Legislative Updates
Legislative Updates
Updated February 28, 2024:
AuD Letter to Beth Van Duyne United States Congresswoman - Click here.
AuD Letter to Ted Cruz United States Senator - Click here.
AuD Letter to Denis McDonough Secretary of Veterans Affairs - Click here.
March was a busy month for TAA at the Capitol! We had 16 participants in our Austin Advocacy Day on March 1st. Following this historic turnout, we had two bills heard in the House Committee on Insurance, a third bill heard in the House Committee on Public Health, and one heard in the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services... Click here to learn more.
Friday, March 10th, was the filing deadline for bills to be introduced into the 88th Texas Legislature. A record-breaking number of House and Senate bills were filed, and there are several on the radar of your Texas Academy of Audiology.
The TAA Top 4 bills we support include:
SB2017 (J. Zaffirini) – TDLR bill to address OTC. This legislation clarifies the difference between a prescription hearing aid and an over-the-counter hearing aid as well as the implications for licensees covered by Chapter 401 (Audiologists) and Chapter 402 (hearing instrument specialists) in the Texas Occupational Code
HB109 (J. Johnson) / SB51 (J. Zaffirini) – prevents insurance plan from denying payment for a hearing aid if patient or parent chooses a more expensive option than allowed by the insurance plan
HB1875 (R. Guillen) – audiology interstate licensure compact (ASLP)
SB619 (N. Johnson) – removes duplicate parental consent for the reporting of failed newborn hearing screening results to the primary resource center and various state agencies.
Some of the new bills that we are watching/evaluating include:
HB468 (S. Thierry) – raises the mandated age cap for hearing aid/cochlear implant coverage from 10 years to 25 years of age
HB4068 (J. Johnson) / SB1285 (N. Johnson) – requires newborn testing for congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV)
If you would like to read these bills or track their status through the legislative process, simply visit www.capitol.texas.gov and enter the bill number above.
Take a few moments to write a letter/emailor to call your state Representative and state Senator to share your support of these bills. Not sure who those folks are? If you’re registered to vote in Texas, visit this website and enter your home address.
Please reach out to Gov@texasaudiology.org with questions or comments.
Governor's Committee for People with Disabilities Legislative Report 1/12/2021:
Medicaid Audiologist Reimbursement for Hearing Aid Fitting, Dispensing, and Evaluation
The reimbursement fee for audiologists enrolled in Medicaid includes all necessary follow-up appointments for clients for as long as they have hearing aids. Reports of difficulties with reimbursement for hearing aid reimbursement began in 2013. Audiologists also reported reduction in rates for other services, such as hearing aid fitting and evaluations. That same year the Texas Academy of Audiology (TAA) conducted a survey and found 73 percent of respondents accepting Medicaid were “unlikely or definitely not” going to remain Medicaid providers if reimbursement rates dropped below $400.
In 2014, 37 percent of TAA survey respondents reported they had discontinued dispensing hearing aids through Medicaid and 20 percent reported having limited or considering limiting the number of Medicaid patients accepted per month. They also reported a 92 percent decrease in children and 91 percent decrease in infants served. By 2017, TAA reported an overall 80% decrease in the number of patients receiving services.
The pre-approval process for receiving hearing aids through Medicaid is quite lengthy, involving an audiologist, otolaryngologist (colloquially known as an ENT), primary care physician, and other staff resources. TAA reports many are ultimately denied even after receiving prior authorization. Limited or no access to hearing aids can have significant consequences, especially for children in crucial developmental periods. According to TAA the current reimbursement rates cover barely half of the actual cost to providers.
Note that these figures do not include the cost of having staff conduct preauthorization.
Recommendation 6.14:
The HHSC Rate Analysis Division should proactively engage with audiologists and other stakeholders to review the
Medicaid rates for hearing aid fitting and related procedures to ensure the rate is sufficient:
a. Evaluate the reimbursement process to implement timely payment and reimbursement to providers;
b. Compare Medicaid rates to other state agency rates for hearing aid dispensing, fitting, maintenance, evaluation, etc. including Texas
Workforce Commission Vocational Rehabilitation Services rates.
Cost for three years of proper follow up and fitting for one child with hearing aids: $3500. Medicaid reimbursement rates for same services: $1750.
Recommendation 6.15: HHSC should evaluate the adequacy of its
Medicaid provider network throughout the state to ensure sufficient
geographical coverage and timeliness of audio logical services.