ASHA Advocate: August 16, 2024
August 16, 2024
Quick and Easy Opportunities to Advocate for Telehealth
The temporary federal authority for audiologists and SLPs to provide telehealth services to Medicare beneficiaries expires at the end of 2024. We need to let Congress and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) know that you are a qualified telehealth provider and that maintaining the option to provide telehealth services is critical to ensuring robust access to care. Here are two things you can do (in just a few minutes!) to advocate for sustaining coverage of audiology and speech-language pathology telehealth services:
- Send a prewritten letter to your members of Congress ASAP
- Sign this petition letter to CMS before September 3.
In the past two weeks, over 1,350 letters have been sent to members of Congress and more than 2,850 audiologists and SLPs added their names to the petition.
Implications of the Federal Noncompete Ban
Beginning September 4, 2024, there will be a federal ban on noncompete agreements. There are exceptions to the rule put forth by the Federal Trade Commission, but it’s best for all employers and employees to have a plan to be compliant. The rule prohibits employers from entering into new noncompete agreements; voids existing agreements for all workers except senior executives; and requires all employers who have used these agreements to provide notice to their current and former workers. Learn more about what the noncompete ban means for you.
Connecting With State Legislators
Last week, ASHA Advocacy staff exhibited at the 2024 National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Legislative Summit. This conference gives us the opportunity to connect with state legislators and legislative staff on issues important to audiologists, SLPs, and assistants. Some highlights from the event include Oklahoma Representative Meloyde Blancett stopping by to talk about public school hearing screenings and Wyoming Senator Stephan Pappas, an Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC) champion, visiting the ASHA booth. Thank you to the president and president-elect of the Kentucky Speech-Language-Hearing Association for joining us!
Keep Fighting to Stop Medicare Cuts!
Since CMS announced the proposed 2025 Medicare cuts, ASHA has been meeting with Congress members and their staff to tell them how much audiologists and SLPs need their help. Thank you to the over 1,200 people who have sent more than 3,400 letters to their members of Congress asking them to stop Medicare payment cuts. We are not alone in this fight! Join in on social media with #FixTheFeeSchedule. If you’re interested in doing more but aren’t sure where to start, please reach out to us at federal@asha.org.
Concern Over Highmark Pennsylvania Payment Cuts
Following reports from members experiencing reductions in their payments from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Pennsylvania (Highmark PA), ASHA Advocacy met with relevant stakeholders and sent a letter [PDF] to Highmark PA expressing deep concern and requesting a meeting. Members who are enrolled as Highmark PA providers are encouraged to edit and send this template letter [DOCX], created by ASHA and the Pennsylvania Speech-Language-Hearing Association, to their Highmark PA representatives. Learn more about this issue, what ASHA’s doing, and what you can do.
Working for You
- Advocacy win! Oregon’s Department of Education has implemented ASHA-supported [PDF] legislation to provide new school-based SLPs and SLPAs with salary supplements.
- Advocacy win! UnitedHealthcare updates its cochlear implant medical policy to expand coverage to younger children. The update will go into effect on September 1, 2024, for UHC’s commercial and individual exchange plans. Learn more.
- Submitted comments [PDF] to the Nevada licensing board opposing the inclusion of cerumen management and tinnitus care under the practice of fitting and dispensing hearing aids.
- Submitted comments [PDF] to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ (MDHHS) proposed policy changes to remove ASHA’s Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) as a requirement for Medicaid provider enrollment for SLPs.
- Sent a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee expressing concerns about a recently released framework to restructure the National Institutes of Health [PDF].
- Met with the American Physical Therapy Association and the American Occupational Therapy Association to discuss payer implementation and member FAQs related to the new caregiver training codes.
- Worked with members impacted by credentialing and telehealth modifier issues in TRICARE to expedite the process and regain recouped payments.
- Attended the Washington Post Live’s Long Covid: Where Things Stand event to connect with and educate researchers and policymakers on the value of audiology and speech-language pathology services for people with long COVID .
- Attended the National Association of Insurance Commissioners quarterly meeting. We met with the commissioners from 10 states to discuss a variety of issues related to health insurance policies and coverage based on feedback we gathered from ASHA members.
- Collected member input regarding school-based service denials in outpatient settings to share with the U.S. Department of Education.
- Engaging our members to support the Student Loan Interest Elimination Act (H.R. 4986/S. 2557), while the U.S. Department of Education responds to court cases impacting the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan.
Interested in seeing other comment letters ASHA has submitted? Visit our website.
Spotlight!
Last month, members of the Government Affairs and Public Policy Board spent the day on Capitol Hill, which included a meeting with Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) about the Expanded Telehealth Access Act. As a result of that meeting, we learned that he signed on to support the bill that would make audiologists and SLPs permanent Medicare telehealth providers if passed. Thank you, ASHA advocates!
