S. 983 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Mar 12, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryClarifies Medicare coverage for ear implants
Right now there's some confusion about whether a certain type of hearing device—one that's surgically implanted in the middle ear—counts as a hearing aid or a prosthetic. This bill tells Medicare to officially classify these implanted active middle ear devices as prosthetics, which means they would be covered by Medicare instead of left out.
How it affects you
If you're on Medicare and need an implanted middle ear hearing device, this could matter to you. Right now, uncertainty about whether Medicare covers these devices might make them harder or more expensive to get. This bill would make it clear that Medicare does cover them, potentially making them more affordable and accessible.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Mar 12, 2025)
Hearing Device Coverage Clarification Act
This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to specify that implanted active middle ear hearing devices are prosthetics (not hearing aids) and are covered under Medicare.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 983
A BILL
Hearing Device Coverage Clarification Act
Sponsor: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) · Introduced Mar 12, 2025 · Health · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 12, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.”