ASHA, Other Groups Champion Audiology Services Legislation at Congressional Briefing

Representatives from ASHA, the American Academy of Audiology (AAA), and the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) are briefing Congress today to promote legislation that will help audiologists better diagnose, treat, and prevent hearing loss and balance disorders for Medicare beneficiaries. Under current law, Medicare allows beneficiaries to visit an audiologist only with a physician order, and covers only audiology diagnostic services—not follow-up treatment or a plan of care. The legislation, H.R. 4056/S. 2446, the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act, can improve outcomes for beneficiaries by allowing direct access to audiologic services and streamlining of Medicare coverage policies so that audiologists can provide the full range of Medicare-covered audiology diagnostic and treatment services. Sharon Sandridge, ASHA vice president for audiology practice and section head of Hearing, Speech and Balance Services at the Cleveland Clinic, will “emphasize the critical role audiologists play in the diagnosis and treatment of vestibular disorders” in her remarks. AAA will address audiologists’ role in preventing, diagnosing, and treating hearing loss, and ADA will focus on the legislation itself. “We hope to build congressional support for Medicare coverage of treatment services provided by audiologists within our scope of practice,” Sandridge says. The briefing, “Audiology: Treating Hearing Loss & Balance Disorders,” will highlight the new legislation...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Tags: Advocacy Audiology Slider Uncategorized Source Type: blogs