Legislative Action: Defending Patient Safety
For many years, the AAO-HNS has been at odds with the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) regarding their desire for unlimited direct access to Medicare patients without a physician referral. The AAO-HNS and others in the medical community have opposed such legislative efforts due to significant cost to the system and patient safety concerns. Unfortunately, on June 3, 2011, U.S. Representative Mike Ross (D-AR), re-ignited AAA’s efforts by introducing H.R. 2140, the “Medicare Hearing Healthcare Enhancement Act of 2011.” Despite its seemingly positive title, H.R. 2140 is an inappropriate, and potentially dangerous, expansion of audiology services. Although audiologists play a critical role in providing quality hearing healthcare, their desire to independently diagnose hearing disorders transcends their level of training and expertise. Hearing and balance disorders are medical conditions and require, by necessity, a full patient history and physical examination by a physician. In its 2007 report on audiology direct access, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) declared that referrals from physicians are the “key means by which the Medicare program assures that beneficiaries are receiving medically necessary services, and avoids potential payment for asymptomatic screening tests that are not covered by Medicare …” Bypassing a physician evaluation and referral can lead to a misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment that could cause lasting, and expensive, damage to patients. The AAO-HNS strongly believes a physician-led hearing healthcare team with coordination of services is the best approach for providing the highest quality care to patients. To that end, the AAO-HNS initiated and actively participated in past negotiations with the AAA to identify ways to increase seniors’ access to our non- physician colleagues without jeopardizing patient safety. Unfortunately, the AAA withdrew its support of compromise legislation and has continued efforts to advance the recycled language included in H.R. 2140. Following introduction of H.R. 2140, the AAO-HNS Government Affairs team began efforts anew to educate Members of Congress about the dangers associated with providing audiologists with unlimited direct access to Medicare patients. The Academy sent an opposition letter to every member of the U.S. House of Representatives on June 6, 2011, and also solicited support for our position from various state medical societies, state otolaryngology societies, and national physician groups. As of June 30, 2011, 115 organizations had joined our effort to oppose H.R. 2140. In addition, a legislative “Action Alert” was sent to all AAO-HNS members encouraging them to contact their U.S. Representative in opposition to H.R. 2140. If you would like to learn more about AAO-HNS federal legislative priorities and/or efforts, visit the Legislative and Political Affairs webpage at www.entnet.org/advocacy or contact the AAO-HNS Government Affairs team at govtaffairs@entnet.org.
Despite its seemingly positive title, H.R. 2140 is an inappropriate, and potentially dangerous, expansion of audiology services. Although audiologists play a critical role in providing quality hearing healthcare, their desire to independently diagnose hearing disorders transcends their level of training and expertise. Hearing and balance disorders are medical conditions and require, by necessity, a full patient history and physical examination by a physician. In its 2007 report on audiology direct access, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) declared that referrals from physicians are the “key means by which the Medicare program assures that beneficiaries are receiving medically necessary services, and avoids potential payment for asymptomatic screening tests that are not covered by Medicare …” Bypassing a physician evaluation and referral can lead to a misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment that could cause lasting, and expensive, damage to patients.
The AAO-HNS strongly believes a physician-led hearing healthcare team with coordination of services is the best approach for providing the highest quality care to patients. To that end, the AAO-HNS initiated and actively participated in past negotiations with the AAA to identify ways to increase seniors’ access to our non- physician colleagues without jeopardizing patient safety. Unfortunately, the AAA withdrew its support of compromise legislation and has continued efforts to advance the recycled language included in H.R. 2140.
Following introduction of H.R. 2140, the AAO-HNS Government Affairs team began efforts anew to educate Members of Congress about the dangers associated with providing audiologists with unlimited direct access to Medicare patients. The Academy sent an opposition letter to every member of the U.S. House of Representatives on June 6, 2011, and also solicited support for our position from various state medical societies, state otolaryngology societies, and national physician groups. As of June 30, 2011, 115 organizations had joined our effort to oppose H.R. 2140. In addition, a legislative “Action Alert” was sent to all AAO-HNS members encouraging them to contact their U.S. Representative in opposition to H.R. 2140.
If you would like to learn more about AAO-HNS federal legislative priorities and/or efforts, visit the Legislative and Political Affairs webpage at www.entnet.org/advocacy or contact the AAO-HNS Government Affairs team at govtaffairs@entnet.org.