I would like to ask you to please review Ally's Act, H.R. 2439/S. 1135 for co-sponsorship. Ally Tumblin, now a 14-year-old girl, inspired Ally’s Act, which is a bipartisan bill Led by Representatives Joe Neguse (D-CO), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) along with Senators Shelley Moore-Capito (R-WV) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

Ally’s Act is a small bill that would help the 400,000 children and adults, who are left out by their private insurers, be able to obtain coverage for Bone Anchored Hearing Aids (OIDs) and Cochlear Implants. Even though these specialized hearing device implant systems are often covered by private insurers, it’s the same private insurers who also deny coverage of these same hearing devices. When private insurers cover some insured and yet deny others who are also insured under the same or similar plans - This is discrimination among those insured. Especially, when specific medically necessary devices are purposely “excluded from coverage”.

Ally's Act, H.R. 2439/S. 1135, would ensure private insurance coverage for bone-anchored hearing systems (OIDs/BAHA) and cochlear implants for children and adults from birth to age 64. There are approximately a total number of 400,000 users of these devices based on US market sales - half of these individuals are already covered by their private insurance for these very hearing devices. The problem is the remaining individuals who are denied coverage by these same private insurers who already recognize that these devices should be covered. BAHA/OID and CI hearing devices are often the only hearing devices these individuals can wear due to having specific hearing loss types that do not allow them to benefit from "traditional hearing aids". These specialized hearing device systems are medically necessary and individuals must qualify as candidates for them based on a medical diagnosis. Ally's Act, H.R. 2439/S. 1135 would make coverage consistent.

10 key points about Ally's Act, H.R. 2439/S. 1135:

1. This bill was introduced in 2019.

2. This bill would help approximately 400,000 people.

3. OIDs/BAHA and CI hearing devices are medically necessary. Individuals needing these hearing device systems can only be candidates based on a medical diagnosis.

4. There are approximately 250,000 Cochlear implant users and 150,000 OID/BAHA users.

5. We know exactly how much Ally's Act would cost. Based on US sales, It would cost private insurers .27 cents per person/per year to cover the services under Ally's Act. That's .02 cents per person/per month! This is approximately 10 million dollars or less each year because people are already paying into their premiums for coverage. This shows how small this bill is and that it is well within the spending requirements as stated in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/51335 (Ally's Act is well below the threshold of 198 million dollars/yr.)

6. Per CBO, Ally’s Act falls well below the annual threshold established by the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act ($198 million in 2023, adjusted annually for inflation). In CBO’s estimates, the direct costs of this bill will likely be offset by any direct savings that would result from complying with the mandate A CBO score has been requested for this bill.

7. This bill has been run through CMS and Technical Assistance at the request of Grace Graham/Staff of E&C. The information requested and the information received satisfied what Grace wanted to know as well as the Staff of the E&C.

8. The bill would also provide significant cost savings to society as children are able to learn in school more easily and then adults are able to fully participate in the economy. In a recent ASX announcement made public by Cochlear Americas, "This year [2023] we [Cochlear] helped over 44,000 people hear with one, or two, of our cochlear [CI] or acoustic implants [BAHA]. In doing so, we provide an estimated net societal benefit of more than $7 billion over the lifetime of this year’s new recipients. This value comes from improved health outcomes, educational cost savings and productivity gains." Another study by the NIH shows that aiding children with cochlear implants as early as 1st grade through 12th grade provides cost savings to taxpayers, schools and the community of over $100,000 per individual aided.

9. Data on denials from private insurers for OID/BAHA and CI hearing devices is not available as private insurers not only do not log this information, but they would also never share with the public how many people they turn away from being able to hear.

10. Inconsistent coverage by private insurers opens the door for discrimination among those insured. This also gives leverage to the bad actors. Private insurers should not be allowed to dictate who gets to hear and who does not. They most definitely should not be given the authority to override medical necessity and the professional medical opinion of our doctors.

In February of this year, Kaiser was sued for $3 million dollars for excluding coverage of hearing aids and related services. This is just another example why Ally's Act, H.R. 2439/S. 1135 is needed.

Link to article: https://www.audiology.org/settlement-reached-in-kaiser-exclusion-of-hearing-aids-and-related-services/

Ally's Act info can be found on Ear Community's website at: https://earcommunity.org/about/allys-act-h-r-5485/

Ally's Act, H.R. 2439/S. 1135 would give Congress and the Senate the opportunity to help 400,000 children and adults live higher quality lives by cosponsoring this bill. We would very much like to have Ally's Act pass!