Text of coalition sign-on letter to be shared periodically with California lawmakers to urge legislative support for the inclusion of hearing aids in California's new benchmark plan: 

Dear Senators and Assemblymembers,

Since the original Essential Health Benefits (EHB) benchmark was determined by California lawmakers over a decade ago, there have been numerous attempts to close the coverage gaps that exist in California’s insurance markets. Specifically, there have been sustained efforts to close the coverage gap that exists for over 20,000 children and youth who need hearing aids, which are not included in their health coverage packages. According to pediatric experts, failure to provide appropriate intervention to deaf and hard of hearing children by three to six months of age leads to speech, language, cognitive, educational, and social-emotional deficits and permanent delays. 

Over the past decade, there have been several advocacy attempts to close the hearing aid coverage gap for children. Last year, despite the strong stakeholder support and unanimous support from the Legislature, Governor Newsom disappointingly vetoed last year's SB 635 (Menjivar), the Let California Kids Hear Act, concerned it would “set a new precedent by adding requirements that exceed the benchmark plan.” This has left thousands of children and families without hearing aid coverage or financial assistance. 

With recent federal EHB flexibilities and the introduction of SB 1290 (Roth) and AB 2914 (Bonta), California lawmakers now have the opportunity to update the benchmark, close the coverage gap, and ensure that all children in California have comprehensive coverage and services – including hearing aids – to meet their health and developmental needs. Thirty-two states already require that private individual and group health insurance plans include coverage for children’s hearing aids & services through a state insurance benefit mandate or by way of the state’s EHB benchmark selection, but California is not one of them. California families with children who are deaf and hard of hearing are eager for solutions that will ensure they can access services for their children and be protected from the financial risk of uncovered benefits.