Hearing Loss and Dementia

 Rep. Russ Fulcher

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515

 

Dear Rep. Fulcher:

 

This may seem like an odd request in a time when we are already trying to reduce spending to solve our deficits, but I suspect this may actually reduce net spending.  At least it deserves examination as a possible strategy for reducing both spending and suffering.

In the last few years, scientists studying hearing loss have found evidence that hearing loss causes dementia.[1]  Medicare and Medicaid do not currently cover hearing aids.  If covering hearing aids reduces Alzheimer’s this would likely reduce health care costs currently covered by Medicare and Medicaid.

Is covering hearing aids a net gain for government healthcare costs?  I am not sure, but it seems like it deserves examination.

 

Very Truly Yours,

Clayton E. Cramer

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[1] Timothy D. Griffiths, Meher Lad, Sukhbinder Kumar, Emma Holmes, Bob McMurray, Eleanor A. Maguire, Alexander J. Billig, William Sedley, “How Can Hearing Loss Cause Dementia?” Neuron, Nov. `11, 2020,  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2020.08.003; Alexander Chern, Justin S Golub, “Age-Related Hearing Loss And Dementia,” Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders, Jul. – Sep. 2019,  DOI: 10.1097/WAD.0000000000000325; Richard K Gurgel, P. Daniel Ward, Sarah Schwartz, Maria C Norton, Norman L Foster, JoAnn T. Tschanz, “Relationship of Hearing loss and Dementia: a Prospective, Population-based Study,” Ontology & Neurotology, Jun. 2014, DOI: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000000313.

Of course, I sent to Senators Risch and Crapo as well.