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<h1><img width="151" height="57" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D8D294.8F85C110"><o:p></o:p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">September 27, 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">To:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Department Benefits Representatives (DBRs)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">From:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">HR Benefits Office on behalf of UC Office of the President<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Re:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">FDA ruling on Over the Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="xmsonormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a
</span><a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-finalizes-historic-rule-enabling-access-over-counter-hearing-aids-millions-americans"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext">final ruling on affordable over-the-counter
(OTC) hearing aids</span></a><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> for individuals who are 18 years old and older with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss impairment. </span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">OTC hearing aids will become available as soon as the rule takes effect on October 17, 2022. Devices can be purchased without a medical examination, prescription or fitting by an audiologist.
They will be available through retailers, drug stores or online. Under the FDA ruling, these devices must meet performance and design requirements specifications. OTC hearing aids are different from existing Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs)
that amplify all sound frequencies equally and are not customized to an individual’s hearing needs.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">OTC hearing aids are not covered by UC medical plans; however, they are eligible expenses under the University of California’s Health Flexible Spending Account (Health FSA) and Health Savings
Account (HSA).</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> More information on eligible expenses can be found by visiting
</span><a href="https://www.wexinc.com/insights/benefits-toolkit/eligible-expenses/"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext">https://www.wexinc.com/insights/benefits-toolkit/eligible-expenses/</span></a><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">.</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">For more information on the FDA ruling, members can visit <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-finalizes-historic-rule-enabling-access-over-counter-hearing-aids-millions-americans"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext">https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-finalizes-historic-rule-enabling-access-over-counter-hearing-aids-millions-americans</span></a><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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