The Veterans Administration is Wrong: Why Limiting Hearing Care to Audiologists Hurts Veterans and Taxpayers
The Veterans Administration (VA) claims to have veterans' best interests at heart, but their provider credentialing practices tell a different story. By allowing only audiologists to test, fit, and dispense hearing aids, the VA has caved to powerful lobbying interests and cut out Hearing Instrument Specialists (HIS), who are equally capable, trained, and licensed to perform these services. This narrow policy doesn't just undermine veterans' access to affordable care—it actively harms them.
HIS vs. Audiologists: Equally Trained and Licensed
First, let's clear up a common misconception: Hearing Instrument Specialists (HIS) are not second-rate professionals. HIS are highly trained and licensed experts in testing hearing, fitting hearing aids, and dispensing these devices to those in need. HIS are required to meet stringent state licensing standards, undergo hands-on training, and continue their education to stay current with the latest advancements in hearing technology. In many cases, HIS spend more time honing their fitting and dispensing skills than audiologists do.
Yet, despite these qualifications, the VA restricts hearing aid services to audiologists alone. The reality is, audiologists are *not* the only professionals qualified to provide high-quality hearing care, and the VA's restrictive practices only serve to limit access to veterans who need it the most.
Why This Policy Benefits Audiologists—Not Veterans
So why does the VA insist on excluding Hearing Instrument Specialists? The answer lies in lobbying. Audiologists, backed by influential associations, have pushed to keep hearing aid services exclusive to their profession, building a monopoly that benefits no one but themselves. By cornering the market, they have successfully limited competition, driving up costs and reducing access for veterans.
It’s no secret that audiologists can charge more for their services. By maintaining their exclusive control over hearing aid testing and dispensing, they ensure that they can dictate the cost of care, with little regard for the financial burden this places on veterans and the VA budget. Meanwhile, HIS, who are equally skilled and licensed, could provide the same services at a lower cost, increasing affordability and access for veterans.
Expanding Access to Hearing Care: The Role of Hearing Instrument Specialists
Veterans, especially those living in rural areas or inner cities, often face long wait times or travel distances just to see an audiologist. Audiologists tend to concentrate in larger cities or more affluent areas, leaving underserved communities without adequate access to care. By allowing HIS to test, fit, and dispense hearing aids, the VA could bring affordable, quality hearing care to these veterans.
In areas where audiologists are not present, HIS could step in to fill the gap, providing essential services to veterans who would otherwise go without. This would also help ease the strain on the overburdened VA system by spreading the workload across a larger pool of qualified professionals.
Reducing Costs: A Smarter Solution for the VA and Veterans
Expanding the role of Hearing Instrument Specialists within the VA isn’t just about increasing access—it's also about reducing costs. The VA spends a significant amount of money on hearing care, and allowing HIS to provide services would introduce competition into the marketplace, driving down the cost of testing, fitting, and dispensing hearing aids. Veterans would not only have more options but would also likely pay less for their devices.
The VA claims it wants to provide the best care for veterans while controlling costs. But if that were truly the case, they would allow HIS to play a larger role in providing hearing care. HIS could offer the same services at lower prices, making hearing aids more affordable and accessible for veterans who need them most.
The Time for Change is Now
The VA’s current policy is outdated and deeply unfair to both veterans and Hearing Instrument Specialists. It’s time for the VA to stop catering to the lobbyists of the audiology industry and start prioritizing the needs of veterans. HIS are highly capable, trained professionals who are more than qualified to test, fit, and dispense hearing aids. By allowing them to do so within the VA system, the agency could expand access to care, reduce costs, and ensure that no veteran is left behind due to geography or financial hardship.
For the sake of veterans everywhere, the VA must rethink its credentialing practices and open the door to HIS. Audiologists don’t have a monopoly on hearing care—and it’s time the VA recognized that.
