Dear Michigan Audiology Coalition Members,
2017 has been a year full of political changes. The last few months have been a reminder of the power of advocacy. Now is the time to share your voice and opinion as an audiologist with those key to making policy changes.
The Michigan Audiology Coalition is sharing information on two key pieces of federal legislation related to our profession. The Coalition is providing information from the national organizations so that you may educate yourself and share your views with your legislators.
EHDI reauthorization: This bill is supported by AAA and ASHA. The bill was presented in 2016, but never made it to a vote. In Michigan, our current EHDI program has continued untouched due to a continuing resolution which extended the previously approved budget until April 29, 2017. This funding level is unlikely to remain stable should this bill not be reauthorized. It is unclear what changes would occur at a state level after April 29 without reauthorization, but it is assumed that the current staffing and outreach would be significantly reduced. More information, including sample letters, can be found at:
AAA: http://capwiz.com/audiology/issues/alert/?alertid=76142646
Over the Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids: This bill would allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop regulations to establish a category for over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids for adults with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss. For information on current thoughts on this legislation, please refer to the following links below.
AAA: An official position statement has not been made public. However, some information has been share via the AAA community board and can be found through the link below:
ADA: Following is information related to the 2016 version of the bill:
http://www.audiologist.org/about/ada-news-archive/1707-ada-supports-s9
Consumer Groups:
HLAA: http://www.hearingloss.org/content/call-to-action-otc
Now it the time to educate yourself and take action! If you have any questions or would like to know more, feel free to contact a member of the board or send an email to: info@michiganaudiologycoalition.org.
Best Regards,
Angelique Boerst, MA
President, Michigan Audiology Coalition