Category: Medicare & Insurance

Medicare & Insurance

Oticon Expands Access to Hearing Aids for TruHearing Members

Oticon has expanded its partnership with TruHearing to make its full portfolio, including Oticon Intent and the latest technologies, available to members.

Medicare & Insurance

Tricare Expands Hearing Aid Coverage to Children of Retired Service Members

Tricare provides hearing aid coverage for eligible children of retired service members, enhancing access to essential auditory care.

Medicare & Insurance

Birdsong Hearing Benefits to Offer Integrated Network

Birdsong Hearing Benefits, based in Jacksonville, Florida, announced its hearing benefits and integrated network offering to help millions of Americans—especially those in Medicare Advantage—to regain their lost hearing and reconnect with the people and sounds they love.

Expanding Access to Hearing Care

by Karl | Apr 2, 2021 | Medicare & Insurance | 0

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published the ‘World Report on Hearing’ complete with a multi-faceted strategy for increasing access to hearing healthcare. HR interviews Amyn Amlani regarding his opinions on matters such as Medicare and financing options.

UnitedHealthcare Hearing Introduces Virtual Care Option

by Stefani Kim | Mar 18, 2021 | Medicare & Insurance | 1

The capability, known as Right2You, builds on the home-delivered hearing health care model developed by UnitedHealthcare Hearing, adding a virtual care component that is designed to help reduce the need for in-person appointments for hearing aid adjustments and support.

Medicare Payments for Hearing Care Procedures: A 14-year Review

by Karl | Mar 2, 2021 | Medicare & Insurance | 0

This 14-year review of Medicare reimbursement and demographic data by audiology leaders Ian Windmill, PhD, and Barry Freeman, PhD, is designed to help inform budgetary or productivity decisions within hearing care practices and support initiatives related to payments at the state or federal level.

‘Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021’ Becomes Law

by Stefani Kim | Jan 5, 2021 | Management Strategies, Medicare & Insurance | 0

There were several audiology-related provisions included in the Act, which include Medicare payments and billing.

ASHA Releases ‘2021 Medicare Fee Schedule for Audiologists’

by Stefani Kim | Dec 9, 2020 | Medicare & Insurance | 0

The report includes a 6% decrease in payment for audiology services due to changes to office-based outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) procedure codes that provide payment increases for primary care services.

Starkey Executives Attended 2020 Medicare Advantage Summit

by Stefani Kim | Nov 19, 2020 | Events, Medicare & Insurance | 0

Starkey President and CEO Brandon Sawalich, Chief Health Officer Archelle Georgiou, MD, and Chief Innovation Officer Dave Fabry all presented information to educate participants about the strong connection between hearing and overall health.

UnitedHealthCare Launches 2021 Medicare Advantage Plans

by Stefani Kim | Oct 5, 2020 | Medicare & Insurance | 2

UnitedHealthcare announced the launch of its 2021 Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans, showcasing “affordable coverage, exclusive benefits, expanded plan access, and a simplified member experience that connects people to quality care— when and where they need it.”

AMA Releases 2021 CPT Code Set

by Stefani Kim | Sep 1, 2020 | Evaluation, Medicare & Insurance, Regulation | 0

These foundational modifications were designed to make E/M office visit coding and documentation simpler and more flexible, according to the AMA. The changes to CPT codes ranging from 99201-99215 are proposed for adoption by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on January 1, 2021.

Individuals with Hearing Loss Allege Health Plan Discriminated Against Them in Denial of Coverage

by Stefani Kim | Jul 20, 2020 | Legislation, Medicare & Insurance, Regulation | 0

A federal appeals court who heard the case determined that “insurance companies cannot discriminate against disabled people by broadly denying coverage for the types of treatment they need,” according to the article, but said the plaintiffs may not be entitled to coverage because “not everyone with a hearing loss is disabled.”

Amplifon Hearing Health Care Earns NCQA Accreditation

by Stefani Kim | Jun 4, 2020 | Management Strategies, Medicare & Insurance | 0

In awarding its credentialing accreditation, NCQA conducted a review process of Amplifon that focused on several key areas, including internal quality improvement, appropriateness of agreements and collaboration with clients, peer review process, credential verification, and monitoring of sanctions and complaints.

NationsBenefits Introduces Remote Telehealth Services

by Stefani Kim | May 25, 2020 | Dispensing Networks, Medicare & Insurance, TeleHealth, Testing & Diagnostics | 0

The company has developed digital technologies that allow access to hearing tests and related care from any location, including their homes, local community, and mobile devices when on the go.

Warren and Rice Advocate to Attach Key Audiology Bill to COVID-19 Relief Packages

by Stefani Kim | May 19, 2020 | Legislation, Medicare & Insurance, TeleHealth | 0

A bipartisan group is urging fellow Members of Congress to include provisions of the Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act (H.R. 4056/S. 2446) in upcoming COVID-19 packages. The bill would include eliminating physician order requirements, updating the Medicare statute to classify audiologists as (LLP) practitioners, and authorizing Medicare to reimburse audiologists for the Medicare-covered medically necessary treatment services.