USH2020: Parent Journey to Pass Hearing Aid Legislation
July 8, 2020
Diane Wonchoba, Parent Advocate
In 2003, Diane and several parents successfully passed hearing aid insurance coverage legislation in the state of Minnesota.
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Speaker Bio:
My husband and I raised our three children in Minneapolis, MN. Our daughter is 24 and our twin boys are 22. In 2003, I worked to pass a bill that requires insurance companies to cover hearing aids. The experience changed my career trajectory. I started as a mortgage professional. After the legislative experience, I pursued a career in education (I truly wanted to teach students about our government). I earned my teaching licensure in Elementary Education with middle school endorsements in math and social studies. In addition, I pursued licensure as a teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing. In 2019, my boys were genetically diagnosed with USH2A. Again, that was a pivotal moment and time for reflection. I quit teaching and am now a corporate training coordinator for a major bank on Digital Accessibility.
