(Rockville, MD-April  3, 2008)  Advocacy by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has been reflected in the annual “call letter” that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sends to health plans with regard to coverage of federal workers. The letter for the 2009 federal government fiscal year urges insurance carriers to include expanded benefit coverage of audiologic professional services, hearing aids, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices such as speech generating devices (SGDs).

ASHA has pushed for such a development for the past year. At its urging, OPM asked insurance companies in March 2007 to increase coverage of hearing benefits for newborns and children, noting that hearing loss is one of the most common congenital birth disorders.

Since then, ASHA worked closely with OPM and its consultants, providing actuarial data, and analyses of federal worker benefits plans with respect to coverage of hearing and speech-language benefits, and scope of services provided by audiologists and speech-language pathologists. Ultimately, ASHA made recommendations that have since been reflected in OPM’s urgings to insurance carriers.

Hearing benefits are “an area where we need to do more,” starting in fiscal year 2009 because it “has not gotten the attention it deserves,” OPM Director Linda Springer said in her remarks to health insurance representatives as the benefits development process for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) for the coming year got underway.  

The FEHBP is the nation’s largest employer-based health benefits program, providing medical insurance and health coverage to about 8 million government employees and their family members. The program permits federal employees to purchase coverage from national health carriers, health maintenance organizations, and unions representing government employees.   Presidential contenders have referenced the federal employee program as a model for putting health insurance within reach of Americans who need coverage.

“We are very pleased by OPM’s actions and Director Springer’s leadership to expand hearing and speech benefits to federal employees and their families,” ASHA President Catherine Gottfred observes.

“The federal work force has a large number of aging baby boomers who will need services and devices provided by audiologists to help them cope with hearing loss.”

Gottfred adds: “We believe that enhancing coverage for speech generating devices will have little or no additional impact on premium costs for insurers---similar to what OPM noted in one of its call letters to carriers with regard to pediatric hearing benefits.”

ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 130,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing and dizziness disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including swallowing disorders.