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Sample Letters
HLAA Chapter of Rochester has helped craft legislation. We need your input to further educate lawmakers.
....living better with hearing loss.
By Joe Damico
Sample letter No. 1
Hearing Aid Insurance
Here is a sample letter you can use to write to your State legislator to support the Hearing Aid Insurance bill. You can use it all or customize it to fit your personal experience. Remember to write; it is an important piece of legislation for all hard of hearing people. Also please contact your respective chapters ( newsletters? ) to get this letter writing campaign going in earnest.
Dear Honorable ( Assemblyman or Senator )
Legislation has been introduced that would require health insurance coverage of hearing aids ( Use A03907 if you are writing to your Assemblyperson or S03864 if writing to your senator) for all New Yorkers. I am writing to ask you to vote YES for this legislation.
Hearing Aids are extraordinarily important for people with hearing loss, and they have significant implications for a person's economic, mental, and physical well being. Studies have found that people who have significant difficulty communicating are often under- employed and are more susceptible to a host of emotional and physical disorders. Thus, the failure to cover hearing aids not only penalizes people with hearing loss, but also costs the government significant amounts stemming from under - utilization of its work force and increased spending on the other needs of employees with hearing loss. By supporting this bill you are ensuring that all people will have equal access to communication with their fellow citizens.
We all understand the importance of hearing aids to:
1. Children who need to acquire listening skills in order to develop spoken language.
2. Students who are in a school environment to achieve their greatest potential through education.
3. Those in the workplace who need to maintain their connection to their associates.
4. Senior people who need to interact and socialize with others through spoken communication.
There are currently one in ten people ( one in three for those over 65 ) with a hearing problem. It is important that our nation must begin to work through equitable coverage policies for aural rehabilitation services and hearing aids in a concerted manner by both public and private insurance payers.
There is every reason to believe that this would be a very low cost benefit and should not noticeably affect premium or costs of doing business for the insurance providers or HMOs. We are only asking that hearing aids be on the same parity as eye glasses, etc..
Thank you,
your name
Sample letter No.2
Telecommunications Access for all New Yorkers
Western New York Sample letter (Buffalo Chapter)
I am in support of (S00465 if you are writing to your senator) legislation that would make telecommunication equipment for the deaf, hard of hearing and deaf- blind more accessible.
This bill is important to me because it will mean that I will have access to the equipment I need to talk to my employer, my family and my friends. This equipment will allow me to do things that most people simply take for granted.
I really want to emphasize how valuable this law would be to people who are deaf, hard of hearing and deaf- blind as well as other people with disabilities. While I realize that these are difficult times, I urge you to seek funding for your legislation as the Senate ( or Assembly ) develops its budget proposal.
Thank you for your attention. I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely yours,
Your name
How To Be An Advocate Sample Letters
