we are taking a significant step towards ensuring that all children in Virginia can receive the healthcare that they need.”
Paramount to a certain quality of life, hearing aids are the first line of defense for correcting hearing loss. Historically, the state of Virginia has spent millions annually on educating children who have deafness or hearing loss.
There are more members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community than one may realize. According to the National Institutes of Health, roughly four out of 1,000 children in the United States are born with hearing loss in one or both ears. For adults, those statistics are higher.
According to the virginia.gov website, “The bill prohibits the State Corporation Commission from using any special fund revenues dedicated to the Commission’s other functions and duties, including revenues from utility consumer taxes or fees from licensees regulated by the Commission or fees paid to the office of the clerk of the Commission, to fund the defrayal of costs for the coverage provided as required by federal law. The bill applies to policies, contracts, and plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on and after January 1, 2024.”
While this doesn’t fix everything, it is a step in the right direction. Parents are encouraged to visit healthyhearing.com to learn more information.
