H.R. 9001: Veterans Hearing Aid Improvement Act of 2026

This bill, known as the Veterans Hearing Aid Improvement Act of 2026, aims to establish a demonstration project that will assess the feasibility and fiscal impact of covering over-the-counter hearing aids for veterans under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system. Here are the key components of the bill:

Demonstration Project

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to start a demonstration project no later than one year after the bill becomes law. The primary goals of this project include:

• Evaluating how covering FDA-cleared over-the-counter hearing aids affects costs and accessibility.
• Comparing the effectiveness of these over-the-counter devices with those professionally fitted by audiologists.

Duration and Eligibility

The demonstration project will last for two years, and veterans are eligible to participate if they meet specific criteria:

• They must be enrolled in the VA healthcare system.
• An audiologist must determine that an over-the-counter hearing aid is necessary for their mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
• They must have access to a mobile phone or similar technology to use the over-the-counter devices.

Locations

The project will be carried out at a minimum of two VA medical facilities that can demonstrate the ability to serve diverse populations, including both rural and urban veterans.

Project Design

The project will include:

• Participants being divided into two groups: one using FDA-cleared over-the-counter hearing aids and the other using audiologist-fitted prescription hearing aids.

Measurement of Benefits

The project aims to measure a range of outcomes, including:

• Self-reported benefits from using the hearing aids.
• Speech recognition capabilities in noisy environments.

Consultations and Reporting

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs will consult with consumer advocacy organizations during the project. The Secretary will also provide:

• An interim report within one year of the project’s start, detailing progress and preliminary findings.
• A final report 180 days after the end of the project, which will include an evaluation of the potential fiscal impact of implementing permanent coverage for over-the-counter hearing aids.

Comptroller General Study

The bill mandates a study by the Comptroller General of the United States on the needs and effectiveness of hearing aid assistance for veterans experiencing mild-to-moderate hearing loss. This study will explore:

• The number of veterans needing such assistance.
• The quality and coverage of existing medical support.
• Recommendations to improve benefits for this demographic.

Definition of Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids

For the purposes of this bill, an over-the-counter hearing aid is defined as:

• A device that is FDA-cleared.
• Regulated under specific provisions of the food and drug laws.
• Possesses personalization capabilities through mobile technology.

Relevant Companies

• HLIT (Harmonic Inc.): May see changes in sales dynamics if over-the-counter hearing aids capture more market share from traditional options.
• SONY (Sony Corporation): If their hearing aid technologies are FDA-cleared for over-the-counter sales, they could benefit significantly.