To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a demonstration project on coverage by the Department of Veterans Affairs of over-the-counter hearing aids, and for other purposes.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 9001 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9001 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a demonstration project on coverage by the Department of Veterans Affairs of over-the-counter hearing aids, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 21, 2026 Mr. Self (for himself, Mr. Mullin, and Mr. Van Orden) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a demonstration project on coverage by the Department of Veterans Affairs of over-the-counter hearing aids, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Hearing Aid Improvement Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT ON COVERAGE BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF OVER-THE-COUNTER HEARING AIDS. (a) Establishment of Demonstration Project.--Beginning not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (in this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall commence a project (in this section referred to as the ``demonstration project'') to demonstrate and evaluate the fiscal impact of covering FDA-cleared, over-the-counter hearing aids under section 1707(b) of title 38, United States Code, in the same or similar manner as coverage is provided for prescription hearing aids under such section. (b) Duration.--The Secretary shall carry out the demonstration project for a period of two years. (c) Eligible Participants.--A veteran is eligible to participate in the demonstration project if-- (1) the veteran is enrolled in the system o