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The Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act will align Medicare policies with evidence-based practices in the delivery of hearing and balance care through the following provisions:

July 19, 2023

The American Academy of Audiology (AAA), Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA), and American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) have endorsed the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act of 2023, bipartisan legislation introduced today by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Charles Grassley (R-IA) that will provide seniors with more timely and robust access to services provided by audiologists.

On July 13, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the CY 2024 Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. You can access it here: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2023-14624/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-cy-2024-payment-policies-under-the-physician-fee-schedule-and-other

On July 13, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the CY 2024 Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. You can access it here: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2023-14624/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-cy-2024-payment-policies-under-the-physician-fee-schedule-and-other

Attention ADA Member:

ADA has received several member queries regarding the potential for legal liability for audiologists who participate in promotional incentive programs whereby they purchase hearing aids from a hearing aid manufacturer or distributor in exchange for monetary compensation in the form of paid conference registration fees.

Given both the significance and time-sensitive nature of this issue for ADA members, ADA sought a legal review on this issue. ADA’s attorney has reviewed sales promotions offering audiologists paid conference registrations in exchange for hearing aid purchases that have been publicized recently in public forums and offers the following general guidance:

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have updated the Advanced Beneficiary Notice, whose most recent update to the Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN) goes into effect on June 30, 2023.

All audiology practices, who bill items and services to traditional Medicare, need to replace their ABNs, dated with an expiration date of 06/30/23, with a new, updated (with updated language) ABN, dated with an expiration date of 01/31/2026. The form is not valid if it is not in its most updated version.

Join us on Wednesday May 3rd at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time for this exciting one-hour webinar! In this presentation, we will discuss the evolving definition of audiologic/aural rehabilitation and the hurdles that may prevent us from realizing its full potential in our practices. We will review digital-first care as an effective, cost-efficient way to provide personalized treatment plans to our patients. Utilizing common patient profiles, we will discuss candidacy and integration from a solutions-based perspective. Nashlea Brogan, Au.D., a practice owner and cochlear implant user utilizing Amptify DTx, will share her leadership philosophy, especially as it pertains to gaining “buy-in” from staff during implementation. She will discuss how it fits into a plan to differentiate her practice from the competition while addressing the rehabilitative needs of her patients.

State audiology advocacy efforts have intensified, in response to new Over-the-Counter (OTC) and prescription hearing aid regulations, implemented by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2022, with the most critical initiatives focused on ensuring that practice statutes for audiologists and hearing aid specialists are amended to conform with FDA regulations for prescription hearing aids, so that consumers continue to have ready access to the care that they need.

February brought with it a flurry of state advocacy activity to update audiology and hearing aid dispensing statutes to conform with newly implemented federal U.S. Food and Drug regulations related to over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids and prescription hearing aids.

ADA members, volunteers, and staff have been working to ensure that much-needed statutory updates are made to audiology practice statutes to include “ordering” and “prescribing” hearing aids/prescription hearing aids. There have been several circumstances where State agencies have attempted to make necessary updates and inadvertently omitted important language, essential to ensure that consumers have uninterrupted access to audiology and hearing aid dispensing services.

Register for OTC Hearing Aids – Mastering the Market and the Business Model to Maximize Opportunities in Your Practice. This three-part webinar series, featuring Dr. Brent Edwards, Dr. Larry Humes, and Dr. Michael Valente will offer attendees valuable insight into the OTC hearing aid market, including consumer dynamics, and demonstrates how to maximize business opportunities in your practice.

This timely webinar series, underwritten by Phonak, is open to ADA members and audiologists who are interested in a complementary ADA trial membership (trial membership limited to new members only, please). Attendees may register for one, two, or all three sessions.