Academy Staff Team Up With ASHA and ADA to Garner Support for H.R. 4056, the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act of 2019

AAA, ASHA and ADA teamed up to make the rounds on Capitol Hill to garner support for H.R. 4056, the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act of 2019.  Over the span of three days, representatives of the three associations met with legislators on both sides of the aisle that serve on the two committees of jurisdiction, the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.  Companion legislation that is identical to H.R. 4056 is expected to be introduced in the Senate after the August recess by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY).   H.R. 4056 would remove the physician referral requirement, grant audiologists “practitioner status” and allow them to provide and be reimbursed for diagnostic and treatment services that they are currently permitted to perform under their state scope of practice.  The legislation would also allow individual audiologists to “opt-out” of Medicare if they so choose.