Lexington, Kentucky – January, 2013 marked the annual convention and membership meetings for the South Carolina Academy of Audiology (SCAA) and the Georgia Academy of Audiology (GAA), during which both organizations formally adopted resolutions to support audiology’s 18X18 Initiative to:
Amend Title XVIII (18) of the Social Security Act to provide for the treatment of audiologists as physicians for purposes of furnishing audiology services under the Medicare Program, to provide for a broadened scope of audiology services available for coverage under the Medicare program and to enable Medicare beneficiaries to have their choice of qualified audiologist—and to achieve this by the year 2018.
Download more information about the proposed 18X18 legislation (www.audiologist.org/_resources/2012_convention/ADA_Proposed_Legislation.pdf)
The Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) introduced the 18X18 Initiative in November 2012, and has committed substantial staff, volunteer, financial and operational resources to help achieve it by 2018. 18X18 is bigger than ADA or any single organization and its success hinges on the active support and sacrifice of the entire audiology community.
“18X18 is about securing the best future for our patients and our profession by ensuring that audiologists are recognized as the entry point for audiologic care,” said ADA President, Dr. Nancy Green. “We thank SCAA and GAA for their incredible vision and leadership as expressed by their enthusiastic support for this initiative. We look forward to working with them and other like-minded professionals throughout the nation to achieve 18X18.”
The proposed 18 by 18 legislation, if enacted, would:
- Allow audiologists the autonomy to make clinical recommendations and practice the full scope of audiology and vestibular care as allowed by their state license and as dictated by their educational requirements and competencies.
- Eliminate the need for the physician order required for a Medicare beneficiary to receive coverage of medically necessary, covered audiology and vestibular services
- Allow for Medicare coverage of medically necessary, covered treatment services such as vestibular rehabilitation, cerumen removal, and aural rehabilitation provided by an audiologist practicing within their state defined scope of practice.
The ADA Board of Directors recently appointed ADA Immediate Past President, Dr. Eric Hagberg, to oversee advocacy activities related to 18X18 on behalf of ADA and its members.
“It is my great honor to coordinate and execute plans to advance audiology’s 18X18 objectives,” said Dr. Hagberg. “With the help of our allies, we intend to carry the 18X18 message to every audiology organization and indeed every audiologist, so that we can attain the best outcomes for our patients and our profession.”
About ADA and 18X18
Established in 1977, the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) is the only national organization dedicated to audiologists in autonomous practice. ADA and its members strive to epitomize practitioner excellence, high ethical standards, professional autonomy and sound business practices in the provision of quality audiologic care. For more information, visit https://www.audiologist.org/.
18X18 is a national audiology initiative that seeks to amend Title 18 of the Social Security Act by 2018 to provide for the treatment of audiologists as physicians for purposes of furnishing audiology services under the Medicare Program, to provide for a broadened scope of audiology services available for coverage under the Medicare program and to enable Medicare beneficiaries to have their choice of qualified audiologist. To learn more about the 18X18 Initiative and how you can help achieve it, visit https://www.18x18.org/.
