Please support Ally’s Act and make it the law!

Ally’s Act, H.R. 2439 and S. 1135 are bipartisan/bicameral national level bills that were reintroduced on March 30th, 2023 ensuring that private insurance companies cover bone anchored hearing systems (BAHS) and cochlear implant systems (CI) for both children and adults from birth to age 64, including services, upgrades, surgery and associated costs that come along with these hearing devices. If Ally’s Act becomes the law, this bill would help hundreds of thousands of children and adults have access to life changing treatment, allowing them to live the lives they dream, participate in the workplace and community and enjoy a high quality of life. These implantable hearing systems give children and adults their lives back! Press release.

Ally’s Act was proudly sponsored and introduced by Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO) in 2019 after receiving a letter from Constituent Ally Tumblin when she asked him to help her advocate to hear better. Ally’s Act has been reintroduced and we want Ally’s Act to pass! However, we need everyone’s help in every state! We are honored and grateful to have such an incredible leadership team supporting this bipartisan legislation that every state would benefit from. Our leadership team includes our bill’s Sponsor, Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO), our bill’s proud co-Sponsors Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA), including our Senate Leads, Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.VA) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MASS).

* Private insurers often deny coverage for these medically necessary specialized hearing devices that can help give children and adults the opportunity to hear. In fact, bone anchored hearing devices and cochlear implants are often the only hearing devices these individuals can benefit from when traditional hearing aids cannot help specific hearing loss types. It would cost private insurers less than .27 cents per person/per year to cover these hearing device systems and their services under Ally’s Act. That’s .02 cents per person/per month! This cost is based off of total sales of all brands of these hearing devices in the US. Ally’s Act would help hundreds of thousands of people!

Here is a video that will help you understand what Ally’s Act is and how to advocate for this bill:

IMPORTANT ADVOCACY DATES:
Advocacy Push Months:
March – September 2024 We are encouraging everyone to write letters and make calls during during the rest of this session, asking your Congressmen and Senators to co-sponsor Ally’s Act, H.R. 2439 and S. 1135! * Please include a picture of your child or adult in your personal letter who wears these hearing devices!
Fly-Ins on Capitol Hill in DC:
May 6th-10th, 2024 We are asking for everyone to make calls, write letters and schedule appointments in person to meet with your Congressmen and Senators during this week and leading up to this week! Offices book out by weeks! You can also meet locally with your lawmakers if you cannot make it to DC.
* Please include a picture of your child or adult in your personal letter who wears these hearing devices!

During March – September 2024, please call the Congressmen and Senators listed on the below images:
Click on the following link to print or access email links on document:
Allys Act HR2439 and S1135 contact list

CBS News Clip, Channel 4 Denver (2020)

Ally Tumblin, co-Founder of Ear Community, wrote to Congressman Neguse asking him to help her advocate for hearing better and he listened! Congressman Neguse got right to work introducing this bill to fix the issue. He titled the bill “Ally’s Act” in her honor.
Senator Elizabeth Warren Thanks Ally for Inspiring Ally’s Act

Fox31 News Clip Denver (2021)
NBC News Clip, Channel 9News Denver (2021)
NBC News Clip, Channel 9News Denver (2023)
NBC News Clip, Channel 9News Denver (2020)
Good Morning America Article on Ally’s Act (2021)
CNN Article on Ally’s Act (2021)
*** Scroll down for more videos on families denied insurance coverage for these hearing devices ***

Calling all families, teachers, medical professionals and advocates! Please write letters, make calls and meet with your Representatives in Congress and the Senate. Ask them to co-sponsor Ally’s Act!

Scroll down for boiler plate template letters and call scripts that you can use when writing to your local Congressmen, Congresswomen and Senators asking your Representatives to support and co-sponsor Ally’s Act, H.R. 2439 and S. 1135. Personalizing letters with your own story/struggle to get a bone anchored hearing device or cochlear implant are important!

You can find out who your local Congress representative is at the following link here.
You can find out who your local Senate representative is at the following link here.

Print the following Ally’s Act 1-pager and list of endorsers and mail this with the letters to your representatives. * Please include a picture of your child or adult in your personal letter who wears these hearing devices!
Allys Act 1-pager for 118th session

: Ally’s Act H.R. 2439 / S. 1135 1-pager

Example boilerplate template letters:
Template Allys Act Letter for Congress
Template Allys Act Letter for Senator
Allys Act Teacher Audiologist Template
Medical Professional Template
Allys Act endorsement letter

List of Ally’s Act Endorsers
Allys Act 118th PR list of endorsers 3.30.23

Example call script to a local representative
Call script to Congressmens office
Call script to Senators office

Here are some helpful media kit images that can be used when sharing on social media about Ally’s Act, H.R. 2439 and S. 1135:

: Ally’s Act H.R. 2439 / S. 1135 1-pager

IMPORTANT:
Ally’s Act has been assigned to (4) committees now. You must also write to the members of your state who sit on each one of these committees. If you do not find a rep from your state on each committee,
please write to the Chairman or Ranking Member of that committee.

1. This is the link to the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
2. This is the link to the Education and the Workforce.
3. This is the link to the Energy and Commerce Committee.
4. This is the link to the Ways and Means Committee.

You can also sign our petition here!

Ally’s Act would provide the following for every state:
1. Coverage for a BAHA or CI device.
2. Upgrade replacement of these hearing devices every 5 years
3. Cover accessories including soft band headband, hard band and adhesives.
4. Cover repairs for these devices
5. Cover (1) hearing assessment per year
6. Cover (1) preoperative assessment per year
7. Cover implantation surgery
8. Cover post-operative medical appointments
9. Cover post-operative audiological appointments for fittings, programming and activation
10.Provide aural services related to the use of this device.
Ally’s Act Bill Text
* You may also follow the status of Ally’s Act as it moves through Congress and the Senate at the bill links above.

Previous bill numbers for Ally’s Act:
116th Session H.R. 4585/S. 4532 (2019-2020)
117th Session H.R. 477/S. 41) (2021-2022)

Additional questions about Ally’s Act, H.R. & S.? Contact us via e-mail at: EarCommunity@gmail.com)

More information on Ally’s Act in the press:
“Broomfield girl inspires hearing aid legislation”

Broomfield Enterprise
Boulder Daily Camera

Additional advocacy news clips about Ally’s Act, H.R. and S.

Ally’s Act WCHSTV, channel 8 news clip