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BRS Hearing Aid Procurement Information

Maine Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS) is entering into a contractual agreement to procure hearing aids for eligible Maine clients of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program. This contract is in the form of a cooperative multi-state agreement, in association with Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin. The State of Maine, after exploring this approach, has decided to proceed with these new contracts to take effect on October, 4, 2010.

Forms and Contacts

• Hearing Aid Order Form (Rev. 1/12)
• Hearing Loss Assessment (Rev. 2/11)
• Vocational Rehabilitation Contacts for Vendors (Rev. 10/10)
• Frequently Asked Questions

State of Maine Purchases Department

• Purchases Department Hearing Aid Program Contract

Process

The following is a step-by-step explanation detailing how this new process is expected to flow:

• The person must be an active vocational rehabilitation client with Maine BRS
• A person with a hearing loss is referred by a BRS vocational rehabilitation counselor to an audiologist for a hearing evaluation.
• The audiologist completes the evaluation (with billing directed to the appropriate insurance or other payment mechanism), and sends a written report to the counselor, (using HEARING AID ORDER FORM) which, if applicable, includes a recommendation for monaural or binaural hearing aids offered through the State of Maine’s aforementioned hearing aid contracts.
• After writing the purchase of the hearing aid(s) into a vocational plan for employment, (this includes documentation regarding discussion with client about how much they are able to contribute toward the cost of the aids) the vocational rehabilitation counselor sends an official State of Maine order and authorization for payment to the manufacturer with instructions to send the hearing aid(s) to the audiologist/dispenser for fitting. A pre-authorization for charges up to either $500.00 or $750.00 (minus client contribution) plus the cost of the ear molds if applicable ($50.00 each) is sent to the audiologist/dispenser.
• The audiologist/dispenser then schedules an appointment with the client for ear molds to be made.
• Once the audiologist/dispenser receives the hearing aid from the manufacturer, he/she schedules an initial fitting appointment with the client.
• Depending on need, the audiologist/dispenser will complete follow-up visits for alterations to the hearing aid programming over the following month.
• After a minimum of 30 days, and when satisfaction is conveyed by the client to the vocational rehabilitation counselor and the audiologist/dispenser, the audiologist/dispenser will send an invoice along with authorization to the vocational rehabilitation program for payment.
• Vocational rehabilitation clerical staff will process the authorization for payment.
  

Please visit the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services website for more information on the

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired

 

If you have any questions regarding the Hearing Aid Procurement Process, please contact

Nancy Melanson
Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Late Deafened
Nancy.A.Melanson@maine.gov
(207)623-7958 or (207)623-7998 TTY

 

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