Comment on AO47-Direct Final Rule-Sr. Nester, Melvin K.

My name is Melvin Keith Nester Sr. BC-HIS. I am a Board Certified Hearing Aid Specialist licensed in the states of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland for over 20 years. It has come to my attention that Veterans could lose the convenience of getting their hearing needs met through licensed Hearing Aid Specialists even if the VA clinic they should attend is hours away. Currently I do not dispense VA hearing aids but as a courtesy I clean and inspect the aids along with a visual inspection of the ear for wax buildup to the Veterans in my area which is mainly rural. I do this every three months the same as I do for private pay clients. This service saves them from spending an entire day driving to the VA center in Martinsburg, WV, spending a few hours there and then driving home. Most of the Veterans find it difficult driving around town let alone driving 4 hours on the interstate. A lot of the Veterans have expressed gratitude for the extra care they receive at no charge and state they cannot understand that when they go to the VA, they wait for a period of time only to have their aids handed to them in a box and told they are ready to wear. I know this is partly true because features inside the hearing aids have not been activated and can only be activated while in the Veteran’s ears. I currently do not dispense hearing aids to the Veterans but would consider doing so if granted the opportunity to be a vendor. I dispense STARKEY and SIEMENS hearing aids so I have the software necessary to program as needed. The main reason for this letter is to voice my position on the care being provided to the Veterans of our great nation. Without our Veterans, I would not be able to even write this letter. Service to our brothers is one of things we need to keep providing. Thanks and God Bless America Melvin Keith Nester Sr., BC-HIS