Idina Menzel Kicks Off Campaign For Children's Access to Hearing Aids

Idina Menzel has joined Let California Kids Hear and California families to kick off a statewide campaign urging the passage of legislation ensuring all children have access to hearing aids. On Monday, August 12 at The Grove in Los Angeles, Menzel will announce her support for Assembly Bill 598 together with Rick J. Caruso, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Caruso. AB 598, authored by Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D- Santa Monica) would require private health insurance companies cover the costs of hearing aids for children.

Currently, there is no such coverage requirement, leaving thousands of California families with no choice but to pay thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for medically necessary hearing aids and related services. Some children who are deaf or hard of hearing are unable to access hearing aids altogether due to the high cost and lack of mandated insurance coverage - depriving them of a critically necessary tool for language and speech development.

Let California Kids Hear, a statewide coalition, is advocating for this legislation.

"We are incredibly grateful to have Idina's and Rick's support to shine a light on this effort," said Let California Kids Hear co-chair Michelle Marciniak. "It's imperative that all of California's children have access to the services they need," added Let California Kids Hear co-chair Lydia Sussman.

AB 598 recently passed the Senate Health Committee and now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee and then to the full Senate for vote.