Medicare coverage would include hearing aids for beneficiaries under a bipartisan bill proposed on Jan. 16 by U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
The Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act, H.R. 500, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and 21 original cosponsors, including lead cosponsor Rep. Fitzpatrick, would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the exclusion of Medicare coverage for hearing aids and examinations, according to the Congressional Record bill summary.
“With nearly 48 million Americans affected by hearing loss, the stakes are too high to ignore,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said. “Our bipartisan Expanding Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act is a decisive step forward in ensuring our seniors have access to the essential care they need to remain active, engaged, and valued members of our communities.”
If enacted, H.R. 500 also would mandate that a comprehensive study be conducted by the Government Accountability Office to evaluate insurance programs addressing hearing loss and to identify best practices for providing these critical services, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Fitzpatrick’s staff.
“Hearing loss is more than a medical condition — it’s a barrier to independence, communication, and dignity,” said the congressman. “For millions of seniors across our nation, Medicare’s outdated prohibition on hearing aid coverage has meant enduring unnecessary isolation and a diminished quality of life.”
With the average cost of hearing aids exceeding $2,500 and Medicare’s current exclusion, H.R. 500 would help close a critical gap in healthcare coverage, the lawmakers said.
“By expanding coverage for hearing aids under Medicare, more seniors will be able to live with dignity and independence,” Rep. Dingell said. “It’s simple: No one should feel isolated, confused, or shut out from the world because they can’t afford hearing aids.”
H.R. 500 is supported by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.