ASHA Advocate: March 13, 2026
March 13, 2026
World Hearing Day 2026 and Audiology Capitol Hill Visits
Hundreds of ASHA advocates celebrated World Hearing Day on March 3, 2026 by sending over 1,500 letters building support for legislation to protect newborn hearing screening programs, stop cytomegalovirus, and improve private insurance coverage of implantable hearing devices. ASHA Advocacy also participated in joint congressional meetings on World Hearing Day with the American Cochlear Implant Alliance.
ASHA Board member, Kevin Kock, AuD, MPH, CCC-A, followed up by meeting with legislators on Capitol Hill to continue discussions on audiology. He discussed the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act alongside advocates from the American Academy of Audiology and Academy of Doctors of Audiology.
Washington Medicaid Advocacy Win
Advocacy win! After extensive advocacy, Washington state removed cuts to Medicaid coverage of speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, as well as school-based funding cuts, in its final budget bill. Many Washingtonians joined in advocacy with ASHA and the Washington Speech-Language-Hearing Association, sending 786 letters to their legislators urging them to vote no on the proposed cuts.
AMA Updates Hearing Device Services Codes
The American Medical Association (AMA) has published updates to the new hearing device services codes. ASHA Advocacy’s resources on these codes have been updated to reflect these changes.
Butler University Students Take on Capitol Hill
CSD students from Butler University spent the day on Capitol Hill with ASHA Advocacy urging Congress to better support individuals pursuing audiology and speech-language pathology degrees. Join their call in urging Congress to support higher federal loan limits for professional degrees, improve access to public loan forgiveness, and pass legislation facilitating practice across state lines. Join them in their advocacy by writing to your legislators today!
ASHA Supports Legislation to Make Hearing Aids More Affordable
Representative Kevin Mullin (D-CA) has introduced the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act (H.R. 7770), ASHA-supported legislation that would provide tax credits of up to $1,000 for the purchase of prescription or over-the-counter hearing aids for individuals earning up to $150,000 and households earning up to $300,000. Read Rep. Mullin’s press release about the bill, which quotes ASHA President Linda Rosa-Lugo, who noted that the effort will “reduce financial barriers that prevent people from obtaining essential communication devices such as hearing aids.”
State Leaders Connect
ASHA Advocacy launched “State Leaders Connect,” a monthly series connecting state association leaders with one another and strengthening their engagement with ASHA staff. Our first meetings included discussions about the ASHFoundation and the Clinical Achievement Awards, a presidents’ roundtable on state association membership, and a spotlight on audiology services and the World Hearing Day Toolkit. Twenty-four leaders from 16 state associations participated in the first sessions.
Working for You
- Participated in a hearing health partner panel at the Hearing Industries Association’s annual meeting.
- Provided input to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on proposals to reform the National Institutes of Health [PDF].
- Signed a letter to House and Senate leaders opposing actions by the Trump Administration that would restrict access to Medicaid home and community-based services.
- Signed a letter to bipartisan leaders of the Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies requesting funding in fiscal year 2027 for Assistive Technology Act programs.
- Submitted comments to CMS [PDF] on hospital conditions of participation and Medicaid/CHIP funding related to gender-affirming care.
- Attended the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy annual meeting focused on transparency, interoperability, and patient-centered care at the intersection of health policy and technology.
- Participated in the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCORI) Virtual Community Roundtable on Harnessing Digital Health Technologies focused on safeguarding quality of care and keeping humans in the loop.
- Explored potential opportunities and challenges for audiologists and SLPs in emerging value-based payment models at the Value-Based Payment Summit.
- Joined the Missouri Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Legislative Day to discuss ASHA’s advocacy engagement in the states.
Spotlight!
The Tennessee Association of Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists (TAALSP) celebrated World Hearing Day by advocating with state legislators. Congratulations to TAASLP on having its highest participation rate in Day on the Hill and securing more cosponsors on state legislation impacting the professions in Tennessee! To learn more about issues impacting the professions, use your ASHA login to view ASHA’s state policy tracker.
