Legislation
Ally’s Act H.R. 477/ S.41
During the summer of 2019, on behalf of Ear Community Organization I met with Congressman David McKinley of West Virginia in Washington, D.C. in hopes of introducing a bill to ensure that bone anchored hearing devices (worn by myself and individuals who have Microtia and Atresia and/or conductive hearing loss) would be covered by private insurances. Following a second meeting with Congressman Mike Thompson of California and then Congressman Joe Neguse of Colorado, Rep. Neguse agreed to introduce a federal-level, bipartisan bill with Rep’s. McKinley and Thompson as original co-sponsors. Alongside Ear Community’s executive director and founder, Melissa Tumblin, I helped to write and draft the bill known as H.R. 5485, Ally’s Act, which was introduced in the 116th session of Congress on December 18, 2019.
On September 8, 2020 Senators Elizabeth Warren and Shelley Capito introduced the federal-level, bipartisan companion bill of Ally’s Act, S. 4532. Both bills (now H.R. 477 and S. 41) were reintroduced on January 25, 2021 with priority for Ally’s Act to become a law.
Ear Community has vocalized the need for private insurance coverage for thousands of support group members over the last several years to help those with hearing loss be able to afford bone anchored hearing devices. These devices cost between 4-15k with implantation, thus unaffordable out of pocket to most people. Insurances often deem these devices as not necessary for children or label them as cosmetic devices, which they are not. I felt passionate about lobbying for and writing this bill because I know how it feels to be unable to hear, and I am fortunate to have and wear my own bone anchored hearing device.
Quote from Rachel Bernhard in Rep. Neguse’s press release for Ally’s Act linked here.
H.Res.786
November 9th is Ear Community’s declared day of National Microtia Awareness Day, and on November 9, 2021, Rep’s. Neguse and McKinley and Senator’s Warren and Capito introduced a second, bipartisan bill that would declare National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day a national day! This was Ear Community’s second bill inspired by all affected with Microtia and Atresia, and as a board member and advocate for Ear Community, I was grateful for my quote to be in another one of Rep. Neguse’s press releases.
Quote from Rachel Bernhard can be found here.
Rep. McKinley (an original cosponsor) and Rachel Bernhard meeting for Ally’s Act in July of 2019, Washington, D.C.
