AMERICAN SPEECH-LANGUAGE-HEARING ASSOCIATION for AMERICAN SPEECH-LANGUAGE-HEARING ASSOCIATION

Education EDU

Various issues related to administrative burden on school-based providers Various issues related to the Higher Education Act, specifically related to student loans, loan forgiveness, and accreditation H.R. 6951, the College Cost Reduction Act Issues related to funding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including the IDEA Full Funding Act (H.R. 4519/S. 2217) Issues related to IDEA statute and regulations Issues related to school-based Medicaid services Various issues related to shortages of specialized instructional support personnel Issues related to establishment of a technical assistance center within the U.S. Department of Education to improve the ability of school-based speech-language pathologists and educational audiologists to meet the needs of students with speech/communication disorders. Issues related to reauthorization of the Education Sciences Reform Act, including the Advancing Research in Education Act (S. 3392). Issues related to funding in Fiscal Year 2025 for programs administered by the Department of Education H.R. 1310, States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment Act S. 1972, the Lowering Education Costs and Debt Act H.R. 1477/S. 722, the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrows Workforce Act H.R. 3724, the Accreditation for College Excellence Act H.R. 4986/S. 2557, the Student Loan Interest Elimination Act

Contacted: SENATE; Education, Dept of; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 4986 (118th), H.R. 4519 (118th), S. 2557 (118th), S. 2217 (118th), H.R. 6951 (118th), S. 3392 (118th), H.R. 1310 (118th), H.R. 1477 (118th), S. 722 (118th), S. 1972 (118th), H.R. 3724 (118th)

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

Issues related to Medicare coverage of audiology services and the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act (H.R. 6445/S. 2377) Issues related to the provision of audiology and speech-language pathology services through telepractice, including the Expanded Telehealth Access Act (H.R. 3875/S. 2880), the CONNECT for Health Act (H.R. 4189/S. 2016) and the Telehealth Modernization Act (H.R. 7623). Issues related to Medicare Part B reimbursement of audiology and speech-language pathology services, including H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, H.R. 2474, H.R. 6545, the Physician Fee Schedule Update and Improvements Act, and S. 4935, the Physician Fee Schedule Stabilization Act Various issues related to CMS Actions surrounding: oAudits of medical records and claims for Part A and B services oProcedure code development and valuation of audiology and speech-language pathology services oQuality reporting under MIPS oImplementation of the IMPACT Act oMedicare physician fee schedule oProspective payments systems, including home health and skilled nursing facility policy and payment issues oAccountable Care Organizations oFederally-facilitated marketplace oMedicare Advantage oVarious issues related to interoperable health information, including the post-acute care interoperability project (PACIO) oMedicare telehealth coverage under Part A and B oImplementation of CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) oProvision and payment for Part A therapy oVarious issues related to implementation of ACA oIssues related to Medicare beneficiaries accessing services provided by audiologists without a physician order Issues related to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) actions related to value-based care The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act (H.R. 7994/S. 4120) Issues related to the Medicaid program, including Medicaid and Medicaid managed care access, the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment benefit, and school-based billing. Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 8702/S. 4532)

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Administration on Aging; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE

Bills named: S. 2880 (118th), H.R. 6445 (118th), H.R. 8702 (118th), H.R. 7623 (118th), S. 4120 (118th), H.R. 3875 (118th), S. 4532 (118th), H.R. 6545 (118th), S. 2377 (118th), H.R. 4189 (118th), S. 4935 (118th), H.R. 7994 (118th), H.R. 2474 (118th), S. 2016 (118th)

Health Issues HCR

Issues related to health care workforce shortages Issues related to funding for the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act (Public Law 117-241) and screening for Cytomegalovirus, including the Stop CMV Act (H.R. 7542/S. 3864) Issues related to funding for the allied health professional education program at the Health Resources Services Administration as expanded by Public Law 117-328) Various issues related to implementation of the ACA, including Essential Health Benefits and marketplace plans Various issues related to non-discrimination legislation and regulation Issues related to coverage of gender-affirming care/gender-affirming voice therapy Issues related to health information technology, including interoperability Issues related to funding in Fiscal Year 2025 for programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services and National Institutes of Health H.R. 1310, States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment Act H.R. 2663/S. 1176, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act Issues related to coverage of hearing devices and services, including Allys Act (H.R. 2439/S. 1135) Issues related to coverage of and support for individuals who stutter through federal health programs Issues related to funding for federal health care programs, including H.R. 5894, the Fiscal Year 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Act. The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act (H.R. 7994/S. 4120) H.R. 9029, the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025. Issues related to consolidation in the health care industry.

Contacted: Labor, Dept of (DOL); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Natl Institutes of Health (NIH); Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); SENATE; Administration on Aging; Federal Trade Commission (FTC); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)

Bills named: S. 1135 (118th), S. 3864 (118th), H.R. 2663 (118th), S. 4120 (118th), S. 1176 (118th), H.R. 7994 (118th), H.R. 9029 (118th), H.R. 2439 (118th), H.R. 1310 (118th), H.R. 7542 (118th), H.R. 5894 (118th)