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Advocacy 2019: Year in Review

This Year in Review details how the American Academy of Audiology mobilized its legislative, regulatory, and political resources to advocate for audiologists on critical issues facing the profession.

Academy Weighs In on Eliminating Medicare Regulations that Exceed State Scope of Practice Laws and Limit Non-Physician Providers from Practicing at the Top of Their License

The Academy submitted comments in response to a Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services (CMS) request for information on identifying burdensome Medicare regulations that exceed state scope of practice laws and limit non-physician providers from practicing at the top of their license.

Webinar: 2020 Advocacy Update (0.1 CEUs)

This webinar will provide members with a comprehensive overview of the legislative and regulatory issues facing the profession of audiology at both the federal and state level. 

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CODING AND REIMBURSEMENT | Medicare QPP Rules for 2020

Under the final Quality Payment Program (QPP) rule for 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a new Audiology Specialty Measure Set for audiology participation in the Quality category of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) (2020 performance period/2022 payment year).

Topic(s): Coding, Reimbursement, Quality Payment Program (QPP), Medicare, Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Author(s): 
Carrie Kovar

Publication Issue: Audiology Today January/February 2020

Medicare Audiology Provisions Pass U.S. House of Representatives

AAA, ADA, ASHA pursuing meaningful hearing health care for Medicare beneficiaries.

The Rising Popularity of Medicare Advantage and Implications for Audiologists

The Kaiser Family Foundation recently released a study of the 2020 Medicare Advantage plans and reported that 83% of the plans will offer some degree of coverage for hearing aids and related services.  In contrast, traditional Medicare (Part B) does not currently offer hearing, dental or vision coverage.  

 

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COMPLIANCE | CMS Spotlight on Program Integrity and Provider Enrollment in Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued a final rule that provides more authority for CMS to address fraud, waste, and abuse in federal health insurance programs including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The new rule aims to bolster the ability of CMS to fight fraudulent or other inappropriate activity before it happens and before providers are paid. 

Topic(s): Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Office of General Inspector (OIG), secretary of health and human services, Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS)

Author(s): 
Carrie Kovar

Publication Issue: Audiology Today November/December 2019

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AUDIOLOGY ADVOCATE | Building the Future for Audiology

A new Congress offers hope. The American Academy of Audiology (the Academy), the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA), and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) opted to seize the moment to move forward together to seek a legislative strategy for the 116th Congress. Rather than individually pursuing legislative initiatives for the profession, the three organizations committed to working together to draft a single Medicare bill to advance the recommendations of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report.  

Topic(s): Advocacy, ADA, american academy of audiology, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Medicare, National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)

Author(s): 
Kitty Werner
Stephanie Czuhajewski
Jeffrey Regan

Publication Issue: Audiology Today November/December 2019

Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act of 2019 Introduced in the Senate

On September 9, 2019, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Rand Paul (R-KY), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Roger F. Wicker (R-MS) introduced the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act of 2019 (S.2446).

President’s Message: Get Involved

President’s Message: Get Involved

Message from the President: Lisa Christensen, AuD | September 2019

As summer winds down, people return to school, and we all resume our regular duties, what better time than to think about how you can be more involved in the Academy’s activities. I want to fill you in on a few ways that you can be involved.

Submit Nominations for the Board of Directors—Due September 20

I can tell you first-hand how rewarding it is to serve on the Academy board. We are seeking candidates to fill one president-elect position and three board member-at-large positions.

I am the chair of the Nominations Committee, and I ask you to send in a nomination for a colleague or yourself. It is simple—review the steps on our website here. 

Our volunteers are critical to advancing our initiatives, and we are delighted that many members will assume new volunteer positions on October 1, including leadership roles on the board, councils, and committees. The volunteer portal re-opens next spring, but at any time you can sign up for the volunteer reserve to fill spots as they become available. 

Support the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act of 2019

We urge you to send letters to your representatives and senators to encourage their support of the bill. Check out our legislative action center for sample letters, and sign up for the Grassroots Network to be more engaged.

Promote Balance Awareness Week…September 15-21

The Academy is pleased to have worked with VeDA (the Vestibular Disorders Association) to collaborate on a poster, infographics and Ask the Expert articles. Resources are available here on the Academy’s website for your use. Please spread the word!

Share Your Knowledge, Research, and Expertise at AAA 2020 + HearTECH Expo in New Orleans

Submit your abstract proposal by October 1. Visit www.AAAConference.org for more information.

Get Ready…It Is Coming Up Soon; National Audiology Awareness Month starts October 1

Download resources, fact sheets, posters, and other materials to help promote and celebrate this month. 

Join Me for the President’s Year in Review: Looking Back and Looking Forward for Audiology

As I wrap up my term as president at the end of this month, I will offer a retrospective in a eAudiology webinar on September 25 (.1 CEUs). 

Are you confused and worried about the state of our profession and our Academy? This presentation will help YOU identify key issues facing the field of audiology and then give YOU some tools to help YOU start to influence OUR profession.

Thank You 

And, lastly, a huge thank you to Jackie Clark as she moves out of the immediate past president position, but also to Tracy Murphy, Chris Zalewski, and Bopanna Ballachanda who move out of their member-at-large positions. I will truly miss working with all of you over the next year, and a big thank you to all Academy members who have made this a very enjoyable year for me. Thank you, and I look forward to seeing all of you on the September webinar.
 

Lisa Christensen, AuD
(Twitter handle: @AuDLeadership)