AMA Criteria for Impairment Associated with Binaural Hearing Loss

Hearing loss in both ears can result in impairment of the whole person. The AMA has developed criteria to determine the level of impairment.

binaural hearing impairment in percent =

= ((5 * (percent hearing impairment in the better ear)) + (percent hearing impairment in the worse ear)) / 6

Interpretation:

• minimum binaural hearing loss: 0 percent

• maximum binaural hearing loss: 100 percent

• The higher the percent binaural hearing loss, the greater the degree of impairment to the whole person.

Percent Binaural Hearing Impairment	Percent Impairment of the Whole Person
0 – 1.7	0
1.8 – 4.2	1
4.3 – 7.4	2
7.5 – 9.9	3
10 – 13.1	4
13.2 – 15.9	5
16 – 18.8	6
18.9 – 21.4	7
21.5 – 24.5	8
24.6 – 27.1	9
27.2 – 30	10
30.1 – 32.8	11
32.9 – 35.9	12
36 – 38.5	13
38.6 – 41.7	14
41.8 – 44.2	15
44.3 – 47.4	16
47.5 – 49.9	17
50 – 53.1	18
53.2 – 55.7	19
55.8 – 58.8	20
58.9 – 61.4	21
61.5 – 64.5	22
64.6 – 67.1	23
67.2 – 70	24
70.1 – 72.8	25
72.9 – 75.9	26
76 – 78.5	27
78.6 – 81.7	28
81.8 – 84.2	29
84.3 – 87.4	30
87.5 – 89.9	31
90 – 93.1	32
93.2 – 95.7	33
95.8 – 98.8	34
98.9 - 100	35

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