SB 3739, the Veterans Hearing Aid Improvement Act of 2026, would direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to launch a two-year demonstration project testing whether FDA-cleared over-the-counter hearing aids should be covered for eligible veterans in a manner similar to prescription hearing aids. The project must begin within one year of enactment and would compare an over-the-counter hearing aid group with an audiologist-fitted prescription hearing aid group, using approximately equal numbers of participants. The bill focuses on veterans with mild-to-moderate hearing loss and requires that participants be enrolled in VA care, clinically evaluated by an audiologist, free of FDA-listed contraindications, and able to use a mobile phone and data or Wi-Fi to operate device features.
The demonstration must be carried out at no fewer than two VA medical facilities in different Veterans Integrated Services Networks, with an emphasis on sites that can serve both rural and urban veterans and reduce access barriers. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs would measure self-reported benefits, speech recognition in noise, and the fiscal impact of making over-the-counter hearing aids permanently available under existing VA authority. The bill also requires consultation with consumer and stakeholder organizations, an interim report after one year, and a final report after the project ends. In addition, the Comptroller General would conduct a separate study on VA hearing aid assistance for veterans with mild-to-moderate hearing loss and report to Congress with recommendations for program or benefit changes.
The bill’s main legal effect would be to require the VA to test, rather than immediately expand, coverage of over-the-counter hearing aids under section 1707(b) of title 38, United States Code. It would not itself permanently change VA hearing aid benefits, but it could inform future statutory or administrative changes by generating evidence on clinical outcomes, access, and cost. It also defines what counts as an FDA-cleared over-the-counter hearing aid for purposes of the project, tying the demonstration to devices regulated by the FDA and capable of personalization through software or smartphone applications.
Overall sentiment appears favorable and bipartisan. The bill was introduced by Senators Blackburn, Schiff, and Grassley, suggesting cross-party support, and the text frames the project as a practical evaluation of access and cost rather than a controversial benefit expansion. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes in the provided material, there is no evidence of organized opposition in the available record.
The main point of potential contention is whether over-the-counter hearing aids should be treated as a substitute for professionally fitted prescription devices for veterans, especially given the eligibility limits and the requirement for smartphone access. Some stakeholders may favor broader, permanent coverage to improve access and reduce costs, while others may prefer the cautious pilot approach and want stronger evidence on clinical effectiveness, suitability for veterans with more complex hearing needs, and the fiscal consequences for the VA.
The bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct a structured pilot program and a related GAO study, but it would not immediately amend veterans’ benefits law to mandate permanent coverage of over-the-counter hearing aids. Its practical impact would be to create new federal obligations for the VA to evaluate clinical outcomes, access barriers, and budget effects under section 1707(b) of title 38, United States Code, potentially laying the groundwork for future changes to VA hearing aid coverage and procurement policies.
The available record suggests a generally positive, bipartisan sentiment toward the bill. It was introduced by senators from both parties and is presented as a research-and-evaluation measure aimed at improving veterans’ access to hearing care. No votes or hearing transcripts are provided, so there is no documented opposition in the supplied materials.
The likely areas of contention are the scope and design of the demonstration project. Questions may arise over whether over-the-counter hearing aids are appropriate for all veterans with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, whether the smartphone/data requirement could exclude some veterans, and whether the VA should move directly to broader coverage instead of first testing the model. Stakeholders representing veterans with hearing loss may support expanded access, while clinicians or administrators may emphasize the need for careful evaluation of safety, effectiveness, and fiscal impact before permanent adoption.