State Rep. Samantha Steckloff (D-Farmington Hills) speaks in support of House Bills 4944 and 4966 on the House Floor in the Michigan Capitol Building on Dec. 3, 2024.
LANSING, Mich., Dec. 3, 2024 — The Michigan House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation to make hearing aids for children more affordable. House Bill 4963, sponsored by state Rep. Samantha Steckloff (D-Farmington Hills), and House Bill 4944, sponsored by state Rep. Dale Zorn (R-Cambridge), require insurers to cover hearing aids for kids up to 19 years old. The bills arose from the “Let My Child Hear” initiative, which seeks to expand hearing loss treatment to children across the state without burdening families with high costs. In celebration of her bill’s passage, Steckloff issued the following statement:
“No child deserves to live with untreated hearing loss, especially when we have the tools to make their lives and learning easier. Even mild hearing loss affects kids’ ability to learn. Research shows kids with poor hearing struggle to achieve literacy, a skill essential to lifelong academic achievement.
“But hearing aids are expensive, barring thousands of parents from getting their kids the essential tools they need to learn, read and achieve. This legislation stands up for Michigan’s kids and parents to deliver affordable care to every child, so they can get back to learning with ease. I am proud to see my bill to make hearing aids more affordable for Michigan’s families pass the House.”
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