A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the ``Hearing Device Coverage Clarification Act'', aims to change how certain hearing devices are treated under Medicare. It directs the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to clarify a specific rule regarding implanted active middle ear hearing devices. Under this Act, these devices would be classified as prosthetics. This classification ensures they are not subject to the hearing aid coverage exclusion found in the Social Security Act. The change must occur within 60 days of the bill becoming law.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +7
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
Seniors benefit most from this bill as they are a primary demographic for Medicare coverage.
- Scored +7
Would retired people be better off under this?
Retirees utilizing Medicare will benefit from the expanded coverage of middle ear hearing devices.
- Scored +6
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The bill provides essential coverage for a specific type of assistive medical technology for people with hearing disabilities.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Clarification of Device Classification: The bill directs the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to clarify that implanted active middle ear hearing devices are prosthetics rather than hearing aids (Section 2(a)). This change means these specific devices are no longer subject to the hearing aid coverage exclusion under section 1862(a)(7) of the Social Security Act (Section 2(a)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would retired people be better off under this? — Retirees utilizing Medicare will benefit from the expanded coverage of middle ear hearing devices. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Seniors benefit most from this bill as they are a primary demographic for Medicare coverage. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill provides essential coverage for a specific type of assistive medical technology for people with hearing disabilities.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill improves healthcare access by ensuring Medicare covers implanted active middle ear hearing devices as prosthetics.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — By securing coverage for middle ear hearing devices, the bill supports the rights and health of individuals with hearing impairments.
- 3/12/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
James LankfordRepublican · Oklahoma