Sunset Continue Hearing Aid Providers

The act implements recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies' sunset review and report on the licensing of hearing aid providers by:

• Continuing the licensing of hearing aid providers for 11 years, to 2031;
• Requiring final agency actions to be appealed directly to the court of appeals;
• Repealing language specifying that the hearing aid provider practice act does not prohibit an individual from performing tasks that would be permissible if the licensee was not licensed;
• Prohibiting a person who is not licensed as a hearing aid provider from using any titles that imply the person is qualified as a hearing aid provider;
• Requiring a hearing aid provider to be licensed before directly or indirectly selling or negotiating to sell any hearing aid for the hearing impaired;
• Repealing references to the national competency examination of the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences and requiring the director of the division of professions and occupations (director) to determine the competency examination required for licensure;
• Requiring hearing aid providers to post a surety bond, maintain professional liability insurance, or comply with other financial responsibility requirements determined by the director;
• Adding failure to practice according to commonly accepted professional standards to the grounds for discipline;
• Authorizing the director to accept disciplinary action taken by another state, a local jurisdiction, or the federal government as prima facie evidence of misconduct if the basis for the action would be grounds for discipline in Colorado; and
• Adding deceptive trade practice provisions related to the sale of hearing aids by hearing aid providers.

In addition to implementing the sunset recommendations, the act also:

• Updates the scope of practice to require either the initial testing or the first fitting to be performed in-person; and
• Requires each hearing aid provider to attend at least 8 hours of continuing education each year.
  (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)