[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1837 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1837

 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to cover hearing aids 
    and auditory rehabilitation services under the Medicare Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 22, 2009

   Mr. Brown introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
                  referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to cover hearing aids 
    and auditory rehabilitation services under the Medicare Program.

    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 ``Medicare Hearing Enhancement and 
Auditory Rehabilitation (HEAR) Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF HEARING AIDS AND AUDITORY REHABILITATION 
              SERVICES.

    (a) Coverage of Hearing Aids.--
            (1) Elimination of exclusion from coverage.--Section 
        1862(a)(7) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y(a)(7)) 
        is amended by striking ``hearing aids or examinations 
        therefor,''.
            (2) Coverage of hearing aids.--The Secretary of Health and 
        Human Services shall establish national coverage determinations 
        for hearing aids under title XVIII of the Social Security Act 
        based on the coverage offered by other Federal benefit 
        programs, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs and 
        Department of Defense, in consultation with hearing health 
        professionals and trade organizations.
    (b) Coverage of Auditory Rehabilitation Services.--
            (1) In general.--Section 1861 of the Social Security Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (s)(2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (DD), by striking 
                        ``and'' at the end;
                            (ii) in subparagraph (EE), by adding 
                        ``and'' at the end; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following 
                        new subparagraph:
            ``(FF) auditory services (as defined in subsection 
        (ll)(2));''; and
                    (B) in subsection (ll)(2), by inserting ``and such 
                rehabilitation and treatment services'' after ``hearing 
                and balance assessment services''.
            (2) Conforming payment amendment.--Section 1848(j)(3) of 
        such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-4(j)(3)) is amended by inserting 
        ``(2)(FF),'' after ``(2)(EE),''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2010.
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