,i  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #djce  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,febru>y #aa1 #bjad   
,mr4 ,mc,dermott 7= himself & ,mr4      
,la?am7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0  
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy &      
,comm]ce1 & 9 addition to ! ,committee  
on ,ways & ,means1 = a p]iod to be      
subsequ5tly det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* 
case = consid]ation ( su* provisions z  
fall )9 ! jurisdiction ( ! committee    
conc]n$  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d title      
,,xviii ( ! ,social ,security ,act to   
provide ,m$ic>e b5efici>ies coord9at$   
c>e & great] *oice ) reg>d to access+   
he>+ heal? s]vices & b5efits4  #a4 ,%ort
 title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,access
 to ,he>+ ,heal?c>e ,act ( #bjad4  #b4  
,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3  7#a7   
,approximately #cf1jjj1jjj ,am]icans    
exp]i5ce "s degree ( he>+ loss & by     
#bjcj t numb] is expect$ to increase to 
#gh1jjj1jjj ,am]icans4  7#b7 ,he>+      
impairm5t is "o ( ! mo/ common          
conditions affect+ old] adults1 )       

approximately #cc p]c5t ( ,am]icans ag$ 
#fj ye>s & ov] & #dj to #ej p]c5t ( ^?  
ag$ #ge ye>s & old] exp]i5c+ he>+ loss4 
7#c7 ,! ,national ,in/itute on ,deafness
 & ,o!r ,communication ,disord]s        
e/imates t approximately #ae p]c5t 7#bf 
million7 ( ,am]icans betwe5 ! ages ( #bj
 & #fi h high frequ5cy he>+ loss due to 
exposure to l\d s\nds or noise at "w or 
9 leisure activities4  7#d7 ,he>+ loss  
is a major b>ri] to p>ticipat+ 9        
society1 bo? economically & socially4   
7#e7 ,he>+ loss among s5ior citiz5s1 if 
left untreat$1 c result 9 isolation &   
depression4  7#f7 ,! ,dep>tm5t (        
,vet]ans ,affairs all[s vet]ans to      
directly access audiologi/s & has       
report$ t ?is policy1 adopt$ 9 #aiib1   
provides high-quality1 effici5t1 &      
co/-effective he>+ c>e4  7#g7 ,! ,(fice 
( ,p]sonnel ,managem5t all[s ,f$]al     
employees & ,memb]s ( ,congress to      
directly access audiologi/s ?r\gh !     
,f$]al ,employees ,heal? ,b5efits       
,program4  7#h7 ,audiologi/s are lic5s$ 

9 ea* ,/ate & ! ,di/rict ( ,columbia & !
 scope ( s]vices furni%$ by audiologi/s 
is det]m9$ by ea* jurisdiction involv$4 
7#i7 ,consi/5cy 9 ,f$]al policy )       
respect to he>+ heal? s]vices %\ld be   
enc\rag$ to ! greate/ ext5t possible4   
7#aj7 ,audiologi/s hold ma/]'s or       
doctoral degrees 9 audiology1 complet+  
univ]sity tra9+ programs :i* provide =  
rigor\s !oretical & cl9ical education on
 evaluation1 diagnosis1 & treatm5t4     
7#aa7 ,z ( ,janu>y #a1 #bjaj1           
audiologi/s are categoriz$ "u a unique  
broad occupation category )9 ! ,/&>d    
,occupational ,classification 7,,soc7   
sy/em to bett] reflect ! diagno/ic &    
treatm5t nature ( ! s]vices !y provide4 
#c4 ,enabl+ m$ic>e b5efici>ies to h _!  
*oice ( qualifi$ he>+ heal? c>e provid]s
 ,section #ahfa7ll77#c7 ( ! ,social     
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#aciex7ll77#c77 is am5d$ by ins]t+ be=e 
! p]iod at ! end ! foll[+3 1 )\t reg>d  
to any requirem5t t ! individual receiv+
 ! audiology s]vices be "u ! c>e ( 7or  

ref]r$ by7 a physician or o!r heal? c>e 
practition] or t su* s]vices are provid$
 "u ! sup]vision ( a physician or o!r   
heal? c>e practition]4  #d4 ,inclusion (
 audiology s]vices z m$ical s]vices "u  
m$ic>e "p ,b2 paym5t = su* s]vices  7a7 
,9 g5]al ,section #ahfa7s77#b7 ( !      
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#aciex7s77#b77 is am5d$--  7#a7 9       
subp>agraph 7,,ee71 by /rik+ & at ! end2
  7#b7 9 subp>agraph 7,,ff71 by ins]t+ &
 at ! end2 &  7#c7 by add+ at ! end !   
foll[+ new subp>agraph3  7,,gg7         
audiology s]vices 7z def9$ 9 subsection 
7ll77#c772  4  7b7 ,paym5t "u !         
physician fee s*$ule ,section           
#ahdh7;j77#c7 ( ! ,social ,security ,act
 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciew-#d7;j77#c77 is   
am5d$ by ins]t+ 7#b77;,,gg71 be=e 7#c74 
#e4 ,con/ruction2 effective date  7a7   
,con/ruction ,no?+ 9 ! am5dm5ts made by 
?is ,act %all be con/ru$ to exp& ! scope
 ( audiology s]vices = :i* paym5t may be
 made "u title ,,xviii ( ! ,social      
,security ,act on ,decemb] #ca1 #bjac4  

7b7 ,effective date ,! am5dm5ts made by 
?is ,act %all take effect ) respect to  
s]vices furni%$ on or aft] ,janu>y #a1  
#bjae4