Section 460IAC14-17-1. Requirements

   (a) The VR program may provide a hearing aid or assistive listening device to an applicant or eligible individual who requires a hearing aid or assistive listening device to achieve his or her employment outcome and is determined to have:

(1) a pure tone average (PTA) loss, measured at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz, of 40dB or more in the better ear without correction;

(2) a PTA loss, measured at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz, of an equal or greater PTA loss in the other ear without correction; and

(3) an unaided speech discrimination score of less than seventy percent (70%), as determined with the use of phonetically balanced word lists administered at 50dB in sound.

  (b) If the applicant or eligible individual does not qualify for a hearing aid or assistive listening device pursuant to the requirements in subsection (a), the applicant or eligible individual must:

(1) meet any two (2) of the three (3) criteria described in subsection (a); and

(2) have either:

(A) a secondary hearing condition that causes the applicant or eligible individual to have a substantial impediment to employment verified by an otologist or other qualified specialist; or

(B) a hearing loss which makes the applicant or eligible individual unable to perform the essential job functions of the planned employment outcome.

(Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services; 460 IAC 14-17-1; filed Jul 13, 2015, 4:09 p.m.: 20150812-IR-460140507FRA)