Enacts the "golden age hearing access act" to enhance hearing aid access, affordability and innovation for persons ages sixty-two and older while ensuring quality through free-market-driven reforms.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
11307
IN ASSEMBLY
May 11, 2026
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Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Blumencranz)
-- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and
Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to enhancing hear-
ing aid access, affordability, and innovation for persons ages 62 and
older while ensuring quality through free-market-driven reforms
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "golden age hearing access act".
3 § 2. Section 798 of the general business law is amended by adding ten
4 new subdivisions 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 to read as
5 follows:
6 21. All hearing aid dispensers shall offer products to persons ages
7 sixty-two and older at prices reflecting the best available terms under
8 most-favored nation pricing agreements with manufacturers.
9 (a) "Most-favored nation pricing" shall mean contractual terms requir-
10 ing hearing aid manufacturers doing business in New York state to offer
11 their best pricing to persons ages sixty-two and older, ensuring they
12 receive the lowest available prices.
13 (b) Manufacturers shall certify annually to the secretary compliance
14 with most-favored nation pricing provisions.
15 (c) Dispensers and manufacturers shall disclose pricing and cost
16 structures to the division of consumer protection for public review.
17 Proprietary information shall remain confidential, but summary data
18 shall be published for persons ages sixty-two and older's awareness.
19 (d) A fine of up to ten thousand dollars per violation for manufactur-
20 ers or dispensers found in breach of most-favored nation pricing
21 provisions. Suspension or revocation of licenses for repeat offenders.
22 22. Hearing aid dispensers may utilize third-party services for
23 audiometric testing, provided the third-party complies with state stand-
24 ards. Dispensers shall disclose to persons ages sixty-two and older the
25 option to seek independent audiometric testing.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15762-01-6
A. 11307 2
1 23. A regulatory sandbox shall allow hearing aid dispensers to pilot
2 innovative service models with safeguards for persons ages sixty-two and
3 older, resulting in a reduction of bureaucratic requirements for entry-
4 level dispensers to encourage competition.
5 24. Hearing aid dispensers may use telehealth platforms for consulta-
6 tions and fittings, provided they comply with privacy standards.
7 Persons ages sixty-two and older shall be informed of telehealth options
8 and in-person alternatives.
9 25. The requirement for a physical office location for dispensers
10 shall be reviewed biennially and repealed if deemed unnecessary due to
11 advances in telehealth.
12 26. The division of consumer protection shall maintain a public data-
13 base of dispensers and their compliance records. A "Hearing Aid Consumer
14 Rights Handbook" shall be distributed to all prospective users ages
15 sixty-two and older, outlining their rights under state law.
16 27. Hearing aid dispensers and manufacturers implementing cost-reduc-
17 tion programs for persons ages sixty-two and older will qualify for
18 state tax credits equivalent to five percent of their program expendi-
19 tures, capped at one million dollars annually per entity.
20 28. Persons ages sixty-two and older purchasing hearing aids may claim
21 a state income tax deduction of up to two thousand five hundred dollars
22 annually per hearing aid device.
23 29. A five million dollar annual grant program shall be established
24 for small businesses developing innovative hearing aid technologies.
25 Priority shall be given to proposals that demonstrate scalability, tech-
26 nological innovation, reliance on New York state economy, and cost
27 reductions for persons ages sixty-two and older.
28 30. The secretary shall submit an annual report to the governor and
29 the legislature on the effectiveness of the reforms, including compli-
30 ance rates, cost savings, and persons ages sixty-two and older satisfac-
31 tion metrics.
32 § 3. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdi-
33 vision, section or part of this act shall be adjudged by any court of
34 competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgement shall not affect,
35 impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in
36 its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section
37 or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such
38 judgement shall have been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the
39 intent of the legislature that this act would have been enacted even if
40 such invalid provisions has not been included.
41 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
