II 112th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3242 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 24, 2012 Mr. Menendez 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 provide Medicare beneficiaries coordinated care and greater choice with regard to accessing hearing health services and benefits.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Medicare Hearing Health Care Enhancement Act of 2012.

2.

Enabling Medicare beneficiaries to have their choice of qualified hearing health care providers

Section 1861(ll)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(ll)(3)) 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.

3.

Inclusion of audiology services as medical services under Medicare part B; payment for such services

(a)

In General

Section 1861(s)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)) is amended— (1)in subparagraph (EE), by striking and at the end; (2)in subparagraph (FF), by inserting and at the end; and (3)by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (GG)audiology services (as defined in subsection (ll)(3)); . (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)(GG), before (3),.

4.

Construction; effective date

(a)

Construction

Nothing in the amendments made by 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, 2012. (b)

Effective Date

The amendments made by this Act shall take effect with respect to services furnished on or after January 1, 2013.