In this issue, we update you on hearing aid insurance coverage, share our new webpage on captions, get inspired by an Olympian with hearing loss, and more.
Our Hearing Loss Community Day Is
April 25, 2026
Hearing Loss Community Day:
Take Charge of Your Hearing Loss
Plan to join new and old friends when we gather to learn how advocacy, support, and technology can help us hear better in more places. Includes hands-on learning.
Town Hall Seattle
Saturday, April 25, 9:30 am to 2:45 pm
Complementary lunch included
Stay tuned for registration information very soon — an RSVP will be required.
This event is what we used to call the HLAA-WA Annual Meeting.
Upcoming Panel Discussion Honors Our Black Deaf Community
We join the Washington State Association of the Deaf and ODHH in celebrating Black Hard-of-Hearing and Deaf communities, especially during Black History Month.
Join Earnest Covington, Rhonda Cochran, and Tyrone Victor Moore, star Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing advocates, at a panel discussion and chat on Wednesday, February 25, 6:00 – 7:30 pm.
Earnest is Division Director at ODHH, Rhonda Cochran is a playwright and Deaf advocate, and Tyrone is the creator of the Black DeafVillage group on Facebook and a descendant of a freed slave family.
Will My Insurance Pay for Hearing Aids in Washington State?
Hearing aids can be expensive, but yes, sometimes your insurance will help pay.
We take a look at what insurance covers, what it doesn’t, what the limitations are, and where you can find more information in our latest blog post.
Captions 101: What You Need to Know
How do you hire a CART captioner for an event? What exactly is CART, anyway? Can I get captions on my landline or my smartphone?
Find the answers to these questions and more on our new Captions webpage. And we’re working on a guide specifically for caption apps for phones and tablets, so stay tuned and check back regularly.
What are we missing? Let us know what you’d like to know about captions: webmaster@hearingloss-wa.org.
National Hearing Loss News
Street Signs Help Hard-of-Hearing and Deaf Kids in Nanaimo, BC
Safety is never a small thing, especially when you’re a kid. Maybe especially when you’re a kid with a cochlear implant.
After advocacy from families, one neighborhood in British Columbia now has signs letting drivers know to slow down and take it easy.
What does your community need to be safer and more accessible to people who have hearing loss or who are Deaf? Tell us in comments or: webmaster@hearingloss-wa.org.
An Olympian Ice Dancer from Georgia Has Hearing Loss
Diana Davis is representing Georgia in the Olympics this month — that is, Georgia the country, not Georgia the American state. She began losing her hearing at age two due to an incorrect dose of antibiotics, she says. She struggled wearing hearing aids in school, and became shy.
But she can still hear music, though not always the words. And she wants to encourage others to not be afraid to try sports “and not to listen to those who try to limit them.”
Reclaiming Singing After a Hearing Loss
Kerry Roberts grew up in a musical family, but when he was six years old, he began losing his hearing. By then, music was already a big part of him, and he refused to give that up.
Later in life, he got his first pair of hearing aids, then a cochlear implant. Today, he sings, “whether the notes land perfectly or drift off course.”
We really enjoyed his story, “Defying the Silence, Making Music Mine Again,” in Hearing Health & Technology Matters.
A New Way for People with Low Vision or Blindness to Enjoy Sports
While this technology isn’t designed for people with hearing loss, it’s so cool that we wanted to share it anyway.
People who are blind or who have low vision can experience a basketball game via haptics, or vibrations, and audio description via this new in-arena device called OneCourt.
Early Bird Registration for the Convention Ends on March 16, 2026
Have you registered for the HLAA convention yet? This year, the convention is in Louisville, Kentucky, June 10-12, 2026.
Veterans receive free convention registration. Early bird pricing for other attendees is $425 for an individual or $175 for a student. The day rate is just $200.
If you plan to attend, let us know so we can say hello.
Hearing Loss Support Meetings
Local, Online Support for Everyone with
Hearing Loss: March 4, 2026
Need HOPE and support for your hearing loss? You’re warmly invited to come our online hearing loss support meeting: 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 to their friends and family.
HOPE meets the first Wednesday of each month at 4:00 pm.
Local, In-Person Support for Your Hearing Loss
- March 13, 2026, 1:00 pm, Renton
Renton Support Group
Our Renton Hearing Loss Support Group meets the second Friday of each month at the Renton Senior Activity Center, 211 Burnett Avenue North. Looped, open to everyone, and free. Simply check in at the front desk. - March 21, 9:30 – 11:30, Bellingham
HLAA-Northwest Washington Chapter
This month: “Overcoming Hearing Hurdles: Pooling Problems & Solutions,” a panel featuring Jerry Finkbonner.
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 for Veterans with Hearing Loss
March 17, 2026, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Pacific time
Veterans Across America Virtual Chapter Meeting
The national HLAA office has a virtual chapter dedicated to veterans with hearing loss. They meet online every third Tuesday of the month, and everyone is welcome.
Meet with veterans from across the county to talk about issues related to veterans and hearing loss. Caregivers and family members of veterans are welcome to attend. Free and captioned.
National Online Support for Parents of Kids with Hearing Loss
February 25, 2026, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Pacific time
Hear Together: Parents of Children with Hearing Loss
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.
Toastmasters Online for People with Hearing Loss
Need a boost in confidence? Some friendly coaching to improve your speaking skills?
If so, you might like to join the Audible Talkers Toastmasters, which is specifically designed for people with hearing loss. This friendly group meets twice a month, online via Zoom, the first and third Mondays from 6-7:15 pm Arizona time. Their next meeting is March 2, 2026.
Access the meeting at zoom.audibletalkerstoastmasters.com. Questions? Contact Christy Abrams (c.abrams@acdhh.az.gov) or Harry Wolfe (hwolfeaz@gmail.com).
Hearing Access Technology
What Does Auracast Sound Like in a Theater?
In the Marriott Theater just outside Chicago, Auracast AND a hearing loop are available to help people hear better. In this video, Andrew Bellavia tries the new system and talks about it with theatergoers and theater staff in this YouTube video.
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.