,,ii #aai? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cgci ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,janu>y #bi1 #bjbf,mrs4 ,blackburn 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,s*iff1 & ,mr4 ,grassley7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to direct ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to c>ry out a demon/ration project on cov]age by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs ( ov]-!-c\nt] he>+ aids1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,he>+ ,aid ,improvem5t ,act ( #bjbf4 #b4 ,demon/ration project on cov]age by ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs ( ov]-!-c\nt] he>+ aids 7a7 ,e/abli%m5t ( demon/ration project ,beg9n+ n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 79 ?is section ref]r$ to z ! ,secret>y7 %all comm5ce a project 79 ?is section ref]r$ to z ! demon/ration project7 to demon/rate & evaluate ! fiscal impact ( cov]+ ,,fda-cle>$1 ov]-!-c\nt] he>+ aids "u section #agjg7;b7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 9 ! same or simil> mann] z cov]age is provid$ = prescription he>+ aids "u su* section4 7b7 ,duration ,! ,secret>y %all c>ry out ! demon/ration project = a p]iod ( two ye>s4 7c7 ,eligible p>ticipants ,a vet]an is eligible to p>ticipate 9 ! demon/ration project if-- 7#a7 ! vet]an is enroll$ 9 ! sy/em ( annual pati5t enrollm5t e/abli%$ & op]at$ "u section #agje7;a7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 7#b7 an audiologi/ det]m9es1 ?r\gh a cl9ical evaluation ( ! vet]an1 t-- 7,a7 furni%+ an ov]-!-c\nt] he>+ aid to ! vet]an = mild-to-mod]ate he>+ loss is m$ically necess>y2 7,b7 ! vet]an has no r$ flag conditions or contra9dications = ov]-!-c\nt] he>+ aid use1 z specifi$ by ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration2 & 7#c7 ! vet]an has access to a mobile phone device & mobile data or ,wi-,fi1 or any successor te*nology1 to op]ate ov]-!-c\nt] he>+ aid functionality4 7d7 ,locations ,! ,secret>y %all c>ry out ! demon/ration project at n few] ?an two m$ical facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs select$ by ! ,secret>y across diff]5t ,vet]ans ,integrat$ ,s]vices ,networks & t h a demon/rat$ ability to r$uce access b>ri]s & provide s]vices to a div]se vet]an population 9 bo? rural & urban sett+s & surr\nd+ areas4 7e7 ,project design 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all design ! demon/ration project to demon/rate ! effectiv5ess ( ,,fda-cle>$1 ov]-!-c\nt] he>+ aids comp>$ to pr(essionally fitt$ prescription he>+ aids by an audiologi/ accord+ to ! audiological be/ practices ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ( ,affairs1 includ+ ! fiscal impact on ! ,dep>tm5t ( provid+ p]man5t cov]age ( ov]-!-c\nt] he>+ aids "u section #agjg7;b7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4 7#b7 ,design elem5ts 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all ensure ! demon/ration project includes ! foll[+ /udy gr\ps3 7i7 ,an ,,fda-cle>$1 ov] ! c\nt] he>+ aid gr\p4 7ii7 ,an audiologi/-fitt$ prescription he>+ aid gr\p4 7,b7 ,p>ticipants ,! ,secret>y %all allocate an approximately equal numb] ( p>ticipants 9 ! demon/ration project to ea* gr\p specifi$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a74 7f7 ,measurem5t ( b5efits ,to ! maximum ext5t possible1 9 c>ry+ out ! demon/ration project1 ! ,secret>y %all measure bo? self-report$ b5efits & spee* recognition 9 noise among a div]se vet]an population & evaluate ! fiscal impact ov] a two-ye> foll[-up p]iod ( p]man5t cov]age ( ov]-!-c\nt] he>+ aids "u section #agjg7;b7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 = ! ,,fda-cle>$1 ov]-!-c\nt] he>+ aids f\nd "u ! demon/ration project to be mo/ b5eficial4 7g7 ,consultation ,9 conduct+ ! demon/ration project1 ! ,secret>y %all consult ) organizations t repres5t consum]s ) mild-to-mod]ate he>+ loss & o!r /akehold] organizations4 7h7 ,reports 7#a7 ,int]im report ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! comm5cem5t ( ! demon/ration project1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report t describes ! progress & prelim9>y f9d+s f ! demon/ration project4 7#b7 ,f9al report 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! la/ day ( ! demon/ration project & aft] solicitation & consid]ation ( =mal writt5 input on ! project f organizations specifi$ "u subsection 7g71 ! ,secret>y %all submit to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a f9al report on ! project4 7,b7 ,elem5ts ,! report requir$ "u subp>agraph 7,a7 %all include an evaluation ( ! fiscal impact on ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs ( provid+ p]man5t cov]age ( ov]-!-c\nt] he>+ aids "u section #agjg7;b7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 & su* o!r f9d+s & recomm5dations z ! ,secret>y det]m9es appropriate4 7i7 ,,fda-,cle>$1 ov]-,!-,c\nt] he>+ aid def9$ ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m ,,fda-cle>$1 ov]-!-c\nt] he>+ aid means a device-- 7#a7 cle>$ by ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration2 7#b7 fully regulat$ by ! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration "u section #ebj7q7 ( ! ,f$]al ,food1 ,drug1 & ,cosmetic ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #cfj;j7q772 & 7#c7 t conta9s features t all[ p]sonalization ?r\gh te*nology1 su* z he>+ te/s1 s(tw>e1 & sm>t phone applications4 #c4 ,comptroll] ,g5]al /udy & report on vet]ans he>+ aid b5efits 7a7 ,/udy ,! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates %all conduct a /udy on ! furni%+ to vet]ans ) mild-to-mod]ate he>+ loss "u section #agjg7;b7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 ( assi/ance = he>+ aids & relat$ exam9ations4 7b7 ,elem5ts ,! /udy requir$ "u subsection 7a7-- 7#a7 %all include an exam9ation (-- 7,a7 ! numb] ( individuals 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ) mild-to-mod]ate he>+ loss :o ne$ he>+ aids2 7,b7 ! m$ical cov]age ( su* individuals relat+ to obta9+ he>+ aids2 & 7,c7 ! effectiv5ess ( su* m$ical cov]age 9 meet+ su* ne$2 & 7#b7 may include an exam9ation ( contract design = pur*as+ he>+ aid devices4 7c7 ,report 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an #ah mon?s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al %all submit to ,congress a report on ! /udy conduct$ "u subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,recomm5dations ,! report requir$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 %all include su* recomm5dations on *anges to programs & b5efits ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 includ+ ! e/abli%m5t ( new programs & b5efits1 z w\ld meet ! ne$s ( vet]ans ) mild-to-mod]ate he>+ loss4