Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
This bill amends Medicare (Title XVIII) to recognize and reimburse audiology services as a payable benefit. It allows qualified audiologists to furnish hearing and balance assessment services and, beginning January 1, 2027, certain treatment services without physician referral or supervision, subject to state authorization.
Liberal emphasizes access and FQHC/RHC inclusion benefits
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a focused substantive policy amendment to Medicare law that clearly identifies statutory changes required to expand and pay for audiology services and to recognize audiologists as eligible providers in certain contexts.
This bill amends Medicare (Title XVIII) to recognize and reimburse audiology services as a payable benefit.
It allows qualified audiologists to furnish hearing and balance assessment services and, beginning January 1, 2027, certain treatment services without physician referral or supervision, subject to state authorization.
The bill specifies Medicare payment rules (beneficiary coinsurance at 20% of the lesser of actual charge or fee schedule) and adds audiologists to eligible practitioner lists for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Targeted, low-controversy Medicare expansion with modest costs increases chances, but still needs committee approval and floor scheduling or package inclusion.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a focused substantive policy amendment to Medicare law that clearly identifies statutory changes required to expand and pay for audiology services and to recognize audiologists as eligible providers in certain contexts. It provides specific statutory edits and an effective date but omits fiscal analysis, detailed administrative implementation steps, and accountability/reporting provisions.
Liberal emphasizes access and FQHC/RHC inclusion benefits
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Liberal emphasizes access and FQHC/RHC inclusion benefits
Likely supportive as an access-expanding, incremental improvement for older adults and underserved communities.
Views this as a positive step toward reducing barriers created by physician-referral requirements and improving primary care integration at FQHCs/RHCs.
Generally favorable as a pragmatic, narrowly targeted improvement to access and clarity in Medicare.
Sees value in removing unnecessary referral requirements but wants fiscal and anti-fraud safeguards and evidence of cost-effectiveness.
Skeptical: views it as a modest expansion of federal Medicare payment responsibilities and potential cost driver.
Some conservatives may appreciate reduced physician gatekeeping, but many will worry about spending and federal role expansion.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Targeted, low-controversy Medicare expansion with modest costs increases chances, but still needs committee approval and floor scheduling or package inclusion.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Liberal emphasizes access and FQHC/RHC inclusion benefits
Targeted, low-controversy Medicare expansion with modest costs increases chances, but still needs committee approval and floor scheduling o…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a focused substantive policy amendment to Medicare law that clearly identifies statutory changes required to expand and pay for audiology services and to recognize…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.