Chime

Lobbying Organisation Chime

Date published 07 Sep, 2018

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 May, 2018 to 31 Aug, 2018

Specific Details Treatment Benefit Scheme Hearing Aid Grant

Intended results Only one in seven people who do not have a medical card but have a significant hearing loss have got hearing aids, compared to one in three medical card holders. We requested a meeting with the Minister to seek changes to the hearing aid grant to support more people to access treatment for their hearing loss at an earlier stage. People with untreated hearing loss (presently 250,000 adults) are at much greater risk of cognitive decline, depression and social isolation.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Brendan Lennon

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (1)

DeafHear sought a meeting with the Minister to seek changes in the Treatment Benefit Hearing Aid grant. Only one in seven of those who could benefit from the grant have done so, because the grant is presently inadequate. In particular we sought changes that would provide a larger grant to people getting hearing aids for the first time to encourage people to act earlier and improve their health and wellbeing and in turn reduce their risk of comorbidities.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Regina Doherty Minister (Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection)