I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6147 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
under the Medicare program of hearing aids and related hearing services. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 9, 2020 
Mr. CARTWRIGHT (for himself, Mr. KATKO, and Mr. CICILLINE) 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 subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee 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 services. 
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 ‘‘Help Extend Auditory 
Relief (HEAR) Act of 2020’’. 
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SEC. 2. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF HEARING REHABILITA-
TION. 
(a) COVERAGE OF AURAL REHABILITATION SERV-
ICES.—Section 1861(s)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (GG), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (HH) by inserting ‘‘and’’ 
at the end; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(II) aural rehabilitation services (as described 
in subsection (kkk)(1)(A));’’. 
(b) COVERAGE OF HEARING AIDS AS DURABLE MED-
ICAL EQUIPMENT.—Section 1861(s)(8) of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(8)) is amended by inserting 
‘‘and hearing aids (as defined in subsection (kkk)(3))’’ be-
fore the period. 
(c) HEARING REHABILITATION AND HEARING AID 
DEFINED.—Section 1861 of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395x) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘Hearing Rehabilitation 
‘‘(kkk)(1) The term ‘hearing rehabilitation’ means— 
‘‘(A) aural rehabilitation services (described in 
paragraph (2)) which meet such requirements as the 
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Secretary prescribes and which are furnished by a 
physician or qualified audiologist, who is legally au-
thorized to furnish such services under the State law 
(or the State regulatory mechanism provided by 
State law) of the State in which the services are fur-
nished; and 
‘‘(B) hearing aids (as defined in paragraph 
(3)). 
‘‘(2) The services described in this subparagraph in-
clude— 
‘‘(A) aural rehabilitation services; 
‘‘(B) in the case of an individual who has a 
hearing loss (as defined by the Secretary), a com-
prehensive audiologic assessment to determine if a 
hearing aid is appropriate and to determine the need 
for other diagnostic medical or audiologic testing; 
and 
‘‘(C) a threshold test to determine audio acuity. 
‘‘(3)(A) The term ‘hearing aid’ means a hearing aid 
described in subparagraph (B), including the services de-
scribed in subparagraph (C) furnished by a physician or 
qualified audiologist, who is legally authorized to supply 
such hearing aid under the State law (or State regulatory 
mechanism provided by State law) of the State in which 
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(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph: 
‘‘(Q) in the case of hearing rehabilitation, which 
is furnished or supplied more frequently than is pro-
vided under section 1861(kkk)(3)(D)(ii).’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (7) by striking ‘‘hearing aids 
or examinations therefor’’. 
(f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and shall apply to items and services furnished 
on or after a date specified by the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services that is not sooner than January 1 
of the first year beginning after such date of enactment 
and not later than January 1 of the third year beginning 
after such date of enactment. 
Æ 
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