As an organization that has supported speech and hearing health efforts through Sertoma club efforts since the 1960s, it’s important that we pay attention to changes in the industry and make our members aware of those changes before and as they happen.

We want to bring your attention to a recent change with negative consequences that the "One Big Beautiful Bill" could cause for the Audiology industry, one that we work hand-in-hand with every day. Under the draft rule, Audiology, as a profession, is not one of the 11 specifically designated professional programs that would qualify for higher federal loan limits that medical students typically have access to due to the length of their programs.

This has the potential to impact the number of students studying and completing audiology programs, giving those we serve less access to vital speech and hearing services. The comment period is currently open until March 2nd and if you’re so inclined, we encourage you to share your experiences and thoughts as appropriate. Please find additional information from AAA and ASHA below.

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF AUDIOLOGY (AAA)
AMERICAN SPEECH-LANGUAGE-HEARING ASSOCIATION (ASHA)

Iif you have any questions for Sertoma, please email Executive Director Jason Camis at jcamis@sertoma.org.