[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 415 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 415

 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

                            January 26, 2005

 Mr. Ryun of Kansas (for himself, Mr. Cooper, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Ehlers, 
   Mr. Holt, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Walsh, Mr. Bachus, Mr. George Miller of 
  California, Mr. Wolf, and Mr. Allen) 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 
2005''.

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 (Y), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (Z), by inserting ``and'' at the end; 
        and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(AA) 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)(AA),'' after ``(2)(W),''.

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, 2005.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall take 
effect with respect to services furnished on or after January 1, 2006.
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