References For Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Australia. Department of Veterans Affairs: medical research in relation to the Statement of Principles concerning Sensorineural Hearing Loss, which cites the following as references:
Against The Federal Government
If you are a federal employee or job applicant and you believe that a federal agency has discriminated against you, you have a right to file a complaint. Each agency is required to post information about how to contact the agencyâs EEO Office. You can contact an EEO Counselor by calling the office responsible for the agencyâs EEO complaints program. Generally, you must contact the EEO Counselor within 45 days from the day the discrimination occurred. In most cases the EEO Counselor will give you the choice of participating either in EEO counseling or in an alternative dispute resolution program, such as a mediation program.
If you do not settle the dispute during counseling or though ADR, you can file a formal discrimination complaint against the agency with the agencyâs EEO Office. You must file within 15 days from the day you receive notice from your EEO Counselor about how to file.
See 42 U.S.C. §12102 29 C.F.R. §1630.2.
For example, disability laws in California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York apply to employers with fewer than 15 employees.
SeeâThe Questions and Answers Seriesâ under âAvailable Resourcesâ on EEOCâs website at www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/disability.cfm.
What Can I Do If My Hearing Loss Claim Is Denied
It is not uncommon to receive a denial letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs .
You should not be discouraged as there are other options for pursuing disability benefits.
For starters, veterans have the right to appeal a VA disability denial.
You will need to file a Notice of Disagreement VA Form 21-0958 with the VA.
Some veterans prefer to hire legal representation to help fight the appeal.
You can learn more about the VA disability appeals process by reading the VAs article on it here.
Recommended Reading: How To Say What Are You Doing In Sign Language
How Do I Get Medicare
When it comes to qualifying for Medicare, the government website lays out three categories of individuals that are eligible for this service:
- Individuals over the age of 64
- Specific younger individuals with qualifying medical needs
- Individuals suffering from end-stage renal failure
Medicare itself is broken down into four different parts that all cover specific services. While it may seem overwhelming to think about the concept of getting medicare and what that entails, the official government website has general guidelines that can help you find out what services they can cover.
Unfortunately, according to the official government website, medicare does not cover hearing aids. They do not cover any of the purchase cost millions of people, for the hearing aid themselves or the testings and appointments to acquire the specific prescription. There is a gray area on what premiums are offered. Before you get medical treatment using a Medicare plan, here are the four types and what you need to know about them.
How Much Hearing Loss Is Considered Disabled Summing Up
As its not apparent to the passerby, hearing loss is whats known as an invisible disability, and can leave people feeling increasingly unnoticed and forgotten, but SSA disability benefits can help them, not just financially, but to feel seen.
The general thresholds for eligibility are
- Below 90dBA in an air conduction test.
- Below 60dBA in a bone conduction test.
- And, 40% or less in a word recognition test.
The easiest way to apply for disability benefits is to go directly to the SSA website. The form will save your progress, so dont worry about filling it out in one go. Alternatively, if you need some assistance filling out the application, you can make an appointment at the SSA office nearest to you.
Read Also: What Is Poop In Sign Language
Some Conditions Causing Impairment Commonly Assessed Using Table 11
These include but are not limited to:
- congenital deafness,
- Meniere’s disease which affects the inner ear,
- tinnitus,
- neurological conditions which affect hearing function such as multiple sclerosis.
Example: A 50 year old male suffers from hearing difficulties due to many years working as a tradesman in the commercial building industry. Supporting evidence confirming his diagnosis has been provided from an audiologist. This man has been fitted with a hearing aid which has significantly improved his hearing. He has been using this hearing aid for the past 5 years and without it, he finds communication more difficult particularly at further distances. The medical evidence states that he uses his hearing aid in most social environments.
Without his hearing aid, this man has severe difficulty hearing any conversation or sound. With his hearing aid, he has some difficulty hearing a conversation at an average volume and has difficulty hearing a conversation when using a standard telephone.
The condition is considered fully diagnosed, treated and stabilised and under Table 11, this man would be assessed when using his prescribed hearing aid so would receive 5 points under Table 11 due to the mild functional impact his hearing has on his daily activities. Under the 5-point descriptor this man would meet and .
Is The Wearing Of A Hearing Aid Classed As A Disability
While a person may be heavily reliant on their hearing aid, neither wearing of them nor the need to wear them qualifies you as disabled in the eyes of the SSA.
If it helps you in your day-to-day life, you may feel comfortable wearing hearing aids despite suffering from very mild hearing loss, so neither the ADA nor SSA use them as a means of determining whether youre eligible for disability benefits.
You May Like: How To Say Sorry In Sign Language
Limitations Of This Recent Study Leading To Opportunities For Future Research
How Does The Va Qualify Eligibility For Hearing Loss
Hearing issues are very common in the United States, especially among older adults.
Tragically, retirees and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces traditionally start dealing with hearing loss at a far younger age compared to civilians.
In fact, the VA recently described hearing problems like tinnitus as the most prevalent service-connected disability among American Veterans.
The goal of any VA disability claim is to link the medical condition with a service connection.
In other words, the patient struggling with hearing loss must prove to the VA that the medical condition started or worsen during their time in service in order to receive disability benefits.
Otherwise, the military is not considered at fault for your injuries and therefore you may not receive any form of VA disability.
While VA rating percentages are subject to change, here are some current examples of how you may qualify for VA disability coverage:
- Otosclerosis
- Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media
- Chronic Otitis Externa
- Peripheral Vestibular Disorders
- Loss of Ear
- Menieres Syndrome
- Malignant Neoplasm
Sadly, the U.S. Armed Forces currently do not currently observe Tympanic Membrane Perforation, or a perforated ear, as a hearing impairment.
As a result, patients receive a 0% rating for this medical condition.
Related ArticleDoes Sleep Apnea Qualify As A VA Disability?
Don’t Miss: What Is The Ivy League Formula For Tinnitus
What Are Your Options
If you are in a place where you are looking at the cost of hearing aids and realizing that this obstacle is as challenging as the disability itself, you are not alone. Millions of people are experiencing hearing loss, and many people dont have the financial means to acquire hearing aids that cost thousands and thousands of dollars.
While it may seem daunting, rest assured you do have options. Some services will help you get used to hearing aids that have been cleaned and reprogramed for your exact needs, or even non-prescription over-the-counter hearing aids.
The challenge with used hearing aids is that those getting used to prescription hearing aids must produce a specific diagnosis so the device can be reprogrammed to their specific needs.
This implies the same amount of doctors and specialists appointments and tests that are the main part of the financial burden of going the prescription hearing aid route. Also, prescription hearing aids are made to fit the persons ear uniquely. This means that the chances of someone acquiring used hearing aids that dont quite fit are high.
Affordable Hearing Aids At Audien Hearing
We take pride in providing a highly dependable, advanced over-the-counter hearing aid that we are confident will help you on your hearing loss journey. Not only do we utilize cutting-edge technology to help block out background noise and help you focus on whats important, but they wont break the bank for you either.
“Audien hearing aids offer a unique solution for those people who are over 65. The hearing aids are affordable, easy to use, and dependable.” – Drew Sutton, MD, Board-Certified Otolaryngologist.
Our hearing aids come with our customer satisfaction guarantee and are endorsed by hundreds of satisfied customers worldwide. They are currently one of the smallest in-ear hearing aids available in two models, EV1 and EV3. To find out more about how our non-prescription, over-the-counter hearing aids could help you, .
Read Also: Are You Hungry In Sign Language
So Why Do We Call It Legally Deaf
We often hear people talk about whether someone is legally deaf or not, even though that phrase in and of itself can be fantastically nebulous. What qualifies as a legal hearing disability can change depending on the specific law its referencing.
For example:
- The Americans with Disabilities Act qualifies any kind of hearing loss as a disability if it limits your participation in life events or if an employer perceives it as possibly limiting your participation. Meeting this requirement under the ADA entitles you to certain rights and protections under the law.
- The Social Security Administration office of disabilities requires that certain medical thresholds are met before they allow individuals access to disability benefits. If your hearing sensitivity is less than 90 dB or you fail to repeat 40% of words in a word recognition test, you may be able to qualify for disability benefits under the SSA. Why do we say may?
Whether you are legally entitled to disability benefits or protections will change depending on what law youre measuring your hearing loss against .
Abouthearing Loss And Tinnitus
Around 466 million people around the world have disabling hearing loss. Disabling hearing loss means hearing loss greater than 40 decibels in adults and 30 dB in children. Compare that to a person with normal hearing, who has hearing thresholds of 25 dB or better in both ears.
Hearing problems can range from mild or moderate to severe or profound. It can affect one or both ears. Those who are hard of hearing experience hearing loss ranging from mild to severe.
People who are hard of hearing may use hearing aids, cochlear implants or other assistive devices. Those who are deaf typically have profound hearing loss, and often use sign language to communicate.
You May Like: What Is Poop In Sign Language
Does Hearing Loss Count As A Disability
It is easy to label someone as disabled if they have less than full hearing, eyesight, range of movement and a host of other examples. However, the question of whether hearing loss counts as a disability can be broken down into three categories – legally, socially and personally.
There is not a uniform answer that covers every type and severity of hearing loss in each of the three categories. Nor can every type of hearing loss be improved with assistive hearing devices. An audiologist can suggest which essential features for the hard of hearing are best for the different spectrums of hearing loss.
What Is The Average Va Compensation For Hearing Loss
According to Veterans United, the average veteran receives $435 per month at a 30% disability rating.
Meanwhile, the same veteran at a 50% disability rating would receive nearly $900 per month.
The VA determines your disability rating after a medical review of the condition and the compensation levels are subject to change.
Moreover, the compensation rates do change based on the number of dependents.
For example, a veteran claiming a spouse only will receive less in monthly disability compared to a veteran with a spouse and other dependents.
Contact a VA representative for more information on the claims process and potential disability payouts.
You May Like: How To Treat Ear Infection During Pregnancy
Other Considerations For Hearing Loss Eligibility
There are a few more things to keep in mind before applying. If you meet the above qualifying criteria but still earn more than $1,190 per month, you will not qualify for disability benefits. For example, if your employer is able to modify your job to accommodate your hearing loss, or if youve always worked at a job that didnt require good hearing, you wont be approved to receive benefits.
You also will not be approved if you only have hearing loss in one ear, even if the other ear is completely deaf since all hearing loss is evaluated using your best ear by the SSA.
How Common Is Hearing Loss
Each year in the United States, more than 12,000 babies are born with a hearing loss often, the cause is unknown . Profound deafness occurs in 4-11 per 10,000 children in at least 50% of these cases, the cause is genetic . Through the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening program, many states now mandate that all newborns be screened for hearing loss within hours of birth .
Read Also: How To Calculate Disability Retirement Pay
Recommended Reading: How To Pair Compilot With Hearing Aids
Findings For Children With Down Syndrome And Adults With Id In Institutional Settings
The following brief review highlights the literature reports of hearing findings for children with DS and adults with ID residing in institutional settings. This review provides a framework for understanding the hearing status of adults with ID living in general-community environments as reported in this essay. Significant rates of conductive hearing loss for children with DS are reported and attributed to the anatomic differences in the head and neck region of these children . Proactive hearing screening of children with DS is urged to achieve early detection, maximize opportunities for immediate treatment, as well as improve health and education .
Other studies have discussed the hearing status of adults with ID residing in institutional settings, reporting rates of hearing loss ranging from 21% to 70%. These rates varied with age, with individuals younger than age 40 showing lower rates compared with older persons with ID and those without DS exhibiting lower rates compared with those with DS. Further, a number of studies indicated a persistent lack of hearing loss identification for many adults with ID prior to their being study subjects. Essentially all investigations recommended regular hearing and health screenings for adults with ID .
What Percentage Of Hearing Loss Is Legally Deaf
If you believe you are experiencing hearing loss, you are not alone. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports roughly 37.5 million Americans, or 15 percent of the population age 18 and older, have reported some degree of hearing loss. The NIDCD has also estimated approximately 28.8 million people in the United States likely need hearing aids, but that among adults with hearing loss between the ages of 20 and 69, only 16 percent have them.
Our ability to hear allows us to communicate, interact with others, and complete important tasks particularly at work. Our hearing is an important sense that helps us connect to the outside world and stay safe. Despite these factors, we often take our hearing for granted. Hearing loss can happen so gradually that you wont notice it until your friends or family members mention it.
Also Check: Phonak Icom Pairing