Legislation/Regulation

HHP is the only organization representing the exclusive interest of today’s hearing aid specialist in the legislative and regulatory arena. HHP keeps members informed about key legislative issues by posting important information on this page. Instant alerts are also sent to members via email when a legislative or regulatory issues requires immediate consideration.

Legislation

News Alert-Hearing Aids Contract

Medi-Cal has posted a request for input. The HHPCA Board and active members are preparing testimony. We would love to hear from you. If you want to submit comments on your own please do but we ask that you share them with the Board as well so we can address all concerns. For more information visit www.dhcs.ca.gov.

State Budget Reports

Sacramento Update from Tricia Hunter

Budget Reform Overview

Budget Heath Overview

Final Budget Summary from CMA

Bill Folder

Bill Folders contain a list of legislative bills important to HHP members. They are listed by date.

Bill Folder 5.23.08

Bill Folder 5.11.08

Bill Folder 4.22.08

How to find a state elected official

Other Legislative Information

Budget Process

The California budget process is very complex and HHP members know how important it is to keep abreast of the budget process. HHP Executive Director has provided an excellent overview of the California Budget Process.

Regulatory Issues

New as well as changes to current regulations are very important to HHP members. Important information about regulatory issues will be posted here and there will be instant alerts via email when an important matter needs consideration.

Regulatory Standards

Lobby Days Information

Lobby Days is scheduled for February 25, 2009. Information about this event will be available later this year.

Enjoy a couple of pictures from Lobby Days 2007

Political Action Committee—PAC

The HHPCA PAC supports local representatives and legislation that is in the best interest of HHP and their patients. Any member that contributes to the PAC will receive a certificate of appreciation presented by the President of HHP at the annual convention. If you have any questions about the HHPCA PAC, please call us at 916-447-1975 or email us at hhpca@hhpca.org.

Please consider contributing to the PAC today. We put your donations to good use. We have created a PAC Contributions Form for your convenience.

IHS Update From Executive Director Cindy Helms

The IHS Board of Governors went to Washington, DC earlier this month to advocate on your behalf and on behalf of the hearing impaired we serve. In conjunction with its annual spring meeting, the Board held meetings with their respective Members of Congress and key federal agency personnel.

To best represent your interests, we carried the message that millions of Americans could and should benefit from the hearing help available to them. We advocated aggressively in support of issues that are critically important to the hearing healthcare industry.

Among the priority issues addressed was the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act (HR2329/S1410). This important legislation provides a $500 tax credit every five years to individuals age 55 and over or their dependents. We met with the offices of several members of the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee, which have jurisdiction over the hearing aid tax credit.

To encourage maximum access to hearing help and hearing healthcare professionals, we partnered with the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the Hearing Industries Association to meet with representatives from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). OPM has jurisdiction over the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) which covers approximately eight million government workers and their families.

Late-breaking news!

IHS efforts paid off. On April 11, OPM issued the following statement to its insurance carriers:

We strongly encourage you to enhance hearing benefits for adults. In particular, we request all carriers add benefits for hearing aids for adults, including screening and testing services. Licensed and qualified hearing health care providers (hearing aid specialists, audiologists and otolaryngologists) should be included in provider networks for hearing aids and related services.

"Advocacy is all about education and relationship-building and the Society's governors did just that," said IHS Washington Counsel Karen Sealander. "The IHS Board educated key leadership in Washington about the importance of hearing health to overall health and general well-being, the vital role of the hearing aid specialist, and the effectiveness but dramatic underutilization of hearing aids. Our governors are persuasive advocates for their patients and their profession, and I applaud the entire Board as well as Executive Director Cindy Helms and Government Affairs Manager Susan Stewart on an immensely successful Lobby Day in Washington."

IHS Gathers Information about Hearing Health Care for Veterans:

IHS is in the process of gathering information regarding hearing health care for veterans after noting many communities throughout the U.S. access to health care for veterans is difficult. IHS would like to compile data as well as anecdotal cases regarding this situation. Executive Director, Tricia Hunter, is asking that HHP/CA members give IHS and our federal officials a significant amount of data as well as many personal experiences. The type of information IHS would like to gather is:

Time it takes to get a first appointment.
Time for follow up appointments.
Travel distance to get access.
Do they receive repairs or new hearing aids by mail?
Are they charged for visits?

Please feel free to include anything else you think is important. IHS would like you to contact your representatives in Washington D.C. directly with specific stories regarding this issue and your thoughts on the subject as well. This is a very important survey that could result in hearing instrument specialists having the ability to directly fit VA patients in their practice and receive VA reimbursement. Download the survey forms.

Links to State Government Agencies

www.ca.gov	California State Official Web Site
www.gov.ca.gov	Governor Schwarzenegger Official Web Site
www.senate.ca.gov	California State Senate
www.assembly.ca.gov	California State Assembly
www.leginfo.ca.gov	Official California Legislative Information
www.lao.ca.gov	California’s Nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office
www.sos.ca.gov	California’s Secretary of the State

Links to Federal Government Agencies

www.whitehouse.gov	The White House
www.senate.gov	United States Senate
www.clerkweb.house.gov	Office of the Clerk, US House of Representatives