MISSOURI ACADEMY OF AUDIOLOGY
Update 7/21/2023
New ACHIEVE study published that suggested that a hearing intervention might reduce cognitive change over 3 years in populations of older adults at increased risk for cognitive decline. Read the full study here: Hearing intervention versus health education control to reduce cognitive decline in older adults with hearing loss in the USA (ACHIEVE): a multicentre, randomised controlled trial - The Lancet
Update 7/19/2023
The Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act of 2023 was introduced today with bipartisan support. This act is endorsed by American Academy of Audiology, The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and Academy of Doctors of Audiology. This bill is an updated version of similar legislation introduced in previous Congresses that would:
- Provide Medicare coverage of both diagnostic and treatment services provided by audiologists starting in 2025.
- Remove the physician order requirement so beneficiaries have improved access to audiologists, addressing claim denials associated with use of the AB modifier.
- Reclassify audiologists as practitioners under the Medicare statute, enabling services to be furnished through telehealth beyond the current December 31, 2024, expiration of such authority.
For more information, click here. MAA will keep you updated on any other updates on this bill.
Update: 7/18/2023
Legislation update - LEAD-K has passed in Missouri. Although this legislation failed when trying to pass on its own, after it was attached to an existing bill, it was passed this month. Read more here.
Update: 5/18/2023
Update - HB106 was dropped from the House Committee on 5/5/2023. We will continue to keep an eye on this should it re-emerge in the future.
We are watching House Bill 106 and Senate Bill 340. House Bill 106 was prefiled in the House in December and read for the first and second times in January. Today, the Elementary and Secondary Education committee will meet and review the bill. The identical bill, Senate Bill 340, was also read in January for the first time. Our legislative volunteers are working with the American Academy of Audiology to review the bill and formulate next steps. If you have any opinions, please let us know by emailing maaudiology@gmail.com
To read more about these bills, see the links below or see our website: