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H.R. 500

U.S. House•In House Committee

Summary

H.R. 500, the Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2025, was introduced in the House on Jan 16, 2025 by Rep. Debbie Dingell (D) with 32 co-sponsors. It was referred to Energy And Commerce, and last saw action on Jan 16, 2025: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Record

Text

H.R. 500 has 32 co-sponsors.

hb500/introduced-in-house.txt
119 HR 500 IH: Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2025
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2025-01-16
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 I  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  H. R. 500  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   January 16, 2025   Mrs. Dingell  (for herself,  Mr. Fitzpatrick ,  Mr. Smith of Washington ,  Mr. Doggett ,  Ms. Schakowsky ,  Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick ,  Ms. Norton ,  Mr. Larson of Connecticut ,  Mr. Pocan ,  Ms. Matsui ,  Mr. Harder of California ,  Mrs. McIver ,  Mr. Johnson of Georgia ,  Ms. Bynum ,  Ms. Tlaib ,  Mrs. Hayes ,  Mr. Mullin ,  Mr. Clyburn ,  Mr. Lynch ,  Mr. Jackson of Illinois ,  Mr. Moskowitz , and  Mr. Lieu ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Energy and Commerce , and in addition to the Committee on  Ways and Means , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned   A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the exclusion of Medicare coverage for hearing aids and examinations therefor, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2025  .
2.
Removing Medicare exclusion of coverage of hearing aids and examinations therefor
(a)
In general
Section 1862(a)(7) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395y(a)(7) ) is amended by striking  hearing aids or examinations therefor, .
(b)
Effective date
The amendment made by this section shall apply to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2026.
3.
GAO study and report on hearing aid programs
(a)
Study
The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of programs, including Federal programs and health insurance coverage, that provide assistance for hearing aids and related examinations for individuals with hearing loss. Such study shall include an examination of the number of individuals in the United States with hearing loss who need hearing aids, their coverage under such programs, and the effectiveness of such programs in meeting such need. Such study may also address programs that are designed to reduce or mitigate the incidence of hearing loss.
(b)
Report
Not later than 18 months after the date specified in section 2(b), the Comptroller General shall submit a report to Congress on the study conducted under subsection (a). Such report shall include such recommendations on changes in such programs, including the establishment of new programs, as would meet the needs of individuals with hearing loss.

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-01-16
  2. Passed House
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Introduced in House Jan 16, 2025

hb500/introduced-in-house.md

Shown Here:
Introduced in House (01/16/2025)

Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2025

This bill allows for Medicare coverage of hearing aids and related examinations.

The Government Accountability Office must study programs that provide assistance for hearing aids and related examinations for individuals with hearing loss.

Sponsors

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D) sponsors H.R. 500, and 32 members have co-sponsored it, 21 of them from the day it was introduced.

Committees

H.R. 500 went before 2 committees: Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce.

Ways and Means
Ways and Means
Referred To · Jan 16, 2025 · 1,160 Bills
Energy and Commerce
Energy and Commerce
Referred To · Jan 16, 2025 · 1,636 Bills

Actions

H.R. 500 has taken 2 actions since Jan 16, 2025.

ChamberAction
Jan 16, 2025
House
Introduced in House
Jan 16, 2025
House
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.Energy and Commerce Committee

Votes

H.R. 500 has not gone to a roll call.

Titles

H.R. 500 goes by 3 titles, 1 of them short titles.

  • Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2025 — Display Title
  • Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2025 — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the exclusion of Medicare coverage for hearing aids and examinations therefor, and for other purposes. — Official Title as Introduced

Lobbying

5 clients hired 5 firms and 10 registered lobbyists who named H.R. 500 in 13 quarterly filings, 2025 to 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Medicare/Medicaid, Retirement, Budget/Appropriations, Science/Technology, Education, Immigration, Taxation/Internal Revenue Code, Civil Rights/Civil Liberties.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.

ClientBusinessStateFirmsFilingsReported
TREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUE—Virginia16—
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY—New York13—
NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE—District of Columbia12—
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY LANGONE MEDICAL CENTERAcademic Medical CenterNew York11$20K
NYU LANGONE HOSPITALS (FORMERLY NYU HOSPITALS CENTER)—New York11—

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

RegistrantClientsFilingsReported
TREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUE16—
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY13—
NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE12—
NYU LANGONE HOSPITALS (FORMERLY NYU HOSPITALS CENTER)11—
VAN SCOYOC ASSOCIATES11$20K

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill.

LobbyistFirmsClientsFilings
SHANNON BENTON116
MARC SCARDUFFA224
STEVEN HEUER113
ANNE MONTGOMERY112
DAN ADCOCK112
LUCAS WARREN112
MAX RICHTMAN112
EDWARD LONG111
EMILY KATZ111
KATHERINE VANLANDINGHAM111

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

ClientRegistrantPeriodReportedDocument
NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARENATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE2026 second_quarter$210K2nd Quarter - Report
NEW YORK UNIVERSITYNEW YORK UNIVERSITY2025 first_quarter$210K1st Quarter - Amendme…
NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARENATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE2026 first_quarter$190K1st Quarter - Report
NEW YORK UNIVERSITYNEW YORK UNIVERSITY2025 first_quarter$160K1st Quarter - Amendme…
NEW YORK UNIVERSITYNEW YORK UNIVERSITY2025 first_quarter$140K1st Quarter - Report
NYU LANGONE HOSPITALS (FORMERLY NYU HOSPITALS CENTER)NYU LANGONE HOSPITALS (FORMERLY NYU HOSPITALS CENTER)2025 first_quarter$50K1st Quarter - Report
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY LANGONE MEDICAL CENTERVAN SCOYOC ASSOCIATES2025 first_quarter$20K1st Quarter - Report
TREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUETREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUE2026 second_quarter$5K2nd Quarter - Report
TREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUETREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUE2026 first_quarter$5K1st Quarter - Report
TREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUETREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUE2025 fourth_quarter$5K4th Quarter - Report
TREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUETREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUE2025 third_quarter$5K3rd Quarter - Report
TREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUETREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUE2025 second_quarter$5K2nd Quarter - Report
TREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUETREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUE2025 first_quarter$5K1st Quarter - Report

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 500 under Health, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 6 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 500’s is Health.

hr500/policy-areas.txt
HealthAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressCrime and Law EnforcementEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

H.R. 500 carries 6 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Congressional oversight to Medicare.

hr500/subjects.txt
Congressional oversightGovernment studies and investigationsHealth technology, devices, suppliesHearing, speech, and vision careMedical tests and diagnostic methodsMedicare

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 500, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 9 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mrs. DINGELL:H.R. 500.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:The Constitutional authority of Congress to enact thislegislation is provided by Article I, Section 8 of the UnitedStates Constitution.[Page H222]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com