Government Re-Opening: What It Means for Hearing Health

After weeks of uncertainty, Congress has reached an agreement and is expected to vote later today on a continuing resolution to reopen the federal government and fund operations through January 30, 2026. This action restores stability to agencies and programs vital to hearing and balance care. The reopening ensures that essential functions within Medicare, Medicaid, and the Department of Veterans Affairs resume without further delay—bringing much-needed relief to patients, providers, and the broader hearing health community.

During the shutdown, many federal agencies—including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)—were forced to scale back operations. As a result, claims processing, provider enrollment, and policy updates were slowed or paused. With government operations now fully restored, audiologists and speech-language pathologists can resume normal billing and communication with CMS, ensuring that patients continue to receive timely care, device fittings, and therapy services.

The reopening also means that critical work can continue at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These agencies support hearing research, noise-induced hearing loss prevention, and early hearing detection programs. Federal grant activity and ongoing research projects are now moving forward—helping advance innovation and improve patient outcomes.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which provides one of the largest hearing health programs in the country, can now process appointments, device orders, and repairs without delay.
Given that hearing loss and tinnitus remain the most common service-connected disabilities among veterans, this return to normal operations is essential to ensuring timely, high-quality care.

While the reopening brings welcome relief, it highlights the broader issue of instability caused by short-term funding measures. Programs that affect hearing and balance care—such as Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) and NIH research funding—depend on predictable federal support.

The reopening of the government offers an opportunity to refocus on stability, access, and progress—ensuring that every American can continue to hear, communicate, and connect without interruption.

The Academy’s government relations team will continue to:

• Stay engaged with federal and state policymakers to advocate for sustained funding for hearing and balance programs.
• Monitor upcoming appropriations discussions that could affect research, workforce training, and access to audiologic and speech-language services.
• Highlight the importance of hearing health policy and the need for passage of the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act (H.R. 2857, S.1996).