This bill directs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to clarify that fully implanted active middle ear hearing devices qualify as prosthetics and should be covered by Medicare rather than excluded under the program's hearing aid coverage ban. Currently, Medicare does not cover hearing aids, but this legislation aims to distinguish surgically implanted middle ear devices from traditional hearing aids and ensure they receive coverage as medical prosthetics. The Medicare Administrator must issue this clarification within 60 days of the bill's enactment. The bill affects Medicare beneficiaries who need these specialized implantable hearing devices, potentially expanding access to this treatment option for eligible patients. No new federal funding is specified in the legislation, as it primarily involves a regulatory clarification rather than a new spending program.
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