President's Message
Do you feel the profession of Audiology has real value?
As an audiologist do you feel like you add to that value?
How does it make you feel to know that certain organizations would be more than happy to see your link in the health care chain eliminated because they feel you have no real value?
I hope the last notion made you a little hot under the collar, and that I have your attention.
More...
Promote your pediatric audiology facility!
 Be recognized in the new EHDI PALS Directory. DSHS asks you to complete this online survey.
EHDI Pediatric Audiology Links to Services (PALS): A National Pediatric Audiology Facilities Directory
EHDI PALS is designed to help families of children, birth to 5 years of age, locate appropriate pediatric diagnostic audiology and hearing technology services. It is anticipated that the directory will be available in 2012.
Your participation in this survey will help ensure that the EHDI PALS Directory is comprehensive and accurate. This survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. We appreciate your help. Take the survey now.
Download TEHDI Follow-up and Intervention Form.
Update regarding United Healthcare
November 2, 2011—The American Academy of Audiology has now posted this update from President Therese Walden, who will be briefing us personally at our TAA conference in Richardson:
From President Walden—An Update for Members: Health Insurance Hearing Benefits, Internet Testing and Sales
United Healthcare
October 13, 2011—The Texas Academy of Audiology has been monitoring and working with the AAA with regard to the UHC (United Healthcare) situation. Here is today's correspondence from Academy President Walden:
Absolutely the Academy (AAA) and the ADA are reviewing this situation very closely and have been in discussion.
As you can tell, there are many unanswered questions that we all have. The
FDA regulates hearing aids and they have weighed in on PSAPs (personal sound
amplification products) but have limited jurisdiction over those kinds of
products. The FDA can make recommendations and have indicated that the
'purpose' and subsequent labeling of hearing aids and PSAPs is key.
We are seeing all kinds of 'boundaries' being pushed...from the product
(hearing aid or PSAP), to the testing (face-to-face, online, or none at
all!), to licensing and state regs, to interstate commerce,
to just about any delivery system you can think of in order to go 'direct to
consumer'. Not all good and certainly most of this is not in the best
interest of the patient...we know that.
The Academy and the ADA are staying close to this UHC issue and the broader
issue of 'alternative delivery models' as well as all the other permutations
listed above.
We have to just keep providing great Audiology care to our patients. "The
rest (as my mother always says) "will come out in the wash".
Stay tuned!!
Therese Walden
President
American Academy of Audiology
Texas Academy of Audiology News
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FDA Issues Cease & Desist Order
April 18, 2012—At the urging of the AAA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a cease and desist letter to hi HealthInnovations regarding the UHC online hearing aid test and hearing aid benefit. More...
hi HealthInnovations Drops Online Hearing Test
April 18, 2012—Read David Kirkwood's article in Hearing News Watch, "hi HealthInnovations drops online hearing test after FDA warns that it's illegal."
More...
Online Consumer Hearing Test
Otolaryngologists Concerned about Online Consumer Hearing Test
A subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group has launched an online hearing test and a line of lower-cost hearing devices that are generating alarm about patient safety among otolaryngologists. More in the Member Only section...
Joint Task Force Hearing Instruments Meeting
On December 8, 2011, the Joint Task Force Hearing Instruments Meeting was held at 8407 Wall Street, Exchange Building, Room N-102 in Austin Texas. The Joint Task Force was comprised of the State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and the State Committee of Examiners in the Fitting and Dispensing of Hearing Instruments. Representatives from the Texas Academy of Audiology (TAA).... More in the Members Only section....
Our candidate wins
12/14/2011 - With the help of TAA's PAC, our friend and candidate for the Texas House of Representatives John Raney won a special election last night. John was outspent 3 to 1 and had most of the Austin money going against him.
Thanks again for your support and we will look forward to bringing your issues to his attention in the future. Details to follow...
~Brad Shields
Congrats to the new board members!
Cristen Plummer, Connie Stephens, Karen Ditty and Jackie Clark have been elected to the TAA Board of Directors. Congratulations, all!
Join/Renew Your Membership in the
Texas Academy of Audiology for 2012
Are you a current member of the Texas Academy? Membership is on the calendar year, January 1st–December 31st.
Note: To join our Facebook group page, you must be a current TAA member.
 Join us!
Joining or renewing is quick and easy.
First, get your password and log in,
then join for 2012!
AAAF Science Fair
Amber Morgan (far left) and Janet Krueger (far right) of the Texas Academy of Audiology present Elise Harais with an award for her AAAF Science Fair project, How Does Age Affect the Frequency at Which a Person Can Hear? More...
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