Each May, we join the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in raising awareness about hearing loss during Better Hearing and Speech Month. The theme for 2023 is ‘Building a Strong Foundation.’ Untreated hearing loss can increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, depression, social isolation and injury-causing falls. That’s why discovering and treating hearing loss is a critical building block for good overall health.
Better Hearing and Speech Month presents a golden opportunity for your organization to share important facts about hearing health and resources with members, including the impact of hearing loss on overall health and the advantages of early intervention.
It’s also an ideal time to evaluate your hearing benefit. How well does it meet the needs of your members? Does it enable them to effectively, affordably and conveniently address their hearing loss? For your organization, does the hearing benefit deliver the highest possible return on investment (ROI) and a competitive advantage?
Following is a list of suggested attributes to use when gauging a prospective hearing health care partner and its hearing benefit:
- Ownership — independently owned and operated, not tied to any manufacturer
- Product choice — access to all major brands of hearing aids, ensuring a precise fit to each member’s needs and preferences
- Member experience — an exceptional member experience at every juncture of the hearing care journey, delivering education, engagement and support to improve member health, communication and the overall member experience. Plus, a strong commitment to obtaining member feedback via a nationally recognized survey tool (e.g. CG-CAHPS), and utilizing it to make continuous improvements
- Pricing — substantial discounts on hearing aids, plus transparent pricing that includes essential items such as aftercare, product warranty and batteries or a charger
- Convenience — hearing health care services close to members as a result of an extensive natiowide network of providers
- Quality care — a strong commitment to ongoing provider education, standardized clinical protocols, medical necessity reviews, URAC accreditation in utilization management and a uniform provider reimbursement rate, ensuring providers focus on high-quality clinical service delivery, not technology tier of hearing aid sold
- Compliance, privacy and security — HIPAA-compliant protocols; SOC 2 Type 1 and 2; quality assurance; and strong cybersecurity protecting member data
- Innovation and continuous improvement — virtual hearing services and tools designed to increase access to care, hearing aid usage, convenience and long-term satisfaction in addition to programs to support overseas travelers with issues such as lost or damaged hearing aids
This year you can make Better Hearing and Speech Month a turning point for your members — helping them lay the groundwork for better hearing and overall health. With the right hearing benefit, you’ll also support the ability of your organization to attract and retain members. At Amplifon Hearing Health Care, we’re ready to help you meet each of these important objectives.
