The Minnesota Academy of Audiology (MAA) has endorsed the Audiology Patient Choice Act (H.R. 2519) because it will, “provide better efficiency for evaluation and treatment for Medicare beneficiaries with hearing and vestibular disorders," said MAA president, Grace Berry, Au.D.
Medicare beneficiaries deserve that same access to high quality audiologic services as the rest of America enjoys—and the Audiology Patient Choice Act will deliver it by:
- Providing Medicare patients with direct access to audiologists, eliminating the need for a referral from a medical doctor.
- Allowing audiologists to be reimbursed for Medicare-covered services that are within their state-defined scope of practice.
- Defining audiologists as limited licensed physicians (LLP) under the Medicare program. This is the same status held by other non-medical doctor providers such as optometrists, dentists, chiropractors and podiatrists.
“ADA and its network of more than 30 organizational partners are working diligently to pass this critical legislation in the 114th Congress,” said ADA President, Kim Cavitt, Au.D. “We commend the Minnesota Academy of Audiology for its commitment to advance H.R. 2519 which will ensure that audiologists are recognized and reimbursed by Medicare in a manner that is consistent with most private insurers (including Medicare Advantage plans) and with their education and training.”
The Audiology Patient Choice Act was carefully constructed to promote high-quality, cost-effective audiologic care for Medicare patients. The legislation will not:
- Expand or add new services to the Medicare program
- Expand or modify an audiologist’s scope of practice
- Impact state licensure requirements for the practice of audiology
- Increase patient risk or compromise quality of care
Back the Act today! Act now to help ADA and Representatives Jenkins and Cartwright ensure audiology’s independence from outdated Medicare requirements.
