The bill to address the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) cuts might be included in a continuing resolution (CR) package, given the broad-based bipartisan support for increasing physicians’ reimbursement. There are rumors that Republicans might try to push something on Medicare, or move on appropriations bills, rather than pass a CR now and defer longer-term decisions to March. Given that Democrats currently hold the Senate, it would be challenging for anything to be accomplished quickly with the anticipated back-and-forth negotiations that would ensue.

MAAIA co-sponsor Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) lost his election and might want to push for last action on this or other legislative priorities. The AAA-ADA-ASHA collaborative will continue to look for opportunities to advance MAAIA and will follow up further with current sponsors for assistance. The collaborative is starting to look at a possible co-sponsor replacement for Cartwright.

Congress returns this week to debate the pending CR and begin the process of preparing for the 119th Congress. Republicans will decide who will lead in the U.S. Senate, as Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is stepping down from his post. In the running are Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Rick Scott (R-FL), and John Thune (R-SD).

Senator Cornyn’s health care interests lie in patent reform of the pharmaceutical industry and addressing the opioid crisis. If he is successful, there may be opportunities for the Academy to work with him on third-party administrator legislation.

Senator Scott has mainly focused on funding social security and Medicare, but if the opportunity for raising reimbursement rates arise, the Academy will work for audiologists to be included.

Senator Thune has focused on physician reimbursements and rural health care, which could also create possibilities for the Academy to find common ground.

The Academy will monitor and advocate for these opportunities while also focusing on other outcomes of the election such as Senate confirmation hearings for Trump appointments, the calls for restructuring the National Institutes of Health, and appropriations, particularly for the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. 

The post Update on the 2024 Election appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

This legislation promises to stabilize finances for providers, allowing audiologists to continue delivering quality care while keeping their practices viable. Many physician and provider organizations support this effort as a first step toward comprehensive reform of the Medicare payment system. This initiative is especially critical given the combined effects of inflation and ongoing cuts, which have jeopardized the financial sustainability of practices and their ability to maintain accessible, high-quality services for Medicare patients.

To help this bill get across the finish line in 2024, the Academy has created a messaging campaign for our members to reach out to Congress. Audiologists across the nation can voice their support for H.R. 10073 by emailing their members of Congress and urging them to support this important legislation. Please visit our Legislative Action Center to send your message today!

The post Bipartisan Medicare Bill Promises Relief for Audiology Providers appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

The AAA-ADA-ASHA collaborative will continue its pressure on lawmakers to take action during the lame- duck session after the election. Efforts continue to add more co-sponsors to the bill and work with the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate Finance Committee, as well as the lead sponsors, to position the bill as best possible for integration in year-end legislation.

The post MAAIA Supporters Push for Congressional Action appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

The bill’s introduction follows the letter earlier this month to House leadership signed by more than 200 bipartisan House members requesting action to fix the unsustainable Medicare cuts to healthcare providers. The letter emphasized the need to stop the cuts and implement a permanent MEI update to offset increasing costs, particularly for independent clinical practices. The 2.8 percent reduction represents the fifth consecutive year of lower payments proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), but Congress has stepped in before to mitigate these cuts for the short-term. The current legislation does not establish a permanent solution to the MPFS but does offer some relief for 2025.

This bill has been widely endorsed by the American Medical Association, physician organizations, allied health organizations, consumer groups, and others. More than 100 different organizations, including the Academy, are listed as supporting the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2024.. The Academy supports the bill in recognition that the continued cuts in the MPFS harm audiologists and hopes the bill will lead to Congressional efforts to resolve a permanent fix that will support audiology–and other health care–services.

The post Legislation Introduced to Address Cuts in Medicare Physician Fee Schedule appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

The report, released after reviewing more than 280,000 documents, reveals a systematic denial of post-acute care, such as home health services, skilled nursing, and long-term care hospital stays—vital services needed for recovery after hospital discharge. These denials left seniors vulnerable, forcing them to make difficult decisions about their health and finances.

Key findings from 2022 include:

• UnitedHealthcare and CVS denied PA requests for post-acute care at rates three times higher than their denial rates for other types of care.
• Humana had a denial rate for post-acute care 16 times higher than its overall denial rate.
• UnitedHealthcare’s PA denial rate for post-acute care rose from 10.9 percent in 2020 to 22.7 percent in 2022 as the company shifted to more automated processes.
• CVS’s denial rate for post-acute care was stable from 2019 to 2022, but PA requests surged by 57.5 percent.
• Humana denied 54 percent more PA requests for long-term acute care hospitals (the most expensive form of post-acute care) from 2020 to 2022.

The committee recommends that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) collect PA data based on care types, audit insurers, and regulate predictive technologies used in authorization processes. CMS acknowledged the report and is reviewing its findings, stating that future changes to MA policies would be introduced through rulemaking. The agency emphasized its ongoing efforts to ensure MA beneficiaries have timely access to medically necessary care.

The post AI and Algorithms Behind Surge in Medicare Advantage Care Denials appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

Your voice is essential in advocating for removing barriers to audiology services for the nation’s most vulnerable citizens. Take action today by visiting the Academy’s Legislative Action Center to send a message urging your representatives to support the MAAIA’s passage this year.

The post Academy Pushes for Expanded Medicare Beneficiary Access appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

The Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC) held its annual commission meeting on Saturday as part of the conference. It was announced that five more states (Alaska, Florida, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin) have joined the compact since 2023, bringing the total to 34 states. However, the commission acknowledged that passing legislation in the remaining states will be more challenging. Additionally, the commission received an update on the website and data system development that compact staff have been working on since January 2022. The software was selected earlier this year and demo development is now underway. The commission is anticipating the first testing stages for agency interfaces in 2025.

The post NCSB Annual Conference and ASLP-IC Progresses appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

Academy Executive Director Patrick Gallagher highlighted how the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act (H.R. 6445/S. 2377) will expand access by allowing patients to seek audiology services directly from audiologists and also to receive additional treatment services, without adding the delay of a referral, by modernizing Medicare rules. Senator Wyden, who has a long track record of advocating for better health care for families, promoted constituent messaging about expanded access as a strategy to push for a “health care lame duck.”

Audiologists can support our efforts to get the MAAIA passed in the lame duck by reaching out to their members of Congress now while they are back in their states and districts. Please visit the Legislative Action Center to send a message to your members of Congress today!

The post Senator Wyden Discusses Health Care Access appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

The post Continuing Resolution to Keep Government Open but Leaves Year-End Legislation in Question appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.

In the past, SLN meetings covered a wide range of topics, from public policy to organizational management, membership initiatives, and annual meeting planning. However, recognizing the need for more focused discussions, the Academy recently launched quarterly meetings specifically with the presidents of state audiology organizations. This meeting invites leaders from all state audiology organizations to exchange ideas and improve association management. Differentiating these meetings allows SLN meetings to concentrate on public policy and advocacy conversations.

If you have not already received an invitation to either the State Leaders Network meeting or the presidents’ meeting, please contact Michelle Moore, Manager of Government Relations

The post State Leaders Network: Public Policy Focus at October Meeting appeared first on American Academy of Audiology.