Audiology Connections - 2022 - 18

ADVOCACY
Advocacy for Audiologists
The current public policy landscape is
fragile and uncertain. Political divisions
have negatively impacted public
trust and the ability of government
institutions to function. The ongoing
coronavirus pandemic continues
to transform how we interact,
communicate, and work, as well as
how we conceptualize public health,
education, and service delivery.
Despite hardening political polarization
and the unprecedented impact of the
pandemic, the current public policy
landscape is also promising.
ASHA has taken advantage of
several opportunities to advance
critical priorities for audiologists.
ASHA's top priority has been (and
continues to be) the provisions
contained within the bipartisan
Medicare Audiologist Access and
Services Act (H.R. 1587/S. 1731), or
MAASA. Introduced earlier in the
Congressional session, this legislation
expands Medicare coverage
to include audiology treatment
services, reclassifies audiologists as
" practitioners " under the Medicare
statute, and removes the unnecessary
physician referral requirement for
Medicare beneficiaries to seek
audiology services. Working in
strong partnership with the Academy
of Doctors of Audiology and the
American Academy of Audiology,
ASHA successfully grew bipartisan
support for MAASA and had the
MAASA provisions included in
the broader Build Back Better Act
(H.R. 5376), which the House of
Representatives passed in November.
Although political momentum behind
the Build Back Better Act has stalled in
the Senate in early 2022 (for reasons
that have nothing to do with the
MAASA provisions), ASHA will continue
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to take advantage of current and new
opportunities to advocate for passage
of MAASA this year.
A second major priority for ASHA
concerns the classification of overthe-counter
(OTC) hearing aids by the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
After a 4-year delay, the FDA released
proposed rules in November 2021.
Immediately thereafter, ASHA began
gathering input from audiologists
across the country and developed a
series of comprehensive comments
that-among other things-advocated
for (1) more appropriate product
specifications (e.g., maximum power
output limitation, gain requirement,
compression strategy, and volume
control) for mild-to-moderate hearing
impairment; (2) more concise labeling
(both outside-the-box and insidethe-box)
appropriate for OTCs with
a recommendation to consult with
a hearing health-care professional;
(3) a strong definition of the new
OTC classification so that it is easily
comprehensible by consumers and
in line with risk class requirements
for safety and effectiveness; and (4)
clarification on preemption of state
laws and ensuring adequate provisions
for consumer protection. ASHA's
comments to the FDA were amplified
by other hearing health stakeholders,
including consumer groups and
manufacturers. The FDA will be taking
ASHA's comments into consideration
before issuing final regulations later this
year.
ASHA's advocacy for audiologists
continued beyond MAASA and OTCs.
ASHA is actively seeking permanent
telehealth authority for audiologists
through several pieces of active
legislation, including the bipartisan
2022 AUDIOLOGY CONNECTIONS asha.org/aud
Expanded Telehealth Access Act
(H.R. 2168/S. 3193). ASHA joined a
large coalition of physician specialty
and non-physician provider groups
to significantly reduce scheduled
Medicare reimbursement cuts in
2022 via Public Law 117-71, which was
enacted in mid-December 2021. Finally,
ASHA has been leading efforts to
reauthorize the Early Hearing Detection
and Intervention Act. The House of
Representatives passed reauthorization
legislation (H.R. 5561) in December
that included language recommended
by ASHA to require a study by the
Government Accountability Office
on disparities in access to follow-up
intervention services among members
of historically underserved populations.
Senate consideration of H.R. 5561 is
expected this year.
Undoubtedly, the political landscape
will remain fragile and uncertain for
some time to come, exacerbated by
a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the challenges that this
landscape presents, ASHA will
continue fighting for audiologists and
devoting significant resources to ensure
that audiologists are given the support
they need to practice at the top of their
license.
Jeffrey P. Regan, MA,
Chief Advocacy Officer,
ASHA
http://www.asha.org/aud
Audiology Connections - 2022

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