Bipartisan proposal designed to help America’s veterans get access to convenient, quality hearing healthcare.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 18, 2013 - The International Hearing Society (IHS) today announced that groundbreaking legislation has been introduced to improve the hearing healthcare system for America’s Veterans. H.R. 3508 was filed on November 15, 2013, by U.S. Representatives Sean Duffy (WI-07) and Timothy Walz (MN-01). The intent of the legislation is to ensure that America’s Veterans have convenient, timely access to high quality hearing healthcare. The legislation has been introduced with the full support of IHS’ “Fit to Serve” initiative, a grassroots campaign focused on Veterans’ hearing health services.
“I can’t think of a better way to honor America’s Veteran’s than by improving the healthcare that they have earned,” said First Sergeant Matthew Eversmann (ret.), U.S. Army, National Honorary Spokesperson for Fit to Serve. “Better hearing healthcare is a vital part of ensuring the quality of life of the men and women who have served our country.”
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the two most prevalent service-related disabilities for Veterans are tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and hearing loss. The effect of hearing loss can be devastating to Veterans, particularly as they adjust to a civilian lifestyle, and may contribute to depression, heightened stress, fatigue, and other challenges. For many Veterans, a lack of proper hearing healthcare exacerbates these symptoms, leading to strained relationships and difficulties in maintaining a career.
Despite the VA’s best efforts, the number of Veterans in need of adequate hearing healthcare services is quickly surpassing the VA’s ability to adequately respond. Veterans often face long wait times for appointments, significant travel distances to the nearest VA clinic, and limited follow-up care. Fit to Serve is working to lift existing restrictions in order to allow all qualified hearing aid specialists to, alongside the hearing professionals of the VA, provide hearing healthcare services to America’s Veterans. H.R. 3508 represents a major step forward in achieving these goals.
The specific objectives of H.R. 3508 are to:
- Give the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the ability to hire hearing aid specialists internally
- Require the VA to report annually to Congress on appointment wait times and network provider utilization rates, which will raise awareness of the VA’s work to increase Veterans’ access to local and timely hearing healthcare services.
- Direct the VA to update its contracting policies to reflect the new internal hiring classification for hearing aid specialists
“Veterans in my district are driving up to 90 miles one way just to get hearing services from an audiologist at the Veteran’s Administration,” said Congressman Duffy. “These Veterans could receive the same service from a local hearing instrument specialist, but under current law, the VA is only allowed to use audiologists. This legislation aims to rectify this problem by adding hearing instrument specialists to the list of providers the VA is allowed to use. This will provide greater freedom, flexibility, and more options for the men and women who have served our grateful nation.”
"Ensuring Veterans are able to get the care and support they need at home should be a top priority,” Congressman Walz, the highest ranking enlisted soldier to ever serve in Congress, said. “Hearing loss from Veterans both young and old is becoming a growing problem and, because of an outdated law, the VA is struggling to keep up with demand. This forces Veterans to travel long distances and endure even longer wait times for an appointment. Our bipartisan, common sense bill simply allows Veterans to utilize hearing instrument specialists to get the care they need, which will reduce the burden on VA audiologists and improve the quality of life for Veterans in need of care.”
“Fit to Serve thanks Congressmen Duffy and Walz for taking the lead on this important issue, said Eversmann. “We also strongly encourage all members of Congress, on both sides of the aisle to show their support for the men and women who have served our nation by supporting H.R. 3508.
About Fit to Serve:
Founded by the International Hearing Society, “Fit To Serve” is a campaign dedicated to improving the hearing healthcare system for America’s Veterans. Our goal is to ensure timely access to high quality hearing health care for all Veterans. We are committed to serving the Veterans who have served all of us. Learn more by visiting https://www.fittoserve.us/ or www.facebook.com/ihsfittoserve.
