Photo: Melissa Tumblin
At 9 years old, Ally Tumblin has inspired legislation in Congress that could help thousands of Americans receive hearing devices by requiring insurance companies to cover them. It started in 2019 with a letter to her elected official after Ally, then a third-grader, was assigned to do something to better her community. Ally wrote to her congressperson, Joe Neguse (Democrat of Colo.), about her struggle to hear and how important a certain type of hearing aid is for her. Called a BAHA, it's an implantable device that most insurance companies don't cover and can cost up to $10,000. Neguse is now co-sponsoring Ally's Act, which would require insurance companies to cover osseointegrated devices, including BAHAs. Ally's Act was introduced on Jan. 27, 2021, and has been endorsed by dozens of medical associations.
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