text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Help Extend Auditory Relief (HEAR) 
  Act of 2013''.
  
  SEC. 2. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF HEARING REHABILITATION.
  
      (a) Coverage of Aural Rehabilitation Services.--Section 1861(s)(2) 
  of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)) is amended--
              (1) in subparagraph (EE), by striking ``and'' at the end;
              (2) in subparagraph (FF) by inserting ``and'' at the end; 
          and
              (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
              ``(GG) aural rehabilitation services (as described in 
          subsection (iii)(1)(A));''.
      (b) Coverage of Hearing Aids as Durable Medical Equipment.--Section 
  1861(s)(8) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(8)) is 
  amended by inserting ``and hearing aids (as defined in subsection 
  (iii)(3))'' before the period.
      (c) Hearing Rehabilitation and Hearing Aid Defined.--Section 1861 
  of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended by adding at 
  the end the following new subsection:
  
                          ``Hearing Rehabilitation
  
      ``(iii)(1) The term `hearing rehabilitation' means--
              ``(A) aural rehabilitation services (described in paragraph 
          (2)) which meet such requirements as the Secretary prescribes 
          and which are furnished by a physician or qualified 
          audiologist, who is legally authorized to furnish such services 
          under the State law (or the State regulatory mechanism provided 
          by State law) of the State in which the services are furnished; 
          and
              ``(B) hearing aids (as defined in paragraph (3)).
      ``(2) The services described in this subparagraph include--
              ``(A) aural rehabilitation services;
              ``(B) in the case of an individual who has a hearing loss 
          (as defined by the Secretary), a comprehensive audiologic 
          assessment to determine if a hearing aid is appropriate and to 
          determine the need for other diagnostic medical or audiologic 
          testing; and
              ``(C) a threshold test to determine audio acuity.
      ``(3)(A) The term `hearing aid' means a hearing aid described in 
  subparagraph (B), including the services described in subparagraph (C) 
  furnished by a physician or qualified audiologist, who is legally 
  authorized to supply such hearing aid under the State law (or State 
  regulatory mechanism provided by State law) of the State in which the 
  hearing aid is supplied, to an individual described in subparagraph 
  (D).
      ``(B) A hearing aid described in this subparagraph is any wearable 
  instrument or device for, offered for the purpose of, or represented as 
  aiding individuals with, or compensating for, hearing loss that meets 
  requirements of the Food and Drug Administration for marketing.
      ``(C) The services described in this subparagraph include--
              ``(i) audiology services (as defined in subsection 
          (ll)(2));
              ``(ii) a hearing aid assessment to determine the 
          appropriate hearing aid for the individual;
              ``(iii) procurement of an appropriate hearing aid;
              ``(iv) initial fitting and adjustment of the hearing aid;
              ``(v) appropriate instruction on the use of the hearing 
          aid;
              ``(vi) periodic refittings and adjustments; and
              ``(vii) rehabilitation, including counseling on hearing 
          loss, speech reading, and auditory training.
      ``(D) The individuals described in this subparagraph--
              ``(i) have been determined (as a result of a comprehensive 
          audiologic assessment) to have a hearing loss which can be 
          appropriately treated with a hearing aid;
              ``(ii) have not been supplied with one monaural hearing aid 
          or two binaural hearing aids during the preceding 3 years; and
              ``(iii) have had a comprehensive audiologic assessment 
          which indicates that the hearing of such individual has 
          deteriorated since such individual was last supplied with a 
          hearing aid such that a hearing aid of a different type is 
          appropriate for such individual.''.
      (d) Inclusion of Audiology Rehabilitation Services.--Section 
  1861(ll)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(ll)(2)) is 
  amended by inserting ``and rehabilitation'' after ``balance 
  assessment''.
      (e) Exception to Exclusions From Coverage.--Section 1862(a) of the 
  Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y(a)) is amended--
              (1) in paragraph (1)--
                      (A) in subparagraph (O), by striking ``and'' at the 
                  end;
                      (B) in subparagraph (P); by striking the semicolon 
                  at the end and inserting ``, and''; and
                      (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                  subparagraph:
              ``(Q) in the case of hearing rehabilitation, which is 
          furnished or supplied more frequently than is provided under 
          section 1861(iii)(3)(D)(ii).''; and
              (2) in paragraph (7) by striking ``hearing aids or 
          examinations therefor''.
      (f) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
  effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, and shall apply to 
  items and services furnished on or after January 1 of such year, not 
  later than the third year beginning after such date of enactment, as 
  the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall specify.
target: Help Extend Auditory Relief (HEAR) Act of 2013 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover aural rehabilitation services, hearing aids as durable medical equipment (DME), audiology rehabilitation services, and related hearing services.
feat_title: Help Extend Auditory Relief (HEAR) Act of 2013