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A proposed bill called the Veterans Hearing Aid Improvement Act would make it easier for veterans with mild to moderate hearing loss to get over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids through the Department of Veterans Affairs, without needing a prescription or repeated audiologist fittings.
The legislation would create a two-year pilot program at several VA medical facilities, allowing veterans receive FDA-approved OTC devices after an initial audiological evaluation, cutting red tape and reducing long wait times that keep many from pursuing hearing care.
Hearing loss and tinnitus are the most common service-connected disabilities among veterans, and supporters of the bill, including Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), say OTC aids could provide a simpler, more convenient option while easing clinic backlogs and improving quality of life.
Read the article and the proposed bill here.
