As many of you are aware we are fast approaching the January 15^th hearing aid reimbursement changes. These changes will drop reimbursement from single unit cost to acquisition cost amounting to nearly a fifty percent reduction in reimbursement after a recent ten percent reduction to all Medi-cal providers.

I have received many emails and calls from members throughout the State that claim if this policy change goes on as planned many will drop out of the program and unfortunately many will go out of business. We have several HHP members that are nearly all Medi-Cal!

HHP member and recently appointed Licensing Board member Amnon Shalev is working closely with Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield who is Chair of the Assembly Budget committee. Bob is a friend to Amnon and HHP and supports our reimbursement position. HHP's legislative advocate, Tricia Hunter has recommended a hearing between the committee and DCHS. Tricia made it clear that when a policy change potentially eliminates a program there should be a hearing.  A hearing should be scheduled sometime this week according to Amnon who has been in touch with DCHS and Blumenfield. HHP will keep you posted.

Rupa Balachandran, PhD, CCC-A and Dave Vasquez co-hosted a conference call last night to discuss this pending change.  Providers participating proved that they are prepared to present a united front!  Key takeaways from the call are as follows:

1. Amnon Shalev will meet with Director Toby Douglas on Monday next week.  He will bring the concerns to the discussion and will update providers after the meeting. 
2. It was decided that at this time individual letters to  Director Toby Douglas outlining the impact of these cuts to the community you serve, including a listing of hospitals, nursing homes and numbers of patients involved, will have the most impact.
3. CCS is also a great concern.  CCS providers will have recourse to EPSDT but it can rapidly drain the state budget.  A letter for CCS providers is being drafted and will be sent out by e-blast to highlight the impact on CCS beneficiaries.
4. California Academy of Audiology has developed a letter template addressing the issue with state lawmakers. Click here for template .  Here is the link to determine your local Assemblymember and State Senator .
5. HHP has sample letters to the Governor and DHCS Director Toby Douglas available on its website, .  
6. Letters copied to Amnon Shalev will be forwarded to Director Douglas' office by Amnon.  E-mail your copied letters to Amnon at amnonshalev@sbcglobal.net.
7. Letters to the Governor can be sent via HHP's Legislative Advocate, Tricia Hunter.  Provide Tricia a copy of your letter via e-mail at  thunter930@aol.com or by fax to 916-447-7821.

PLEASE WRITE, WRITE and WRITE letters to DHCS and your lawmakers to make an impact in this conversation.

The letter campaign must go on. We've previously provided sample letters, click here to access them on the HHP website. If you provide Medi-Cal hearing aids please submit a letter.

Thanks in advance for your support of HHP's efforts to stop this cut!

Don Tucker, President

HHP