About Hearing Industries Association:
The Hearing Industries Association (HIA) is an association whose membership is primarily manufacturers of hearing aids (the rest are manufacturers of components, assistive listening devices, and hearing aid batteries as well as industry publications). Links to members' websites are on the members/About Us page.
HIA Website Features:
The HIA website was limited at the time of the site visit. A main feature is "hearing aids in the news," which consists of links to current news articles about hearing aids. These news articles do not mention HIA. The HIA website also has a members' section not open to consumers.
HIA Legislative Activity:
The HIA is helping get the Hearing Aid Tax Credit passed. HIA's site has a page with information on the proposed legislation, an act that if passed would provide $500 tax credit for a hearing aid in each ear every 5 years. HIA's site offers downloadable PDFs with more information, such as "The impact of untreated hearing loss on household income." As part of this effort, HIA works closely with another organization, the Better Hearing Institute, which hosts the site Hearing Aid Tax Credit.Org.
Articles on HIA:
Audiology Online did an interview with the President and Executive Director of HIA, Carole Rogin, and Andy Bopp, HIA's Director of Government Relations. The interview focuses on the Hearing Aid Tax Credit legislation, and gives the backgrounds of both executives. In addition, in this interview, Rogin reports that HIA created a bi-annual "Hearing on the Hill" program to introduce hearing health care to members of Congress each session.
Additional HIA Activities:
HIA also releases reports on hearing instrument sales. For example, the 2008 report had data from 19 companies.
