House legislation introduced to expand Medicare hearing coverage

A new legislative push in the U.S. House of Representatives aims to expand traditional Medicare coverage to include hearing aids, exams, and other previously excluded services. The Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act seeks to repeal statutory exclusions that currently prevent Medicare from covering most dental, vision, and hearing care.

Under current Original Medicare rules, Part A and Part B generally do not pay for hearing aids or routine hearing exams used to determine the need for amplification. While Part B may cover diagnostic hearing and balance exams when ordered by a physician, the cost of the devices themselves and the fittings often fall to the individual.

The proposed bill would administer payments to health providers through Medicare Part B. Supporters, including Representative Mike Thompson, argue that expanding access is critical for preventing cognitive decline, falls, and nutritional issues. This renewed effort follows previous stalled legislative attempts to integrate audiology services into the federal program.