I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4618 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for 
certain hearing items and services under part B of the Medicare program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 8, 2019 
Mrs. MCBATH (for herself and Mrs. DINGELL) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, 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 
coverage for certain hearing items and services under 
part B of the Medicare program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Medicare Hearing Act 
of 2019’’. 
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SEC. 2. PROVIDING COVERAGE FOR HEARING CARE UNDER 
THE MEDICARE PROGRAM. 
(a) PROVISION
OF AURAL REHABILITATION
AND 
TREATMENT SERVICES BY QUALIFIED AUDIOLOGISTS.— 
Section 1861(ll)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395x(ll)(3)) is amended by inserting ‘‘(and, beginning 
January 1, 2022, such aural rehabilitation and treatment 
services)’’ after ‘‘assessment’’. 
(b) COVERAGE OF HEARING AIDS.— 
(1) INCLUSION
OF
HEARING
AIDS
AS
PROS-
THETIC DEVICES.—Section 1861(s)(8) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(8)) is amended by 
inserting ‘‘, and including hearing aids’’ before the 
semicolon at the end. 
(2) PAYMENT
LIMITATIONS
FOR
HEARING 
AIDS.—Section 1834(h) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395m(h)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(6) LIMITATIONS FOR HEARING AIDS.—Pay-
ment may be made under this part with respect to 
an individual, with respect to hearing aids— 
‘‘(A) not more than once during any 5-year 
period; 
‘‘(B) only if such individual has been diag-
nosed with profound or severe hearing loss in 
one or both ears; 
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‘‘(C) only for types of such hearing aids 
that are not over-the-counter hearing aids (as 
defined in section 520(q)(1) of the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act) and that are 
determined appropriate by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(D) only if furnished pursuant to a writ-
ten order of a doctor or qualified audiologist (as 
described in section 1861(ll)(5)).’’. 
(3) APPLICATION
OF
COMPETITIVE
ACQUISI-
TION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Section 1834(h)(1)(H) 
of 
the 
Social 
Security 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 
1395m(h)(1)(H)) is amended— 
(i) in the header, by inserting ‘‘AND 
HEARING AIDS’’ before the semicolon; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘and of hearing aids 
described in paragraph (2)(D) of such sec-
tion,’’ after ‘‘2009,’’; and 
(iii) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘or 
such hearing aids’’ after ‘‘such orthotics’’. 
(B) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Section 1847(a)(2) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395w–3(a)(2)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following new subparagraph: 
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‘‘(D) HEARING
AIDS.—Hearing aids for 
which payment would otherwise be made under 
section 1834(h).’’. 
(ii) EXEMPTION
OF
CERTAIN
ITEMS 
FROM
COMPETITIVE
ACQUISITION.—Sec-
tion 1847(a)(7) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395w–3(a)(7)), as amended 
by section 2(f)(2), is further amended by 
adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(C) CERTAIN
HEARING
AIDS.—Those 
items and services described in paragraph 
(2)(D) if furnished by a physician or other 
practitioner (as defined by the Secretary) to the 
physician’s or practitioner’s own patients as 
part of the physician’s or practitioner’s profes-
sional service.’’. 
(c) EXCLUSION MODIFICATION.—Section 1862(a)(7) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y(a)(7)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘hearing aids or examinations 
therefor, or’’; and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘, or, with respect to items and 
services furnished before January 1, 2022, hearing 
aids or examinations therefor’’ before the semicolon. 
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SEC. 3. IMPLEMENTATION FUNDING. 
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
provide for the transfer from the Federal Supplementary 
Medical Insurance Trust Fund under section 1841 of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395t) to the Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services Program Management Ac-
count for the period of 2020 through 2024 of such sums 
as may be necessary for purposes of implementing the 
amendments made by section 2. 
Æ 
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