Transcript SHARP02252015 - RESNA Catalyst Project

Statewide Hearing Aid Assistance
& Reuse Program (SHARP)
Jimmy Brown
KATS Network
02/25/2015
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Who helps to fund hearing aids?
(in Kentucky)
• Senate Bill 152 (2002) – requires insurance
providers to cover hearing aids and related
services up to $1,400/ear every 36 mos up to age
18
• KY Commission for Children w/ Special Health
Care Needs (CCSHCN) – Audiology services up to
21yo
• Medicaid – pays for hearing aids up to age 21.
Also covered under Supports for Community
Living (SCL) and Consumer Directed Option
(CDO).
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Who helps to fund hearing aids?
• Vocational Rehabilitation – Hearing Aids and
related services for those seeking or maintaining
employment
• KY AT Loan Corporation – AFP program, provides
low interest (4.5%) loans for purchase of AT.
(Hearing aids typically 3 yr loans).
• Lexington Lions Club Hearing Aid Distribution
Program – Residents of Fayette County, KY –
Shares cost of Hear Now application or purchase
one (1) new hearing aid.
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Lexington Lions Club Hearing Aid
Distribution Program
• Funded at $12,000/yr by Lexington Lions Club
• Partnered with a single local Audiologist
• Shares cost of Hear Now application fee
(currently $125/hearing aid) with applicant, OR
• Purchase one (1) new hearing aid per individual.
• Currently works with 30-40 individuals/yr
• Collects used hearing aids, which are sent to
Starkey All Make Repair Program for cash credit.
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Hear Now
• Application based Charitable program – Starkey
Hearing Foundation
• Program of Last Resort
• Provides BTE and RIC hearing aids
• Hearing Health Professional (HHP) waives fees for
fitting and follow-up for first year, can charge for initial
evaluation
• Funds 8-9,000 applicants per year (capacity to serve
20-25k/yr)
• Refundable application fee ($125/HA)
• MSRP – approx $5,000/HA
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SHARP
Using the Lexington Lions program as a Model,
SHARP will:
1. Collect used hearing aids statewide
2. Provide Information & Referral services to help
identify potential funding sources, locate peer
counseling, other related AT needs, etc.
3. Provide financial assistance to Hear Now
applicants, and
4. Reconditioned hearing aids through Starkey All
Make Repair Program.
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SHARP
• Statewide HA workgroup
– KATS Network, OVR, Office for the Blind,
Commission for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing, KY
School for the Deaf, Hearing Loss Association,
Lexington Lions Club, HHP’s, Individuals w/
Hearing Loss
• Expect to be fully operational by early-mid
March
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Collecting Used Hearing Aids
• Used HA’s sent directly to KATS coordinating
center
• KATS can provide SASE (padded) to send in
HA’s – or can be dropped off at any VR office,
IL center, or KATS regional office.
• HA’s only – no batteries, cases, manuals,
brushes, etc.
• All makes, all models, any condition
• Donation receipt provided upon request
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Collecting Used Hearing Aids
• KATS/SHARP has account set up with Starkey
• HA’s sent to Starkey for their All Make Repair
Program
• KATS/SHARP receives a cash credit for donated
HA’s
– 183 HA’s sent in – received $2,247 credit
– Cash credit can be used to supplement SHARP
program/reconditioned hearing aids.
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Collecting Used Hearing Aids
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Information & Referral
• Help individuals identify existing funding sources
– SHARP not to replace existing programs
• Locate peer counseling services
• Provide literature – “Tips for new hearing aid
users”, “What to ask your Hearing Health
Professional”, etc.
• Identify related AT – ex: Telecommunications
Access Program (TAP), iCanConnect, etc.
• Report federally as part of standard I&R services
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Financial Assistance w/ Hear Now
• SHARP will pay application fee for Hear Now
applicants in KY
– receive monthly invoice from Hear Now.
• Helps identify/locate HHP who will work with
Hear Now (HHP’s not obligated to serve set
number of applicants; SHARP will not refer to
HHP w/o their permission)
• HHP or applicant can contact SHARP to receive
authorization code to submit with application.
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Financial Assistance w/ Hear Now
• Report federally as State Financing (last resort)
Activity that provides consumers with resources
and services that result in the acquisition of AT
devices and Services
–
–
–
–
–
County of Residence (RUCC)
Type and Dollar Amount of AT funded
Anecdote
Performance Measure
Customer Satisfaction
• As of 2/9/2015 – SHARP has assisted four (4)
Hear Now applicants
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Reconditioned Hearing Aids
• HA’s reconditioned by Starkey All Make Repair
Program
• SHARP provides $250 to Starkey per reuse activity
– can utilize cash credit received from donated HA’s
• Must be prescribed/authorized by HHP
• SHARP places order for reconditioned HA’s (at
HHP’s specs) – delivered to HHP
• HHP can select from current inventory of
reconditioned HA’s available through Starkey All
Make Repair Program
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Reconditioned Hearing Aids
• All reconditioned HA’s include 1 yr warranty
• Individual responsible for:
– Any amount over $250 for reconditioned hearing
aids
– Cost of initial evaluation
– Cost of fitting, follow-ups, cleanings, etc.
• Report federally as part of standard reuse
activity
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SHARP GOALS (Sustainability)
• KATS will fund SHARP for 2 years ($30k/yr)
• Transition funding for SHARP to Lions Club(s)
statewide (or other statewide non-profit)
– Minimal investment (financial or time) required
per chapter
– KATS can still provide oversight of program, or
transition to Lions (or other NP/CBO)
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Lessons Learned
• Paying application fee for Hear Now opens door
for HHP’s to charge more for initial evaluation
• Aside from HHP’s having to volunteer services for
Hear Now – lack of patient follow-up cited by
HHP’s in regards to reluctance to participate with
Hear Now (or source of bad experience with Hear
Now in past).
• As with any reuse collection effort – people will
send in anything/everything they can get away
with.
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Questions?
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Thank You!
KATS Network
Statewide Hearing Aid Assistance & Reuse Program
(800) 327-5287
www.katsnet.org/sharp
Jimmy Brown – [email protected]
Jerry Wheatley – [email protected]
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