Medicare opens audiology services to independent practitioners

What it does

This bill expands Medicare coverage of audiology services (hearing and balance assessment) starting January 1, 2027, allowing qualified audiologists to provide these services independently without requiring a physician referral or supervision. Medicare will pay 80% of the lesser of the actual charge or the fee-schedule amount, and audiologists can bill Medicare directly on an assignment basis.

Why we flagged it

The bill's core mechanism is straightforward: it adds audiology services to the list of covered Medicare benefits and permits independent practice by qualified audiologists. This is a standard coverage-expansion amendment with no hidden riders or self-dealing provisions.

What the text implies

• The bill sunsets the physician-supervision requirement on December 31, 2026, then redefines audiology services effective January 1, 2027 to permit independent practice. This two-step structure may be designed to allow a transition period or to trigger a separate review, but the practical effect is a clean shift to independent practice authority.
• Section (f) includes a rule of construction stating the amendments do not expand audiology services beyond those covered as of December 31, 2026. This appears to be a safeguard against scope creep, but the definition of 'audiology services' in subsection (ll)(3) is tied to what a qualified audiologist is 'legally authorized to perform under State law,' meaning the scope may vary by state and could
• The bill permits qualified audiologists to furnish services in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) without specifying whether this creates new billing pathways or merely clarifies existing ones. The practical effect on clinic reimbursement and audiologist employment in these settings is not explicit.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

Medicare beneficiaries gain direct access to audiology services without requiring a physician referral or supervision, reducing barriers to hearing and balance care. Qualified audiologists gain the ability to practice independently within their state-authorized scope, expanding the supply of accessible audiology services.

Who stands to gain

• qualified audiologists (independent billing and practice authority)
• audiology practices and clinics
• hearing aid manufacturers (potential indirect benefit from increased audiology service volume)

Named in the bill

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Social Security Act § 1861, § 1833, § 1842, § 1848, qualified audiologists, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Medicare beneficiaries

Where it stands

38 cosponsors: 22 Democrats, 16 Republicans.

• Apr 9, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Apr 9, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means and House Committee on Energy and Commerce · Congress.gov: “Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a…”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

4 lobbying clients named this bill on 6 disclosure filings across 2 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $6,709,331 in lobbying spend. A filing names 46 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 72% of bills with at least one filing.

Gus Bilirakis, the sponsor, reported $937,250 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• American Medical Association — $5,643,000 on 2 filings
• American Speech-language-hearing Association — $680,000 on 2 filings
• American Academy of Otolaryngology-head and Neck Surgery — $286,331 on 1 filing
• National Association of Rural Health Clinics — $100,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 20, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.