Illinois Legislative Update
The Hearing Instrument Consumer Protection Act (225 ILCS 50) is scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026. Illinois Hearing Society’s lobbyist is prepared to file for an extension in 2025 after the 104th General Assembly has been inaugurated in January.
HB 2443 (Rep. Sharon Chung/Sen. Dave Koehler) provides that an individual or group insurance or managed plan must provide for coverage of medically necessary hearing instruments for all individuals (rather than only all those under the age of 18.) This is now Public Act 103-0530 becomes effective on January 1, 2025.
SB 1721 took effect on January 1, 2024. This legislation brings Illinois into compliance with federal over the counter hearing aid guidance. It also requires that all licensed hearing instrument dispensers have one hour of Implicit Bias Awareness training and one hour of Sexual Harassment Prevention training in each two-year renewal cycle.
The Illinois Hearing Society has arranged for all our members to receive these courses through the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) at no cost. IDHR has a video recording of the Sexual Harassment Prevention training available for you to take at your convenience. Upon completion of the Sexual Harassment Prevention training, members must take and pass our quiz, located here & under our continuing education link.
While there is no pre-recorded video of the Implicit Bias Awareness training, IDHR will be providing live online trainings each month. Due to the limited availability of IDHR’s Implicit Bias Awareness trainings throughout the year, IHS gives priority to anyone who needs to renew their license first. Attendees will also be asked to complete and pass our quiz after attending the live online training with IDHR. The quiz for this course is located here & under our continuing education link.
Once you take the quiz, we will be notified and Illinois Hearing Society staff will submit completion records for these two CEs to International Hearing Society at the end of each month. International Hearing Society will then email you your CEs. If you need to receive proof of completion of these CEs sooner than our scheduled submission dates, please email beth@ilhearing.org.
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