Whether hearing loss is truly a cause of cognitive decline or merely a risk factor associated with the ageing brain, the decline of cognitive abilities into dementia is set to explode financial models of health and social care in Western societies and requires urgent attention.

BBC: Viewpoint: Does deafness contribute to dementia?

Those severe brain injury survivors who were left with a set of residual physical, cognitive, and mental health problems could no longer expect to get private insurance once their COBRA ran out.

FORBES: How Obamacare Will Impact Americans With Disabilities