Listening is a vehicle for us to share information on cochlear implants and hearing loss with hearing healthcare providers, adult CI recipients (and those exploring CI), parents and family members interested in CI, educators who work with deaf and hard of hearing children, and anyone wanting to learn more about cochlear implants. 

ACI Alliance is a not-for-profit organization created with the purpose of eliminating barriers to cochlear implantation by sponsoring research, driving heightened awareness and advocating for improved access to cochlear implants for people of all ages. There is a wealth of information on our website. 

Our work at ACI Alliance follows our mission encompassing research, advocacy, and awareness. Accordingly, Listening covers all three.

We encourage you to share sign-up details for this free e-newsletter with patients, family members, colleagues or anyone who may be interested.

Registration is now open! Early Bird rates will end Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Register early for CI2026 Chicago to take advantage of the best rates and secure your place at this premier cochlear implant conference. Don’t miss the opportunity to join leading experts, clinicians, educators, and researchers from around the world. 

If you are a member of ACI Alliance, please register using the e-mail address associated with your membership to receive the discounted rate. Discount codes will not be sent to members for the 2026 meeting.

Looking for something to do in Chicago while you are in town for CI2026? See all the city has to offer on the visitor information center website. Don't forget to book your hotel room early, there are limited rooms available at the block rate. 

We are pleased to share resources to celebrate the upcoming Cochlear Implant Day (February 25) and World Hearing Day (March 3). Visit our website for resources to share on cochlear implant candidacy, first hand stories from the CI community, resources for children in school for the World Hearing Day theme of “From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children,” and more!

Click below for the latest Hearing First resource on first words. With access to sound, many children begin to recognize voices, respond to their name, and develop spoken language over time. Progress looks different for every child and happens with patience, practice, and support. Each first word represents a step toward communication, learning, and belonging.

Hearing Loss Is Not Inevitable | Access to Care Changes Lives

This powerful CBS News story highlights a Vietnam veteran whose life was transformed by a cochlear implant after decades of living with profound hearing loss. His experience is a reminder that hearing loss does not have to mean isolation, withdrawal, or diminished quality of life when people can access the right care at the right time.

Congenital CMV is the most common cause of non-hereditary hearing loss and is responsible for hearing loss in 1 in 5 hearing-impaired children with no other known risk factor or cause and 1 in 10 hearing-impaired children overall.

Read our full response to the article here.

Read our position statement on CMV here.

In the recent Health and Human Services (HHS) announcement, HHS Official: Newborn Screening Saves Lives and Empowers Families | Opinion - Newsweek, Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos highlighted how early screening of rare diseases is paramount for the health of newborns and children. Early detection of rare diseases can open a time limited window to lifechanging treatment for newborns. When this window is missed, opportunities for intervention may disappear altogether. However, one of the most common preventable causes of childhood hearing loss, congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV), remains largely absent from newborn screening.

Link to Ally's Act, H.R. 4606 - https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4606

Link to Ally's Act, S. 3400 - https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3400

Ally's Act is a bipartisan/bicameral national level bill that was reintroduced on December 9th, 2025. The act ensures that private insurance companies provide coverage for osseointegrated hearing devices and cochlear implants for both children and adults from birth to age 64, including the appointments and associated costs and services that come along with these hearing devices. ACI Alliance has endorsed and supported Ally's Act from the beginning of its Congressional introduction.

This study aims to investigate discrepancies in Medicare reimbursements for cochlear implant surgery between the hospital setting and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), which provide a convenient alternative to hospital-based outpatient procedures by offering same-day surgical healthcare.

The Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention is a scholarly, peer-reviewed, online journal dedicated to advancing Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) by publishing articles that describe current research, evidence-based practice, and standards of care. The aim of JEHDI is to promote access to current research and information about improving Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programs and all articles can be downloaded for free. 

Forecasting Spoken Language Development in Children With Cochlear Implants Using Preimplant Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Professional Barriers to Adult Cochlear Implantation

Despite the established benefits of cochlear implantation for adults with significant hearing loss, utilization remains low. Professional and organizational barriers may impede referral for cochlear implants (CIs). This systematic review aimed to identify and synthesize professional barriers to adult CI referral within audiological rehabilitation.

Advancing Pediatric Cochlear Implant Care Through a Multidisciplinary Telehealth Model: Insights from Implementation and Family Perspectives