Abstract
The demand for telehealth services will continue to grow alongside an increased need
for audiology services among both children and adults. Insurance coverage policies
for audiologic services are specific to each payer and vary widely in the level of
coverage provided for both in-person and telehealth-based audiology services. While
benefits for children are fairly comprehensive, coverage for audiology services for
adults is generally poor. Traditional Medicare does not cover hearing aids or other
rehabilitative audiologic services, and other payer policies vary widely. Lack of
benefits for hearing and balance services is inconsistent with the evidence base and
leaves many beneficiaries without access to meaningful care for hearing and balance
disorders, which are highly prevalent among and disproportionately affect Medicare
beneficiaries. The purpose of this article is to discuss regulatory and reimbursement
considerations for telehealth provision in audiology and elucidate opportunities to
influence related health policy at both state and federal levels.
Keywords
telehealth - audiology - health policy - health insurance - licensure
