Aid for hearing aids hard to come by, family learns

A Saskatchewan family with four hearing-impaired members finds it difficult to pay for new hearing aids.

Two brothers, Peter Rustoen and Jabez Braun, and their parents Pamela Rustoen and Kevin Braun are all hearing-impaired.

Pamela Rustoen, who is First Nations, has the cost of her hearing aids covered by the federal government.

Kevin Braun, however, is not covered and the family can only afford a basic $800 model of hearing aid.

The family has also looked at hearing aids for the boys, but the cost of appropriate devices for Peter and Jabez, an estimated $6,000, is beyond their means.

"I really want to take drumming lessons, and I really wish I could hear that," Peter Rustoen told CBC News, through a sign-language interpreter.

Everyone in the family signs, so communication is easy at home.

However, Pamela Rustoen is worried her sons are missing out on other things because they don't have hearing aids.

"I love to hear the dog barking, or to identify different noises and stuff so I thought that the hearing aid was important that way," Rustoen said, of her own experience with a hearing aid.

The family looked at government programs, thinking the health care system would cover devices for the boys, but learned they did not qualify.

"When I figured out how much money it was, I couldn't figure out why the government wouldn't pay for that," Kevin Braun said. "I thought they would encourage deaf children to try and develop their hearing for education and that kind of stuff."

According to the province, families with low incomes or on social assistance receive government support for hearing aids.

The aid, however, is not available for households which bring in more than $29,000 per year.

Roger Carver, the executive director of a non-profit support group, says private insurance also has limits for hearing aids, and the government should step in.

"Whether or not it's a regular hearing aid or a Cochlear implant, they should be covered across the board," Carver, executive director at Saskatchewan Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, said.

While the province will cover a Cochlear implant procedure, maintaining the device and any necessary replacement parts is not covered.

Jabez Rustoen said not having the chance to hear makes him feel sad, adding he is keen on hearing one sound: sirens.