In this issue, we connect you to ways to pay for hearing aids, encourage you to speak up and speak out when you need help hearing, salute our veterans, and more.
Help Us Plan Community Day for 2027
We know it’s a little early, but we’re planning our next Community Day for 2027. And we need your input.
This year’s event brought us together for a day of learning, connecting, and exploring hearing technology and resources. What would you like to see next year? Are there topics you’d like to learn about, speakers you’d like to hear, or activities and demonstrations you’d enjoy?
We’d love to hear your ideas. Reply to us in the comments below, or email us: webmaster@hearingloss-wa.org.
We’re Doing More Outreach to Audiologists
Our president Cheri Perazzoli recently wrote this article for our friends at Seattle Hearing & Balance. The article is part of our ongoing outreach to audiologists across the Pacific Northwest.
At HLAA-WA, we hope to be the help and resources for people with hearing loss after they leave the audiologist’s office. Hearing loss doesn’t come with a roadmap, but we’re here to help you navigate every step of the way.
How Do I Pay for My Hearing Aids?
Hearing aids can be expensive. But there are many options that might help you pay for them.
- Washington State Apple Health (Medicaid)
- Medicare Advantage Plans
- Some private health insurers in Washington State
- Foundations and nonprofits like the Northwest Lions, Miracle Ear Foundation, and the Frink Foundation
- Many more!
We regularly update our financial help for hearing aids page. It’s the most-visited page on our website, so we strive to share as many current resources as we can find. Please check back regularly.
Hearing-Friendly Entertainment:
Federal Way Performing Arts & Event Center
(FWPAEC)
Federal Way has a very cool LOOPED venue. The FWPAEC offers interesting arts and other programming throughout the year.
Coming up….
- Arts 4 Youth: Wind in the Willows, November 10, 2026
- Swan Lake by the World Ballet Company, November 12, 2026
- Take it to the Limit (Eagles Tribute Band), November 16, 2026
- Sisters Christmas Catechism, November 21, 2026
- Annual PAEC Holiday Festival, November 28, 2026
Venue Wins or Room to Improve? Tell HLAA-WA!
If you attend one of these or any hearing-friendly event, will you please let us know? We’d like to hear if the hearing loop worked for you, if you could see the captions clearly from your seat, and if there’s anything the venue could do better. Comment below or email us: webmster@hearingloss-wa.org.
National Hearing Loss News & Events
Honoring Our Veterans on Veterans Day and All Year Round
Hearing loss is common among those who serve in our armed forces, affecting nearly three million servicemembers. Explosions, gunfire, traumatic brain injuries, and PTSD are common contributors to hearing loss.
To help and support our servicepeople, HLAA offers many services for veterans, including a dedicated virtual support group, free first-year membership, and free attendance at your first national convention.
How One Law Helps People with Hearing Loss Sixteen Years Later
Way back in 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) into law.
Among other things, the CVAA required that TVs, phones, tablets, and computers were required to show closed captions.
Read more in this Substack article from Neil Snyder. We also encourage you to subscribe to Neil’s Substack. Neil is a longtime hearing loss advocate and the leader of a new nonprofit, Americans for Hearing and Communications.
Hearing Aids Can Help Kids Learn
Even mild hearing loss can put kids at risk, but speech and language development can be improved when a child’s hearing loss is treated.
You may remember the campaign to get kids’ hearing aids covered by insurance here in Washington State, passed in 2023 with help from Hugo Esterhay’s testimony. We were proud to support this work.
Today, in Washington State, Apple Health (Medicaid) and many private health insurance plans pay for children’s hearing aids. Parents might also be able to get hearing aid help for their child under a 504, IDEA, or IEP plan. Be sure to ask.
Finally, HLAA offers many tools, resources, and support groups to help kids with hearing loss.
Is It OK to Interrupt When You Need Hearing Access? Absolutely.
Captions sometimes disappear. Or they get too far behind for you to follow. Or the sound drops out. Suddenly, access isn’t access anymore.
Should you speak up when those things happen?
Yes!
We really like this video from Katherine S. Rybak from HearingOutLoud.net. She explains an experience she had where people with hearing loss really did speak up — and everyone benefited.
Hearing Technology News
Assistive Listening Systems Featured in the Fall 2026 Hearing Life Magazine
The Fall 2026 issue of Hearing Life magazine has several good articles on assistive listening. Here are some articles we recommend — though we always learn a lot from this magazine.
- The Americans with Disabilities Act and Assistive Listening in Places of Public Accommodation explains how the ADA ensures you can here in many places.
- How to Get the Best Assistive Listening Experience is an excellent guide on how to connect, what to ask, what works where, and more.
- Auracast Gains Ground in Next-Generation Listening Accessibility – Andrew Bellavia explores the expansion of Auracast to more and more places–400 venues in the U.S.
Five Hearing Aid Manufacturers Now Offer Auracast-Supported Hearing Aids
Hearing aid manufacturers Sonova, Demant, GN, WS Audiology, and Starkey all offer hearing aids that will allow you to connect with Auracast assistive listening systems.
Sound Preferences Can Help With Hearing Aid Adoption
People with similar audiograms can have really different experiences with hearing aids. How a hearing aid processes sound can affect how well we hear and how satisfied we are with our hearing aids, according to a recent study.
In the study, patients compared sound designs across five listening scenarios. Then they discussed their experiences with their audiologist.
Hat-tip to Carolyn Odio for this interesting report in Hearing Health & Technology Matters. Watch a video discussing this idea on This Week in Hearing‘s YouTube channel.
Hearing Loss Support Meetings
Local, In-Person Support for Hearing Loss: Renton, Washington
November 13, 2026 | 1:00 pm
Our Renton Support Group meets the second Friday of each month. We’re meeting temporarily at the Renton Community Center, 1715 Maple Valley Hwy, Renton, Washington, until we can resume meeting at the Renton Senior Center, which is currently closed for renovations.
No registration necessary. Free.
Local, Online Support for Hearing Loss: HOPE
November 4, 2026 | 4:00 pm Pacific
Need HOPE and support for your hearing loss? You’re warmly invited to come our online hearing loss support meeting. We call this group HOPE: Hearing Other People’s Experiences.
Facilitated by a caring, compassionate team, these monthly virtual meetings are free, live-captioned, and open to everyone with hearing loss and their friends and family.
HOPE meets the first Wednesday of each month at 4:00 pm via Zoom.
Local, In-Person Support for Hearing Loss: Bellingham – Northwest Washington
November 21, 2026 | 9:30 – Noon Pacific, Bellingham
HLAA-Northwest Washington Chapter
November’s program: Travel Tips to Clear the Route Ahead (HLAA Voice of Experience.)
The HLAA-NWWA chapter meets the third Saturday of the month at Christ the Servant Church, 2600 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham, Washington. Looped, captioned, and free. Open to all, including friends and family.
National Online Support Group for Parents of Kids with Genetic Hearing Loss
November 19, 2026 | 9:30 am Pacific
A genetic hearing loss can bring an added layer of questions, emotions, and decisions for families. This welcoming virtual group gives parents an opportunity to connect, share experiences, ask questions, and learn from experts and from one another.
National Online Support for Parents and Caregivers of Kids with Hearing Loss
November 18, 2026 | 5:00 pm Pacific
Led by a speech-language pathologist and an audiologist, this virtual national parents’ support group is designed to connect families and provide resources and support. The group meets regularly on the third Wednesday of the month, with the meeting moved to the fourth Wednesday in February only.
National Online Support for Veterans with Hearing Loss
November 17, 2026 | 5:00 pm Pacific
The national HLAA office has a virtual chapter dedicated to veterans with hearing loss: the Veterans Across America Virtual Chapter Meeting (VVAVC) They meet online every third Tuesday of the month, and everyone is welcome, including friends, family, and caregivers of veterans.
Free and captioned.
Stay Involved with HLAA and HLAA-WA
We’re glad you’re part of our community.
What more can you do to support people with hearing loss?
The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) and HLAA-WA do not endorse specific products or services,
but educate and advocate for a range of assistive technology options to help people with
hearing loss understand, connect, and stay engaged in their lives.
As an all-volunteer run organization, 100% of every dollar donated is directed to our programs. HLAA-WA is an IRS non-profit 501(c)(3) organization; all donations are tax-deductible as allowed by relevant IRS code.