Social Security is giving advance notice that it is reviewing its Listings for hearing loss and disturbances of labyrinthine-lestibular function. No change is announced, just the opportunity to comment on whether and how the listings should be changed. If any change is to be made, Social Security would first publish the proposed changes and allow comments on them.
My experience is that anyone even approaching meeting the listing for hearing loss is just about stone deaf. Interviewing a claimant who is that deaf is quite difficult. I've had employees in my office wonder why I was in my office yelling at a client. By the way, hearing aids help only so much. If a person has nerve deafness, a hearing aid helps little. It just increases the volume of unintelligible sound.
Considering that only a few years ago the hearing listings were changed to address hearing loss treated with or without cochlear implants, I imagine the focus would be on the labyrinthine-vestibular function listing.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately a HOCALJ that I know is totally deaf and relies on reading lips totally. One of the office staff takes her phone calls for her. One of my claimants, on a video hearing acted as if he were having trouble hearing. He said I am having trouble reading your lips. I said you have not listed hearing loss as an impairment, only back problems. He said I have been deaf all my life and have worked for 30 years. I don't consider my deafness to be an impairment, only an inconvenience at times. He had been a salesman for those thirty years.. Go figure..
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