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Long Island Hearing and Speech Society
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Records of the Office of the Chief of Staff (Clinton Administration)
Harold Ickes, Jr.'s Files
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Health Care Files
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Long Island
Mearing 8 Speech
society NC
To Jennyan-
the WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
Pls. respond lov me
9 May 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR THE FIRST LADY
FROM:
HAROLD ICKES
SUBJECT:
Long Island Hearing and Speech Society, Inc.
Attached is a copy of a 24 February 1994 letter to you from
Jonathan W. Leigh, of the Long Island Hearing and Speech Society,
Inc. raising a very serious concern that apparently "hearing
aids" are not included in overall coverage under S. 1757. I've
asked Ira and Greg Lawler to look into this.
CC: Jonathan W. Leigh
Long Island Hearing and
Speech Society, Inc.
430 Lakeville Road
New Hyde Park, New York 11040
Janice -
Kevin Thurm will
send Harold and HRC
copies of his response.
Jen
Associated with
LIJ
Long Island Jewish Medical Center,
The Long Island Campus for the
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Long Island Hearing
and Speech Society, Inc.
February 24, 1994
430 Lakeville Road
New Hyde Park, NY 11040
Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Telephone (516) 437-8822
The White House
Washington, D.C
Officers
Dear Mrs. Clinton,
Jonathan W. Leigh
President
The Health Security Act as it now stands will be an
S. Lawrence Hornstein
enormous disappointment to 28 million hearing-impaired
Executive Vice President
Americans. We ask for your compassion and help. The
David S. Lesser, DDS
exclusion of hearing aids in S.1757 has never been
Vice Pres. Govt. Affairs
explained. It will be particularly harmful to infants
Erwin Coyner
and children whose parents cannot afford them.
Treasurer
Nancy Stone
The first six years of age are critical for learning
Secretary
language. Babies can now be screened at birth to
identify hearing problems. Aids can be fitted at two
Administrative Assistant
months, enabling language development, socialization
Gloria Boyd
and the possibility of being mainstreamed in school - a
great saving in public education expense.
Medical Director
Merrill Goodman, MD
Particularly distressing is the granting of coverage
for eyeglasses to children under 18, while denying
Board of Directors
assistance to children who can't hear.
Allan L. Abramson, MD
Julian Barnett
More than one in three Americans over the age of 65 are
Sue H. Barnett
hearing-impaired. The Act provides them with "durable
Stephen Berliner
medical equipment and prosthetic and orthotic devices,"
Joel Glick
Mark Goldstein, MD
but not hearing aids. Prescription drugs are covered.
Jeffrey Kerner, MD
Is the prescription of a hearing aid, which lasts for
Joan Levy
years, less important? Certainly not to the patient.
Sol Lipper
David E. Mazure
Our position, shared with many other professional
Steve Rosenbaum, EdD
Edwin Schmierer, PhD
organizations, is that a national-health plan must
Dora Seidler
include universal screening of infants, auditory
Lynn G. Spivak, PhD
prostheses, aural training, and rehabilitation for
George Turin
children.
Honorary Board Members
For adults, we believe there should be a co-payment
Stephanie Berkowitz-Delin
provision for auditory prostheses and aural
Hillary Light Fuhrman
rehabilitation programs.
Harold Greenberg
Susan Kane
We urge you to modify the exclusion of hearing aids now
Paul Oberkotter
Diane Smith
included in S. 1757.
Member Agencies
Sincerely yours,
Health 8 Welfare Council
of Nassau County, Inc.
Long Island's United Way
Joneth Jonathan W. Leigh feest
THE WHITE house
WASHINGTON
9 May 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR THE FIRST LADY
FROM:
HAROLD ICKES
SUBJECT:
Long Island Hearing and Speech Society, Inc.
Attached is a copy of a 24 February 1994 letter to you from
Jonathan W. Leigh, of the Long Island Hearing and Speech Society,
Inc. raising a very serious concern that apparently "hearing
aids" are not included in overall coverage under S. 1757. I've
asked Ira and Greg Lawler to look into this.
cc: Jonathan W. Leigh
Long Island Hearing and
Speech Society, Inc.
430 Lakeville Road
New Hyde Park, New York 11040
65680
Associated with
LIJ
Long Island Jewish Medical Center,
The Long Island Campus for the
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Long Island Hearing
and Speech Society, Inc.
February 24, 1994
430 Lakeville Road
New Hyde Park, NY 11040
Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
Telephone (516) 437-8822
The White House
Washington, D.C
Officers
Dear Mrs. Clinton,
Jonathan W. Leigh
President
The Health Security Act as it now stands will be an
S. Lawrence Hornstein
enormous disappointment to 28 million hearing-impaired
Executive Vice President
Americans. We ask for your compassion and help. The
David S. Lesser, DDS
exclusion of hearing aids in S.1757 has never been
Vice Pres. Govt. Affairs
explained. It will be particularly harmful to infants
Erwin Coyner
and children whose parents cannot afford them.
Treasurer
Nancy Stone
The first six years of age are critical for learning
Secretary
language. Babies can now be screened at birth to
identify hearing problems. Aids can be fitted at two
Administrative Assistant
months, enabling language development, socialization
Gloria Boyd
and the possibility of being mainstreamed in school - a
great saving in public education expense.
Medical Director
Merrill Goodman, MD
Particularly distressing is the granting of coverage
for eyeglasses to children under 18, while denying
Board of Directors
assistance to children who can't hear.
Allan L. Abramson, MD
Julian Barnett
More than one in three Americans over the age of 65 are
Sue H. Barnett
hearing-impaired. The Act provides them with "durable
Stephen Berliner
Joel Glick
medical equipment and prosthetic and orthotic devices,"
Mark Goldstein, MD
but not hearing aids. Prescription drugs are covered.
Jeffrey Kerner, MD
Is the prescription of a hearing aid, which lasts for
Joan Levy
years, less important? Certainly not to the patient.
Sol Lipper
David E. Mazure
Steve Rosenbaum, EdD
Our position, shared with many other professional
Edwin Schmierer, PhD
organizations, is that a national-health plan must
Dora Seidler
include universal screening of infants, auditory
Lynn G. Spivak, PhD
prostheses, aural training, and rehabilitation for
George Turin
children.
Honorary Board Members
For adults, we believe there should be a co-payment
Stephanie Berkowitz-Delin
provision for auditory prostheses and aural
Hillary Light Fuhrman
rehabilitation programs.
Harold Greenberg
Susan Kane
Paul Oberkotter
We urge you to modify the exclusion of hearing aids now
Diane Smith
included in S. 1757.
Member Agencies
Sincerely yours,
Health 8 Welfare Council
of Nassau County, Inc.
Long Island's United Way
Jonath Jonathan W. Leigh fest
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
9 May 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR IRA MAGAZINER
GREG LAWLER
FROM:
HAROLD ICKES
SUBJECT:
Long Island Hearing and Speech Society, Inc.
Attached are self-explanatory 6 May and 24 February 1994 letters
to me from Jonathan W. Leigh of the Long Island Hearing and
Speech Society, Inc. raising a very serious concern that "hearing
aids" are specifically excluded from coverage under S. 1757. I
would appreciate your either letting me know or communicating
directly with Mr. Leigh as to our position regarding the
inclusion of hearing aids as part of overall coverage.
CC: Jonathan W. Leigh
Long Island Hearing and
Speech Society, Inc.
430 Lakeville Road
New Hyde Park, New York 11040
Associated with
LIJ
Long Island Jewish Medical Center,
The Long Island Campus for the
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Long Island Hearing
and Speech Society, Inc.
430 Lakeville Road
May 6, 1994
New Hyde Park, NY 11040
Telephone (516) 437-8822
Mr. Harold Ickes
The White House
Washington, D.C.
Officers
Jonathan W. Leigh
Dear Harold,
President
S. Lawrence Hornstein
Sarah Kovner said she would speak to you this week about
Executive Vice President
our concern for hearing aid coverage in the health bill.
David S. Lesser, DDS
I hope she was able to.
Vice Pres. Govt. Affairs
Erwin Coyner
Since I imagine you never received my letter of February
Treasurer
22nd (copy attached), I am sending this one to your home.
Nancy Stone
Secretary
I now spend most of my time working for the hearing
impaired. Both my brother, sister-in-law and nephew are
Administrative Assistant
deaf and I too must now often wear an aid. Our Hearing
Gloria Boyd
and Speech Center at Long Island Jewish Hospital is one
of the largest in the New York area and I've included a
Medical Director
brochure just to give you some personal background.
Merrill Goodman, MD
On Monday, May 2nd, The President met with advocates for
Board of Directors
people with disabilities and "argued that his health care
Allan L. Abramson, MD
plan would empower the disabled by providing an array of
Julian Barnett
new assistance to help them work and live at home". (N.Y.
Sue H. Barnett
Times May 3). We applaud that statement.
Stephen Berliner
Joel Glick
Mark Goldstein, MD
The deaf and hearing impaired are some of our most
Jeffrey Kerner, MD
severely disabled.
Joan Levy
Sol Lipper
BUT, on page 91, line 21 of S.1757, hearing aids are
David E. Mazure
specifically excluded from coverage for anyone of any
Steve Rosenbaum, EdD
Edwin Schmierer, PhD
age.
Dora Seidler
Lynn G. Spivak, PhD
The basic inconsistency of this exclusion with the
George Turin
President's stated position should be corrected. I write
in the hope that you are able and willing to see if this
Honorary Board Members
can be changed.
Stephanie Berkowitz-Delin
Hillary Light Fuhrman
To pass any version of the Health Bill that specifically
Harold Greenberg
excludes 28 million hearing disabled Americans would be
Susan Kane
Paul Oberkotter
nothing short of a crime.
Diane Smith
We ask that the exemption be removed from the language of
Member Agencies
any final version of the health bill. Hearing aids should
Health 8 Welfare Council
be treated exactly like eye glasses or any other
of Nassau County, Inc.
prosthetic and orthotic device. Equal and fair treatment
Long Island's United Way
is all we ask.
I have been talking to Sarah about this, but she says you
are really the one who can do something. None of us can
understand why hearing aids were excluded in the first
place.
I understand that the President will address the
graduating class at Gallaudet. What a wonderful forum at
which to correct what seems an obvious mistake.
With best personal regards.
Sincerely yours,
Jointon Jonathan W. Leigh
Associated with
LIJ
Long Island Jewish Medical Center,
The Long Island Campus for the
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Long Island Hearing
and Speech Society, Inc.
430 Lakeville Road
February 24, 1994
New Hyde Park, NY 11040
Telephone (516) 437-8822
Mr. Harold Ickes
The White House
Washington, D.C.
Officers
Jonathan W. Leigh
Dear Harold,
President
S. Lawrence Hornstein
I hope you won't object to my calling on our Saltaire
Executive Vice President
connection. At the Pogrebin's recent wedding
David S. Lesser, DDS
celebration, Sarah Kovner suggested that I write you
Vice Pres. Govt. Affairs
about the problem we have with hearing aid coverage in
Erwin Coyner
the Health Security Act.
Treasurer
Nancy Stone
Would it be possible for you to see that the enclosed
Secretary
letter receives the attention of Mrs. Clinton?
Administrative Assistant
I believe that this issue has not yet been recognized
Gloria Boyd
by the vast number of people who will be affected. With
your new responsibility in coming elections, I assume
Medical Director
that an issue of concern to 28 million Americans will
Merrill Goodman, MD
have a high priority.
Board of Directors
I know from personal experience that dramatic results
Allan L. Abramson, MD
can be achieved by the early fitting of hearing aids to
Julian Barnett
infants and children. The tragedy of withholding these
Sue H. Barnett
devices from those whose parents are unable to afford
Stephen Berliner
Joel Glick
them is truly heart rending.
Mark Goldstein, MD
Jeffrey Kerner, MD
One in three adults over 65 have hearing problems. As
Joan Levy
they recognize that their needs have been left out of
Sol Lipper
the Health Security Act, I think there will be deep
David E. Mazure
resentment. Few things are more important to these
Steve Rosenbaum, EdD
Edwin Schmierer, PhD
millions.
Dora Seidler
Lynn G. Spivak, PhD
The entire hearing-impaired community will appreciate
George Turin
any help you can give us.
Honorary Board Members
With best wishes for success in all your many
Stephanie Berkowitz-Delin
responsibilities. Their scope is truly awe inspiring.
Hillary Light Fuhrman
Harold Greenberg
Susan Kane
Sincerely yours,
Paul Oberkotter
Diane Smith
Member Agencies
Health 8 Welfare Council
Jonathan W. Leigh
of Nassau County, Inc.
Long Island's United Way