Current Missouri law does not provide hearing aids or cochlear implants to low-income adults on Medicaid. The state House of Representatives has passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Cameron Parker, R-Campbell, that would could the cost of the hearing devices for adults receiving the government healthcare.
“We have hearing loss in a certain group of folks, and I think with this, it’ll help lots of Missourians. There’s a backlog of people that are unable to get these hearing instruments and cochlear implants,” said Parker. “If we can move this forward, we will affect those people.”
Parker sponsored similar legislation last year.
“If they have their independence, because they’re able to hear they can go back to work,” she said.
House Bill 177 is supported by all House Democrats, including Rep. Jo Doll, D-St. Louis.
“How many people in this body have hearing aids,” asked Doll. “It’s a lot, and we know that those hearing aids provide an increased quality of life for the people that need them and have them. So, I would encourage you to vote yes on this bill and make sure that everybody in Missouri can access the same devices that we have.”
The next stop for the measure is the Missouri Senate, where lawmakers there will decide what they want to do with the bill.
Last year, Parker’s legislation was close to the finish line. Due to Missouri Senate Republican infighting, many bills died in 2024.
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