The term “disabling hearing loss” refers to hearing loss that exceeds 35 decibels.
To date, approximately 2% of adults aged 45 to 54 have disabling hearing loss. For adults aged 55 to 64, the rate increases to 8.5 percent. Nearly 25% of those aged 65 to 74 and 50% of those aged 75 and older have disabling hearing loss.
According to the World Health Organization, or WHO, over 5% of the total population requires rehabilitation for “disabling” hearing loss. That’s nearly 430 million people.
Have you ever wondered whether society and the government consider this condition to be a disability? And are there any benefits available to people who are deaf or have hearing loss?
This article will answer that question and further discuss the implications of hearing loss.
Can You Get Disability For Hearing Loss?
Yes, hearing loss is considered a disability.
Deafness is a condition related to hearing loss. Yet, hearing loss, which is often mistaken as synonymous with deafness. Both are considered a disability. The key difference is that deafness is a condition when a person cannot understand speech through hearing at all.
Applicants who are deaf or have profound hearing loss are eligible for disability benefits, according to the law. If you have profound hearing loss or deafness, you may qualify for disability benefits.
How to Qualify for Disability
To qualify, you must either meet the Social Security Administration’s or SSA’s listing requirements. Additionally, you may be eligible for benefits through a medical-vocational allowance.
For you to be eligible for disability benefits, you will need to meet the SSA’s requirements. The SSA requirements include the following:
First, you must be able to demonstrate that your hearing loss prevents you from working. The Social Security Administration will require you to undergo a physical examination by an otolaryngologist, also known as an ENT, or a physician.
This is to ascertain whether your hearing loss is due to a temporary condition.
Following that, you will need to have audiometric testing performed by an ENT or an audiologist. If your most recent test does not meet SSA’s criteria, they will cover the cost of another ENT examination.
If the Social Security Administration determines that your hearing loss is not severe enough, you may be required to undergo an auditory evoked response test.
What Affects Your Disability Benefits
Disability benefits vary depending on whether or not you require cochlear implants. To qualify for disability benefits without cochlear implants, you must pass either one or both of the following tests:
- Pure tone and bone conduction audiometry: To qualify, you must have profound hearing loss, defined as an average hearing threshold sensitivity for air conduction of 90 decibels or less in your better ear. Additionally, you must have a bone conduction hearing threshold in your better ear of 60 decibels or lower.
- Word recognition test: You must be unable to repeat more than 40% of a list of standardized words spoken during the test.
On the other hand, if you have one or both ears implanted with cochlear implants, you will receive distinct benefits. You are automatically granted SSA benefits one year after surgery.
If you have a 60 percent or less score on a “Hearing in Noise Test” one year after surgery, your benefits will be extended. They will keep increasing in length until your word recognition score improves.
So there you have it! If you can prove that your hearing loss is impacting your everyday life through the required tests then you are definitely eligible for disability benefits. Find out more about hearing loss and hearing aids in our article here.