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.

⏰ Final call! Registration for CI2026 Chicago is closing soon.

Don’t miss your opportunity to connect with leaders in the field and be part of the conversation shaping the future of cochlear implants.

📅 May 6–9, 2026
📍 Hyatt Regency Chicago

Each May, National Speech Language Hearing Month provides an opportunity to raise awareness about communication disorders.
ACI Alliance resources are designed to help patients with hearing loss and parents of children with hearing loss who either have, or are considering, a cochlear implant. Please feel free to share these resources with your own networks, patients, colleagues or friends. Resources to Share - American Cochlear Implant Alliance

World Hearing Day (WHD) is a global initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and observed annually on March 3. The campaign raises awareness about hearing loss, promotes ear and hearing care, and encourages preventive action to reduce hearing impairment worldwide.

ACI Alliance has played an active role in this effort through its participation in the World Hearing Forum (WHF) and broader WHD events, helping to advance global awareness and policy engagement around hearing health.

As part of our ongoing advocacy efforts, ACI Alliance recently met with key members of the Congress to highlight the importance of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program and to reinforce the need for continued funding and timely reauthorization.

We met with the offices of Representative Julia Letlow (R-LA) and Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to discuss how early identification and intervention can change the trajectory of a child’s life, and why federal leadership is essential to sustaining this progress.

Over the past year and a half, ACI Alliance has been actively working to expand Medicare coverage for cochlear implantation in individuals with single-sided deafness (SSD) or asymmetric hearing loss through the National Coverage Determination (NCD) process, a critical step toward ensuring equitable access to hearing healthcare.

Currently, candidacy criteria for cochlear implantation followed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are more stringent than the FDA guidelines typically followed by most health insurance plans. Consequently, many older adults do not have access to the benefits of cochlear implants that could help them improve their quality of life.