[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 60 (Thursday, April 6, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E475]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 MEDICARE DEMONSTRATION OF COVERAGE FOR LOW VISION DEVICES ACT OF 2017

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                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 2017

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 80 million 
Americans are at risk of serious vision loss--a number expected to 
increase as the baby boomer generation ages. Along with my colleague 
Rep. Gus Bilirakis, I am proud to reintroduce legislation to support 
Americans with limited or impaired vision.
  For some, reading a book or crossing the street is difficult even 
with glasses or contact lenses due to blurriness or distortion. Doctors 
can prescribe magnifiers and other special devices, but their current 
exclusion from Medicare coverage greatly restricts access to these 
devices. While there are a wide variety of options to help people with 
low vision, currently, there is an exclusion from Medicare coverage for 
devices that include a lens to aid vision or provide magnification of 
images for impaired vision. Coverage of these devices will greatly 
enhance the ability of older Americans to age independently and enjoy 
everyday activities.
  To understand the impact of covering these devices for America's 
seniors, we are reintroducing the Medicare Demonstration of Coverage 
for Low Vision Devices Act of 2017. This legislation would create a 
five-year national demonstration project administered by the Department 
of Health and Human Services to evaluate the economic impact of 
allowing reimbursement for certain low vision devices under the Social 
Security Act. Coverage of such devices could help Medicare 
beneficiaries with low vision lead healthy, safe, and independent 
lives.
  I urge my colleagues to join us by supporting this legislation that 
will make a significant change to improve the quality of life for the 
visually impaired.

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