From Press Release:
Washington D.C. – U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-07) and Rep. Walz (MN-01) introduced H.R. 353, Veterans Access to Healthy Hearing Act, which will provide much needed options for hearing impaired Veterans. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), both our aging Veterans and younger Veterans returning from the battlefield are seeking help from the VA for hearing loss more than any other service-related disability facing them today. VA audiology clinics can’t keep up with the increased demand and frustrated Veterans are living in a non-hearing world with no one to turn to. Rep. Duffy’s bill would cut Veteran wait times by allowing hearing instrument specialists to be added to the list of the VA’s approved care providers.
Rep. Duffy offered, “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. 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.
Todd Beyer, a hearing specialist in Marshfield, WI expressed his support of the measure offering, “As a hearing aid specialist who regularly sees Veterans who are in need of hearing help, I know the VA can and must do better. I, along with my colleagues with the International Hearing Society, applaud Representative Duffy for championing legislation to make hearing care more accessible for our heroes. Our Veterans deserve the best and most convenient care possible so they can lead happy, engaging lives, and passage of this bill would have a tremendously positive impact on their lives.”
Reps. Duffy and Walz originally introduced the bill in the 113th Congress and received high interest from the Veterans Affairs Committee. Duffy added, “We saw strong interest on this issue from the VA Committee last Congress and have every hope that we’ll get it to the Floor for a vote this Congress.”
Read more: Walz & Duffy