The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM)—an advocacy group that works to preserve Social Security and Medicare entitlements—recently interviewed Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) about her work on legislation that would expand Medicare coverage to include hearing aids.

In July 2017, Congresswoman Dingell introduced the Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2017 to the 115th CongressThe legislation—which currently has 171 cosponsors—would help cover the hearing care gap that currently exists in Medicare, to include hearing aids and examinations, and, additionally, directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate existing health insurance and Federal hearing-loss assistance programs, report their progress to Congress, and make recommendations, if needed.

In the interview, NCPSSM President Max Richtman asked Congresswoman Dingell to explain the importance of the legislation and what its future prospects are.

“Medicare is so critical. It’s a lifeline for seniors across this country,” said Congresswoman Dingell.

Citing the research linking hearing loss to depression, isolation, and dementia, Congresswoman Dingell said the exclusion of hearing care coverage in Medicare may be  “pennywise and pound foolish, as the saying goes.”

“By paying for hearing aids earlier, we may be preventing more significant problems down the road as people get older,” she said.

To view the interview in its entirety, please visit NCPSSM’s Facebook page here.

Source: NCPSSM