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Effect of Hearing Aid Insurance Coverage Requirements for Adults on Utilization

Award Number: R01DC019661
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2026

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Effect of Hearing Aid Insurance Coverage Requirements for Adults on Utilization - Effect of Hearing Aid Insurance Coverage Requirements for Adults on Utilization Abstract Hearing loss affects 23% of those aged 12 and older in the U.S. More than 2/3 of U.S. adults over the age of 70 have significant hearing loss. The most efficacious management option for most individuals with hearing loss is the use of hearing aids (i.e., a small removable electronic device that is worn in or behind the ear to amplify sound), which can improve communication and quality of life. Hearing aids are generally not covered by insurance and about 86% of hearing loss cases go untreated. However, Medicaid provides hearing aid benefits in 28 states and 8 states require private insurance benefits for at least some adults. These coverage requirements may improve hearing aid uptake by reducing costs as a barrier. The long-term goal of our research agenda is to understand the effects of improving hearing on health. Specifically, the objective of our current application is to use quasi-experimental (e.g., difference-in-differences) evaluation methods to estimate the effect of coverage requirements in Medicaid and private insurance plans on hearing aid use. We will use high quality, reproducible Anthem private insurance claims data, National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data, Medicaid claims-linked NHIS data, and Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) data to study: (i) the effect of state private insurance coverage requirements for hearing aids on beneficiary hearing aid purchasing and out-of-pocket payments in fully-insured health insurance plans; (ii) the effect of Medicaid and private insurance coverage requirements on use of hearing aids in the NHIS, and Medicaid coverage requirements in the Medicaid-linked NHIS and MCBS (for dual-eligibles); and (iii) the effect of private and Medicaid requirements by demographic group. Our project is significant by focusing on high rates of untreated hearing loss; by estimating the effects of state implementation of private and public insurance coverage requirements on hearing aid adoption among U.S. adults (which provides evidence for the effects of pending national legislation); and by providing evidence on whether hearing aid coverage requirements improve well- documented disparities in hearing aid use for males, racial/ethnic minorities, and lower-educated individuals. Our project is innovative by being the first to use quasi-experimental difference-in-differences methods (which can provide causal evidence) for hearing health care research, including newer methods accounting for heterogeneous treatment effects; leveraging powerful sources of currently under-used data to study hearing health care access and utilization; constructing detailed coverage requirement data through original policy research that we will make available publicly. The research team includes experts in clinical audiology, health economics, advanced statistical modeling, insurance claims data, and health policy. The proposed project will have a positive impact because addressing system barriers to affordable and accessible hearing health care has the potential to reduce disparities and increase use.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $486,347 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SYSTEM	121 UNIVERSITY HALL	COLUMBIA	MO	65211	BOONE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	002	4	4/1/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$411,858
2024	2023	UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SYSTEM	121 UNIVERSITY HALL	COLUMBIA	MO	65211	BOONE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	3	1/30/2024	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$324,375
2024	2023	GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC	58 EDGEWOOD AVE NE	ATLANTA	GA	30303	FULTON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	2	1/29/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$249,886
2024	2023	UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI SYSTEM	121 UNIVERSITY HALL	COLUMBIA	MO	65211	BOONE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	005	3	6/25/2024	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$267,664
2024	2023	GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC	58 EDGEWOOD AVE NE	ATLANTA	GA	30303	FULTON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	004	2	6/25/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$178,491
2024	2022	GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC	58 EDGEWOOD AVE NE	ATLANTA	GA	30303	FULTON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	003	1	6/25/2024	NEW	-$89,173
														Subtotal = $486,347

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $428,377 )
2023	2023	GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC	58 EDGEWOOD AVE NE	ATLANTA	GA	30303	FULTON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	2	3/15/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$428,377
														Subtotal = $428,377

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $561,251 )
2022	2022	GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.	58 EDGEWOOD AVE NE 3RD FL	ATLANTA	GA	30303	FULTON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	2/25/2022	NEW	$561,251
														Subtotal = $561,251

Grand Total All Awards = $1,475,975

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Effect of Hearing Aid Insurance Coverage Requirements for Adults on Utilization

Award Number: R01DC019661

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2026

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