LEGISLATION APPLICABLE TO LOOPS & TELECOILS
There has been a groundswell of advocacy on the part of consumers for rules and regulations at the state level dealing with various aspects of hearing loops and telecoils. A survey by the Committee for Communication Access in New Mexico found that 2/3rds of first time hearing aid buyers were not told about the telecoil option when purchasing hearing aids. This is true throughout America so a popular issue with looping advocates is a mandated requirement for the counseling clients on telecoils prior to fitting them with hearing aids.
As of June 1, 2019 there were 9 states with rules or regulations in force that require the counseling of hearing aid buyers on the technology mandated in the ADA for assistive listening systems that is hearing aid compatible. Those states are: Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington. Advocates in several other states are at various stages in their efforts to join this list.
Those rules and regulations are included in this document that contains the text and a contact person in the applicable state.
RULES RE HEARING AID SALES CONTRACTS
In some states a rule has also been enacted like the one in Arizona that requires a statement be printed on the contract that claims the client has been informed in some manner about telecoil technology. An attempt is currently under way in New Mexico to enact such a rule. That attempt has met with resistance from consumers who feel that clause could be used by an unethical hearing care provider as evidence that the counseling tool place when it, in fact did not, the client was not counseled. To protect the consumer from such action by an unscupulous provider, the Committee for Communication Accent in NM has recommended that both the buyer and the seller be required to initial that clause on the contract and also indicate the telecoil status of the hearing aids being dispensed under that contract. Below is the working for the rule being proposed by the licensing board and the alternative language proposed by the CCAnm:
Language (in red ) proposed to be added to rules by the Board:
(a)…examination and recommendation was made as a hearing aid dispenser or fitter and not as a medical
diagnosis or prescription; the receipt shall also include language stating that each prospective purchaser was
informed at the time of the initial examination for possible sale and fitting of a hearing aid about hearing aid
options that can provide a direct connection between the hearing aid and assistive listening systems in
accordance with the latest standards for accessible design adopted by the United States department of justice in
accordance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended;
(b) the information regarding ……………………………….
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Alternative language (in blue ) proposed to be added to rules by the CCAnm :
(a )...¦examination and recommendation was made as a hearing aid dispenser or fitter and not as a medical
diagnosis or prescription; the receipt must also contain the following language: The buyer was informed at the
time of the initial examination for possible sale and fitting of a hearing aid of hearing aid options that can
provide a direct connection between hearing aids and assistive listening systems that comply with the latest
standards for accessible design adopted by the United States department of justice in accordance with the
federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.
The hearing instrument(s) referenced above DO (es) - DO (es) NOT contain such technology.
(circle one of the above)
_______________ _______________
Buyer's initials Seller's initials
(b) the information regarding ………………………
Click on this Icon to open the document listing loop and telecoil related legislation around the country>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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LEGISLATION APPLICABLE TO LOOPS & TELECOILS
