WASHINGTON, DC, April 16, 2015 — Representatives Devin Nunes (R-CA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) today reintroduced the bipartisan Hearing Aid Tax Credit, (H.R.1882) which would provide a $500 credit to people who need a hearing aid. Representatives Nunes and Thompson are both members of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over all tax legislation including the HATC. A bi-partisan group of 36 Representatives signed on as Original Co-Sponsors of the bill, including 5 members of the W&M Committee.
H.R.1882 is unchanged from legislation in the 113th Congress that was championed by Reps. Tom Latham of Iowa and Carolyn McCarthy of New York, both now retired. The bill also mirrors S.315, which Senators Dean Heller (R-NV) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced in January. HIA members teamed with HLAA and AGBell members to support HATC reintroduction during Hearing on the Hill in March, and teams from AAA, ADA, ASHA and IHS also worked to urge representatives to co-sponsor the bill.
The Hearing Aid Tax Credit would provide assistance to many of the 36 million people who need hearing aids to address their hearing loss. Medicare expressly excludes coverage of hearing aids as do most private insurance policies, and as a result, cost is cited as a prohibitive factor by two-thirds of the people who do not treat their hearing loss. If enacted, H.R.1882 would provide a $500 tax credit per hearing aid for people of all ages, or $1,000 if two hearing aids are needed as is usually the case. That would be of critical assistance, since 61% of all hearing aid purchases involve no third party payment of any kind.
HIA Chairman Scott Davis notes that “hearing aids can help 95% of people with hearing loss, and multiple recent studies indicate that failure to take action can have significant negative consequences.” He notes that research has established a link between untreated hearing loss and dementia, depression, the risk of falling, and other conditions.
The Hearing Aid Tax Credit is actively supported as a way to provide some assistance by hearing health organizations including the Alexander Graham Bell Assn for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell), Hearing Loss Assn of America (HLAA), Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA), American Academy of Audiology (AAA), American Speech Language Hearing Assn (ASHA), International Hearing Society (IHS) as well as HIA.
HIA Chairman Davis notes that “hearing loss is a relatively common condition, and this legislation would have a great impact on the ability of people to access hearing aids when needed.” He adds that “we are thrilled that Representatives Nunes and Thompson are championing this bill.” HIA, headquartered in Washington, DC, is the national trade association of manufacturers of hearing aids, implantable hearing devices, assistive listening devices, component parts and power sources for amplification devices. Visit www.hearingaidtaxcredit.org for information about the bill and to send a letter to your Representative and Senators urging them to support this legislation.
