Insurance Coverage for Hearing Aids for Children was introduced in the Florida Senate—SB 890—by Senator Dennis Baxley (R-District 12 (Marion, Sumter, Lake Counties)) and Senator Keith Perry (R-District 8 (Alachua, Putnam, Marion Counties)). https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2018/00890
A companion bill was introduced in the Florida House, HB 1427, by Representative Shawn Harrison (R-District 63-Tampa) with co-sponsors Rep. Kristen Jacobs (D-96 Broward and Palm Beach), Rep. Amy Mercado (D-48 Orlando), and Rep. Bobby Olszewski (R-44 Orlando). https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2018/01427
On Wednesday, January 11, Florida Academy of Audiology (FLAA) sponsored Children’s Hearing Technology Day at the Capitol in Tallahassee. It was attended by more than 50 audiologists, students from USF, UF, and FSU, and families and children with hearing loss. Every member of the legislature was visited and encouraged to co-sponsor and support these bills which would require private insurance policies to offer a hearing care benefit for children ages 0-21 years. (Photos: https://www.facebook.com/floridaaudiology/ ).
It now is time to get behind these initiatives:
- Send a letter or call the office of your State Representative and State Senator to ask them to co-sponsor and support these bills. A simple phone call to the office or an email asking for support can go a long way.
- Tell families of children with hearing loss to also call their members of the State Legislature to support House Bill HB 1427 and in the Senate Bill SB 890.
- Send a check to FLAA with a memo to allocate the money for these legislative initiatives.
- Join FLAA for 2018, an important for the families we serve.
Please help us continue the momentum and “like” our new Facebook page for this effort –
https://www.facebook.com/Hearing-Care-For-Children-Act-Florida-1762742370412396/?__tn__=%2Cg
