Advocacy for insurance coverage of hearing aids hits home for high school student

ANDOVER — An Andover High School senior is using her own experiences to advocate for change in the state to ensure insurance coverage for people of all ages who need hearing aids.

Nicole Flanagan, 18, of Andover, testified in support of two bills before the Joint Committee on Financial Services’ hearing on various health insurance matters at the State House on Sept. 17.

Flanagan was diagnosed with right-sided hearing loss in the third grade and has worn a hearing aid since then. She said her hearing aid has positively impacted and improved her quality of life.

Massachusetts’ law regarding hearing aids doesn’t require insurance providers to cover costs associated with the devices to anyone over 21 years old.

The proposed legislation looks to remove the age limit to ensure continued coverage for those ages 21 and older. A person’s treating physician would still need sign off that hearing aids are necessity, regardless of cause, in order for coverage of the cost of one hearing aid per each hearing-impaired ear every three years.

Before wearing a hearing aid, Flanagan said she struggled in loud social settings like a school’s cafeteria, sometimes unable to hear what was being said to her by friends. She found she would often have to repeat herself in conversations.

She missed out on social interactions and became more of a bystander trying to focus on conversations instead of participating in them.

When Flanagan began wearing a hearing aid, she found her friendships became stronger. She also performed better in school because she could hear instructions clearer and participated more in the classroom. Flanagan also wasn’t as tired as hearing loss took a physical toll on her because of the excess of energy she was using to try and hear. Her social anxiety decreased, Flanagan said.

At an audiologist appointment during her sophomore year, her doctor informed her that insurance companies doing business in Massachusetts do not need to require hearing aid costs be covered to people over 21 years old.

“I was really shocked,” Flanagan said. “It’s something that was so vital to me. I didn’t realize that it wasn’t accessible to everyone who needed it.”

After some research, Flanagan discovered changes to the law have been proposed before, but have been left on the committee stage or “quietly died.” She drafted a proposal, with the help of her parents, after finding neighboring states had expanded their coverage and sent it to people in the community to see if they could write their own letters of support.

The proposal and letters of support were then sent to the Massachusetts legislature. Flanagan then asked Sen. Barry Finegold, D-Andover, to file a bill on the subject.

“Massachusetts is recognized as a global leader in health care, and that leadership should include access,” Finegold said. “People of all ages deserve hearing aids if it’s in their best interest, as determined by their medical providers.”

Finegold filed and sponsored the bill in the Senate to champion for more inclusive insurance coverage. In the House, Rep. Sean Garballey, D-Arlington and Rep. Jessica Ann Giannino, D-Revere, sponsored the bill. The acts look to expand insurance coverage for hearing aids and related services.

Flanagan’s testimony last Thursday shared her own journey and how important wearing hearing aids have been in her life. She was there on behalf of both the Senate and House bills.

It was her first time testifying and requesting the committee give the bill a favorable report.

She said it was a great experience and felt the committee and audience were supportive. Sen. Paul Feeney, D-Foxborough, who oversaw the hearing, applauded Flanagan for her testimony. He said it makes all the difference when someone shares their own journey as to why they are supporting a bill.

Flanagan said she plans to keep up with the bills’ progress and continue to advocate for the cause.

“My main goal is to get people to contact their Massachusetts representatives and senators and request that they vote favorably or support the two bills,” Flanagan said. “Without community support it might just die a quiet death in the legislation.”

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