Delaware Passes Mandatory Hearing Aid Insurance
Coverage for Kids
Editor: Here's some information on the Delaware bill mandating hearing
aid insurance coverage for kids!
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June 2008
The Hearing Loss Association of Delaware (HLADE) has great news! The
Hearing Aid Insurance Bill for Kids, HB355 with 2 amendments passed 20 in
favor to 0 with one absent today in the Senate! This is a huge positive
step forward and HLADE thanks Rep. Gerald Brady who championed the bill in
the House and obtained the support and help of Senator Nancy Cook to get
it passed in the Senate today about 3:30pm! Represenative Brady did a
great job getting HB355 in spite of the powerful insurance lobby in Dover!
The vote ended up being unanimous! Many members of the General Assembly
spoke about the calls, emails and letters they received and I am sure this
made a difference in the bill's passage!
I also want to thank Insurance Commissioner Matt Denn for his fantastic
support and technical advice throughout the whole process of this bill and
he was also on the floor when the bill passed! Eileen Reynolds, was a huge
support in educating House Members about hearing impaired kids in the
schools to counter opposition and wowed the House Committee with her
presentation! Rep Melanie Marshall gave us the up front encouragement and
support we needed to get the bill off the ground! Joanne Holbert, board
member was there when we needed her from the beginning to give advice and
help! Our national office staff and website of the Hearing Loss
Association of America (HLAA) gave us valuable insight and information.
And many of you did the critical part of contacting your own
representatives and that made a HUGE difference in the support also!
In short, this was a time when the community of people with and without
hearing loss worked TOGETHER for a common goal for the common good! A
great example of true democracy and community at work! This bodes well for
the future as there is much more that we can do together accomplish or
mission to give help and hope to both deaf and hard of hearing people!
The bill will provide $1000/ear/every 3 years for hearing aids for kids
0 through 24 years of age! I will be sending you follow up information. It
will not include earmolds.
So to all of you, I say thanks to the Board Members and all champions
of this bill for getting this passed! Kids with hearing loss and their
families will thank you for years to come that they were more successful
because you cared to make a difference and work on getting this
legislation passed! Please remember to contact your legislators and thank
them for their "Yes" vote and write letters to the editors of local
newspapers thanking Rep Brady, Senator Cook and Matt Denn, Insurance
Commissioner. Thanks to everyone for doing their part to give kids with
hearing loss help and hope!!
