Posted:
The European Federation of Hard of Hearing People has published the third edition of its report, State of Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants Provision in Europe. The report analyzes access to hearing aids and cochlear implants across 26 European countries. Building on earlier editions from 2018 and 2022, the 2026 report expands its scope to include cochlear implants and personal assistive listening devices, covering public funding, eligibility criteria, costs to users, waiting times, rehabilitation, and long-term support.
According to EFHOH, the findings reveal persistent gaps in access to hearing care, with inequalities that create barriers to communication, education, employment, and independent living. The organization calls on the European Union to develop a European Strategy on Hearing Loss and on individual countries to integrate ear and hearing care into universal health coverage. The report follows a United Nations General Assembly resolution on access to assistive technology, adopted in September 2026, which EFHOH welcomed.
This is a European advocacy report; its findings concern European health systems and do not describe US coverage.
Learn more here.
