Objective: To examine the landscape of federal legislative efforts aimed at improving access to hearing healthcare services and technologies in the United States from 2003-2024.

Methods: A comprehensive review of bills related to hearing healthcare introduced in the U.S. Congress was conducted using data from Congress.gov. Bills were analyzed for their goals, target populations (e.g., general, children, veterans, Medicare beneficiaries), status, sponsorship, and committee referrals. Descriptive statistics were used to identify trends in legislative activity.

Results: Between 2003 and 2024, there were 74 bills introduced to address various aspects of hearing healthcare access. Of the bills introduced, only 4 became law. A recurring theme was the introduction of tax credits for hearing aids (n=16), particularly in the earlier years (2003-2011). There was also consistent focus to expand coverage under Medicare to include hearing aids and related services (n=18) and a significant number of bills aimed at improving early hearing detection and intervention programs for children (n=15), as well as those aimed at improving hearing services for veterans (n=11). Bills targeting children and veterans were more likely to pass. A majority of the bills were sponsored by Democratic representatives (65%).

Conclusion: This analysis reveals a sustained congressional interest in addressing hearing loss and improving access to hearing healthcare. While many bills have been introduced, few have been enacted into law. Future research should examine the barriers to policy implementation and the potential impact of proposed legislation on public health outcomes.