Committee backs restoring speech therapy and cochlear implant coverage for adults on Access

The House Appropriations Committee gave Senate Bill 12-07 a due-pass recommendation on March 26, advancing legislation that requires Access Arizona (the state Medicaid program) to cover speech therapy and cochlear implants for eligible adults age 21 and older and authorizes program funding for those services.

Senator Vince Leach, sponsor of SB 12-07, told the committee the bill would restore coverage for cochlear implants and swallowing therapy that were previously removed from Access coverage, and that the proposal would cost less than $300,000 in the sponsor’s estimate. Clinicians testified the services prevent expensive complications: Leah Mackey, a speech-language pathologist specializing in head and neck cancer, told the committee that early speech-pathology care reduces hospitalization and aspiration pneumonia and cited national savings per patient in testimony.

Surgeons and specialists described cochlear implants as an established, often-transformative treatment for severe hearing loss that can restore functional hearing for many adults. Dr. Sean Stevens, an ENT surgeon and cochlear implant program director, said cochlear implants are “relatively cheap these days” and described evidence that coverage supports employment and earnings for recipients. Multiple patients and family members gave personal testimony about how speech therapy or implants improved communication and independence.

Access provided a fiscal estimate and said the majority of the program cost would be covered by federal matching dollars and hospital assessment funds; the agency estimated annual general-fund costs around $274,000 and total fund cost roughly $1.42 million. Access representatives told the committee funding could include federal match and hospital assessment revenue.

The committee recorded a roll-call vote of 15 yeses and 3 not voting; SB 12-07 received a due-pass recommendation.