Legislator Letter

Dear SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE (LAST NAME GOES HERE)___________,

 

I am writing to urge you to vote yes on SB 68, the hearing aid bill.  It is past time for hearing aids to be covered by insurance, for children and adults alike.

 

INSERT YOUR PERSONAL STORY HERE!

 

It may seem like a big investment on the part of insurance companies.  But in the long run this will be a cost-effective way to reduce educational and occupational rehabilitation, saving state and federal dollars which have in the past gone toward those expenses.

 

It’s easy to affirm that children should have insurance coverage for hearing aids, given how critical hearing is for reading and language development.  In fact, thirteen states have already passed legislation mandating this. Illinois should not only follow in their footsteps, but should establish itself as a leader in this by providing coverage to both children and adults–and here is why.

 

Lifelong hard-of-hearing and late-deafened adults both struggle to pay for the technology which would aid them in getting and retaining jobs.  Many people fail to get the hearing help they need because they cannot afford it.  And with the average hearing aid costing about $2000, this is a significantly cheaper technology to cover than cochlear implants, a surgery which is completely covered by insurance, the average cost of which is $100,000.

 

Please carefully consider a yes vote on this bill.  I believe that the time is now to stand up for Illinois’ population of deaf and hard-of-hearing adults and children. The time is now to do the right thing.  Let Illinois be the nation’s leader in hearing aid access for all its citizens.

 

Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

 

YOUR NAME GOES HERE

 

 

a voter in District  ____  (INSERT YOUR DISTRICT NUMBER HERE)