,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #caej ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #ai1 #bjac,mr4 ,cartwright 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,crdenas1 ,ms4 ,clarke1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 ,ms4 ,eddie ,bernice ,johnson of ,texas1 ,ms4 ,lee of ,california1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4 ,peters of ,michigan1 ,mr4 ,vargas1 ,mr4 ,nadler1 ,mr4 ,scott of ,virginia1 ,mr4 ,andrews1 and ,mr4 ,perlmutter7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 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 coverage under the ,medicare ,program of hearing aids and related hearing services4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,help ,extend ,auditory ,relief 7,,hear7 ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,medicare coverage of hearing rehabilitation 7a7 ,coverage of aural rehabilitation services ,section #ahfa7s77#b7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7s77#b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,,ee71 by striking and at the end2 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,,ff7 by inserting and at the end2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraph3 7,,gg7 aural rehabilitation services 7as described in subsection 7iii77#a77;,a772 4 7b7 ,coverage of hearing aids as durable medical equipment ,section #ahfa7s77#h7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7s77#h77 is amended by inserting and hearing aids 7as defined in subsection 7iii77#c77 before the period4 7c7 ,hearing rehabilitation and hearing aid defined ,section #ahfa of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7iii7 ,hearing rehabilitation 7#a7 ,the term hearing rehabilitation means-- 7,a7 aural rehabilitation services 7described in paragraph 7#b77 which meet such requirements as the ,secretary prescribes and which are furnished by a physician or qualified audiologist1 who is legally authorized to furnish such services under the ,state law 7or the ,state regulatory mechanism provided by ,state law7 of the ,state in which the services are furnished2 and 7,b7 hearing aids 7as defined in paragraph 7#c774 7#b7 ,the services described in this subparagraph include-- 7,a7 aural rehabilitation services2 7,b7 in the case of an individual who has a hearing loss 7as defined by the ,secretary71 a comprehensive audiologic assessment to determine if a hearing aid is appropriate and to determine the need for other diagnostic medical or audiologic testing2 and 7,c7 a threshold test to determine audio acuity4 7#c7 7,a7 ,the term hearing aid means a hearing aid described in subparagraph 7,b71 including the services described in subparagraph 7,c7 furnished by a physician or qualified audiologist1 who is legally authorized to supply such hearing aid under the ,state law 7or ,state regulatory mechanism provided by ,state law7 of the ,state in which the hearing aid is supplied1 to an individual described in subparagraph 7,d74 7,b7 ,a hearing aid described in this subparagraph is any wearable instrument or device for1 offered for the purpose of1 or represented as aiding individuals with1 or compensating for1 hearing loss that meets requirements of the ,food and ,drug ,administration for marketing4 7,c7 ,the services described in this subparagraph include-- 7i7 audiology services 7as defined in subsection 7ll77#b772 7ii7 a hearing aid assessment to determine the appropriate hearing aid for the individual2 7iii7 procurement of an appropriate hearing aid2 7iv7 initial fitting and adjustment of the hearing aid2 7v7 appropriate instruction on the use of the hearing aid2 7vi7 periodic refittings and adjustments2 and 7vii7 rehabilitation1 including counseling on hearing loss1 speech reading1 and auditory training4 7,d7 ,the individuals described in this subparagraph-- 7i7 have been determined 7as a result of a comprehensive audiologic assessment7 to have a hearing loss which can be appropriately treated with a hearing aid2 7ii7 have not been supplied with one monaural hearing aid or two binaural hearing aids during the preceding #c years2 and 7iii7 have had a comprehensive audiologic assessment which indicates that the hearing of such individual has deteriorated since such individual was last supplied with a hearing aid such that a hearing aid of a different type is appropriate for such individual4 4 7d7 ,inclusion of audiology rehabilitation services ,section #ahfa7ll77#b7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7ll77#b77 is amended by inserting and rehabilitation after balance assessment4 7e7 ,exception to exclusions from coverage ,section #ahfb7;a7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciey7a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,o71 by striking and at the end2 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,p72 by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting 1 and2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraph3 7,q7 in the case of hearing rehabilitation1 which is furnished or supplied more frequently than is provided under section #ahfa7;iii77#c77;,d77ii74 2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#g7 by striking hearing aids or examinations therefor4 7f7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and shall apply to items and services furnished on or after ,january #a of such year1 not later than the third year beginning after such date of enactment1 as the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall specify4