Rejected petition Change in Cochlear Implant Eligibility Requirements

Current Government requirements are standardized and rely on hearing tests conducted in sterile conditions that are not representative of everyday situations.
This means many deaf people are denied funding for a Cochlear Implant because they do not meet the harsh criteria set and cannot afford private healthcare.
A Cochlear Implant can improve a deaf person’s life immeasurably and should not be based on tests which have no significance to real life.
Refusal to grant funding for a Cochlear Implant can be heartbreaking to a deaf person, like me, who are struggling to deal with everyday life, communicating with loved ones and feeling useless in the workplace. A Cochlear Implant would mean that we can regain our independence and rebuild relationships with family and friends that would otherwise suffer.
The Government needs to relax current rules and review each application on a case by case basis to ensure that more people can benefit from surgery that can enhance their way of life.