Originally posted to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Headlines e-mail list on December 29, 2005.
In a flurry of last minute action before their end of the year adjournment, Congress took action on several important issues to audiologists, including the Medicare fee schedule, direct access and EHDI.
The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005 avoids a 4.4% cut in the annual update to the 2006 Medicare fee schedule that otherwise would have taken effect on January 1. Most audiology procedures would receive the same payment in 2006 as they had in 2005. But due to minor differences in the House and Senate bills, it is unclear if the DRA will become law by year's end.
The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations conference agreement that was passed last night contains language which would direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide Congress with "A determination as to the current legal authority to permit direct access to licensed audiologists under similar terms and conditions used by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Office of Personnel Management. A report shall be submitted to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees by April 2006."
This will require CMS to identify any statutory changes necessary to allow audiologists direct access under Medicare. It will also force CMS to disclose if it is their opinion that they have the authority to give audiologists direct access without a statutory change.
The appropriations bill provides roughly $10 million in 2006 funding for the Universal Newborn Hearing screening program of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. And the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is scheduled to receive for $6.6 million next year.
Because of this federal funding, state initiatives, and the concerted efforts of state EHDI programs, over 90% of all newborns are screened for hearing loss before they leave the hospital. This is remarkable progress from 1999 when only about 20% of hospitals screened for newborn hearing loss. ASHA is now working with congressional leaders, consumer and other provider groups to develop new federal legislation that would focus on early intervention and expansion of pediatric audiology programs.
ASHA will keep members abreast of the developments on the DRA. A more detailed analysis of the appropriations legislation will be provided in the near future. For more information, please contact Reed Franklin, Director of ASHA's Capitol Hill office, via e-mail at rfranklin@asha.org or by phone at 800-498-2071, ext. 4473.
Reprinted by permission of the American Speech-Lanuage-Hearing Association.
