10/22/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE from the desk of Katy Mizikowski, PHHA President:
On Friday, October 9, 2026 members of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Pennsylvania Academy of Audiology, International Hearing Society, and the Pennsylvania Hearing Healthcare Association met in Harrisburg to further discuss the modernization and clarification of PA Act 262.
PHHA has been working over the last 5 years to encourage and establish a stronger and more streamlined training for PA Apprentice Fitters as well as a more modern and relevant PA Fitter’s Examination. Our efforts have been successful! We have the full support of the PA Department of Health, Pennsylvania Academy of Audiology, and Pennsylvania Academy of Otolaryngology. PA Act 262 will be updated to include the IHS Long Distance Learning Program or like programs approved by the PA Department of Health and the International Licensing Exam developed by IHS, or like exam approved by the PA Department of Health.
We are working in coordination with the PA Department of Health to finalize the language and look forward to this process moving into the next phase. The PA Department of Health will be able to introduce these updates on their own, saving our membership much time and money.
In our efforts to clarify the scope of practice for PA Registered Fitters, we successfully added tympanometry to our scope. The subject of Telehealth is also being monitored and appropriate language being added. Our efforts to discuss cerumen removal and tinnitus will be further discussed at a later time. The Department of Health, as well as PHHA, are anxious to move forward with the updated training and exam and do not want to delay the legislation further as we negotiate those points. There may be addendums regarding these topics later in our process.
This is an incredible win for our Pennsylvania Fitters! We will have better trained apprentices entering the field, a modern and more convenient exam, and ultimately happier patients. I would like to thank Christine Seitz, Manager of Government Affairs for IHS, Ed Lybarger, PHHA Director Emeritus, and Patrick Kochanowski, PHHA Director, Legislative Committee Chair, and Past President, IHS, for the hours of hard work and dedication to this project.
