[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2821 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2821

 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for direct 
   access to audiologists for Medicare beneficiaries, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 22, 2003

    Mr. Ryun of Kansas (for himself and Mrs. Capps) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
  Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for direct 
   access to audiologists for Medicare beneficiaries, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hearing Health Accessibility Act of 
2003''.

SEC. 2. DIRECT ACCESS TO QUALIFIED AUDIOLOGISTS FOR MEDICARE 
              BENEFICIARIES.

    Section 1861(ll)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395x(ll)(2)) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the 
following: ``, without regard to any requirement that the individual 
receiving the audiology services be under the care of (or referred by) 
a physician or other health care practitioner or that such services are 
provided under the supervision of a physician or other health care 
practitioner''.

SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF AUDIOLOGY SERVICES AS A PART B MEDICAL SERVICE; 
              PAYMENT.

    (a) In General.--Section 1861(s)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (U), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (V), by inserting ``and'' at the end; 
        and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(W) audiology services (as defined in subsection 
        (ll)(2));''.
    (b) Payment Under the Physician Fee Schedule.--Section 1848(j)(3) 
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-4(j)(3)) is amended by inserting 
``(2)(W),'' after ``(2)(S),''.

SEC. 4. CONSTRUCTION; EFFECTIVE DATE.

    (a) Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed to expand 
the scope of audiology services for which payment may be made under 
title XVIII of the Social Security Act on December 31, 2003.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall take 
effect with respect to services furnished on or after January 1, 2004.
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