The Louisiana Tech University Speech and Hearing Center now accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and many private insurance plans, making comprehensive hearing and balance care more accessible and affordable for the Ruston–Lincoln Parish community and beyond.
The Speech and Hearing Center provides comprehensive services to individuals of all ages, including hearing and balance evaluations, hearing aid selection and fitting, balance rehabilitation, tinnitus management, and custom earmolds for hearing protection and swim plugs. The center serves Louisiana Tech students, faculty, staff, alumni, and area residents while also supporting supervised clinical practicum, diagnostic services, treatment, and research within the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders.
With insurance billing now available, eligible patients can use their benefits for conditions such as hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus, significantly reducing out-of-pocket costs and improving access to needed care.
This expanded access is made possible through a new grant-funded partnership between the Louisiana Tech Hearing Center and the Department of Health Informatics and Information Management (HIIM), both housed within the College of Applied and Natural Sciences. The initiative is supported by an $8,915 Jonesboro State Bank – Pledge 10 Grant and a $5,000 grant from the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.
The grants fund the creation of a Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance billing specialist position at the Hearing Center, removing financial and administrative barriers for patients while strengthening the long-term sustainability of audiology services in the region.
The project, titled Enhancing Access to Audiology for the Underserved Through Developing a Medicare and Medicaid Billing Specialist Position at the Louisiana Tech Hearing Center, is led by Jamie Bahm, MHI, RHIA, CCS, assistant professor of graduate studies in Health Informatics, and Lindsey Carswell, MHA, RHIA, CBCS, assistant professor of undergraduate studies in Health Informatics and Information Management, in collaboration with Dr. Melinda Bryan, Ph.D., CCC-A, director of Louisiana Tech’s Doctor of Audiology program.
Through the partnership, HIIM faculty and students provide the expertise and operational support needed for the Hearing Center to bill public and private insurers.
“In addition to providing care to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, this partnership gives undergraduate students within the Department of Health Informatics and Information Management more opportunity for experiential learning, which will create better-equipped health information professionals,” said Bahm.
“It’s a win-win,” Carswell said. “Our community benefits from expanded access to services, and our students gain hands-on experience with compliant, patient-centered healthcare operations.”
“We are thankful for the opportunity to work with the faculty and students in the Department of Health Informatics and Information Management,” Bryan said. “Their presence in the Louisiana Tech Hearing Center allows patients to use their insurance benefits for hearing and balance services while helping us increase productivity and maintain high-quality, patient-centered care.”
The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce grant supports local businesses as they educate and train individuals to meet current and future workforce needs, contributing to a strong and sustainable regional economy. The Jonesboro State Bank Pledge 10 Grant invests 10% of the bank’s profits back into Jackson Parish and surrounding areas to support innovative projects in education, youth development, financial literacy, and community enrichment.