Public Comments

I support House Bill 5433 because hearing care is essential healthcare, not optional care.

Hearing aids and hearing services are often too expensive for many families without insurance coverage. Because of cost barriers, many people delay or go without treatment, which can impact learning, communication, job performance, safety, and overall health.

Access to hearing care helps children succeed in school, helps adults stay active in the workforce, and helps older adults stay connected and independent.

Please support House Bill 5433 to improve access to hearing healthcare for West Virginia families.

Hearing is not a luxury!

I fully support this bill to provide PEIA coverage for hearing aids for all ages. Hearing aids are medically necessary devices that help people communicate, learn, work, and stay connected. Without coverage, many families simply cannot afford them. Expanding coverage will improve quality of life, support children’s education, and help adults remain active and independent. This is a positive and needed step for our state.

Committee members,

Please pass this bill.  If you really care about children once they are actually born, it is imperative that we have ways in place to control, and monitor the use of home schooling in such a way that shows it is not being used as a method of control and abuse. Thank you. Rebecca Palmer

As a practicing audiologist in West Virginia, I strongly support House Bill 5433. I have seen firsthand how untreated hearing loss negatively affects communication, education, employment, cognitive health, and overall quality of life for both children and adults.

House Bill 5433 would provide meaningful access to hearing healthcare by requiring coverage for hearing aids, audiological evaluations, hearing aid fittings, and ongoing care, including at least one annual audiological evaluation. The allowance of up to $1,400 per ear, while still preserving patient choice, represents pragmatic and indivdualized care.

In my clinical experience, many patients delay or forgo treatment due to cost. Expanding access to hearing healthcare will improve patient outcomes and help West Virginians remain active and engaged with their families, workplaces, and communities.

I respectfully urge legislators to support House Bill 5433.

• Eliminating retroactive application
• Limiting publicly displayed data
• Revising fee allocation

• The bill references “patterns of abuse” and “ongoing risk” but provides no statutory definitions, risk assessment tools, or evidentiary standards.
• It does not create a structured periodic review mechanism tied to the legislative intent language.
• Public Internet publication risks being deemed punitive in effect.

• Evidence-based intervention programs
• Risk-based supervision
• Survivor services funding
• Targeted accountability mechanisms

As a licensed audiologist practicing in West Virginia, I fully support House Bill 5433. Every day, I witness the significant impact untreated hearing loss has on communication, academic success, employment opportunities, cognitive well-being, and overall quality of life for both children and adults.

HB 5433 would expand access to essential hearing healthcare services by requiring coverage for hearing aids, audiologic evaluations, fittings, follow-up care, and at least one annual hearing assessment. The provision allowing coverage of up to $1,400 per ear—while preserving patient choice—offers a balanced, patient-focused solution.

In my clinical practice, cost is one of the primary reasons patients postpone or forgo treatment altogether. Improving access to hearing healthcare will lead to better outcomes and enable West Virginians to remain engaged in their families, workplaces, and communities.

I respectfully urge legislators to support HB 5433.

Greenbrier Audiology, Inc.  supports House Bill 5433 and its effort to expand access to essential hearing healthcare across West Virginia. We have 4 locations that serve patients with hearing loss across the state of West Virginia.

Hearing aids and audiological services are medically necessary for many children and adults, yet cost remains a major barrier to care. HB 5433 would ensure state-regulated insurance plans provide meaningful coverage for hearing aids, testing, fittings, adjustments, and annual hearing evaluations.

The bill’s structure — including coverage for replacement devices every 36 months and up to $1,400 per ear — helps balance patient access with responsible healthcare spending while preserving patient choice.

Improving access to hearing care supports better educational outcomes for children, better workplace participation for adults, and better long-term cognitive and physical health for our aging population.

Greenbrier Audiology, Inc strongly encourages passage of HB 5433 to support healthier communities across West Virginia.

As a practicing audiologist in West Virginia, I strongly support House Bill 5433. I see firsthand how untreated hearing loss affects communication, education, employment, cognitive health, and overall quality of life for both children and adults.

HB 5433 would provide meaningful access to hearing healthcare by requiring coverage for hearing aids, audiological testing, fittings, and ongoing care, along with at least one annual audiological evaluation. The allowance of up to $1,400 per ear — while still allowing patient choice to upgrade — is a practical and patient-centered approach.

In my clinical experience, many patients delay or go without treatment due to cost. Expanding access to hearing care will improve patient outcomes and help West Virginians stay active in their families, workplaces, and communities.

I encourage legislators to support HB 5433.

I would love to have edibles

My name is Michael King. I am a retired United States Army Sergeant Major. I have spent my adult life serving this country — first in uniform, and now by working on behalf of veterans navigating the VA disability system. I have served as a nationally VA-accredited Veteran Service Officer, and I have also worked in the private sector assisting veterans with claims education and support. I have seen this issue from both sides.

I recognize and respect this legislature’s desire to safeguard veterans from exploitation. That objective is important. No veteran who has earned benefits through service and sacrifice should ever be misled, overcharged, or taken advantage of.

My concern is that SB 704, as currently written, may unintentionally reduce veterans’ access to assistance rather than improve it.

The VA claims system is complex. It is regulatory, document-heavy, and often slow. While there are excellent free resources available, there is no single solution that works for every veteran. There is no “one size fits all” resource when it comes to navigating disability claims. Some veterans prefer traditional accredited representation. Others seek additional educational or consultative support because of prior experiences, availability challenges, or personal preference.

Veterans pursue different paths for different reasons. Some need more individualized guidance. Some need more communication. Some simply want another option. Eliminating lawful assistance models does not eliminate the need — it only limits choice. It also shifts additional demand onto existing resources that are, in many areas, already operating at or beyond capacity. When veterans cannot access timely support, frustration increases and claims are more likely to be abandoned.

Federal law already establishes a clear framework for who may formally represent a veteran before the Department of Veterans Affairs as an accredited attorney, claims agent, or VSO. That accreditation structure governs individuals acting as a veteran’s legal representative of record in the preparation and prosecution of claims before the VA. However, not every service provided to veterans constitutes legal representation before the agency. There is an important distinction between formal representation and providing educational guidance or consulting support.

As a senior enlisted leader, I believe in accountability, standards, and oversight. If there are bad actors in this space, they should be addressed directly. Sensible guardrails — such as mandatory written agreements, full fee transparency, clear advertising standards, and enforcement authority against deceptive practices — can protect veterans without eliminating legitimate options.

Prohibition is a blunt instrument. Guardrails are a disciplined solution.

Veterans are capable of making informed decisions when provided clear, accurate information. Our role should be to ensure transparency and ethical conduct in the marketplace — not to remove lawful avenues of support that some veterans may determine best meet their needs.

This is not about defending any one company or business model. It is about preserving veteran autonomy while implementing meaningful consumer protections.

I respectfully ask this body to carefully evaluate whether SB 704 strikes the appropriate balance between protection and access. Veterans deserve safeguards, but they also deserve options.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Michael King
Sergeant Major, U.S. Army (Retired)

• Bill HB 1234 should be passed. Consequences should be paid for the crime that was committed.

• Virginia has a Four-for-Life fund, which is used only for EMS purposes and receives $4 per year that is added to vehicle registration fees.
• Maryland imposes a $29 surcharge on vehicle registrations to support EMS and a $7.50 moving violation surcharge.
• Pennsylvania has an Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund, which provides over $12.5 million in support to EMS annually. Funding comes from a $10 fine assessed on all traffic violations, a $25 fee assessed on all accelerated rehabilitation disposition admissions and other fees, fines and penalties. Pennsylvania also offers a Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Companies Grant Program and a Unconventional Gas Well Drilling (UGWD) Grant program.
• Ohio operates a grant program funded by seat belt fines to assist EMS operations.
• The Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services maintains a block grant fund program for the purposes of assisting in the provision of emergency medical services

• Either the EMS Equipment and Training Fund (§16-4C-24) or the EMS Salary Enhancement Fund (§16-4C-25) would be suitable and already established options for dispensing the lottery funds.
• Local government funding is essential for a sustainable EMS system, but there are multiple ways to provide support. An EMS levy should not be the sole method for counties to show local participation to obtain state resources. Counties that use ambulance fees or allocate significant budget contributions to EMS should not be penalized for alternative support methods.
• The WV EMS Coalition supports the concept of a local match requirement to receive state funding. However, the requirement in HB 5168 for counties to match the surplus lottery funds equally would be challenging for some small counties and agencies which may have the greatest need for the state assistance. We recommend the Legislature replicate the statewide EMS supports funding distributed in 2025 by the Office of EMS, which allocated one-time surplus funds equally to all 55 counties to support transporting agencies providing 911 response. Funding was based on response numbers and required a 30% local match from agencies or counties.
• EMTs and Paramedics are often first responders in demanding situations, supporting disaster survivors both emotionally and physically. These vital roles expose EMS personnel to high trauma risk. The WV EMS Coalition supports the provisions of HB 5168 that allocate $1 million for statewide mental health resources via the Office of Emergency Medical Services. Our workgroup has prepared targeted funding recommendations for the committee.

I appreciate that our legislature is addressing the need for clean water in our southern counties.  However, I respectfully submit the following changes for your consideration so that the counties who have the greatest need will be upgraded immediately as this is an emergent situation.

A stronger minimum wage means stronger families, stronger communities, and a stronger economy.