H.R. 3121 (98^th): A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to include dental care, eye care, hearing aids, physical checkups, and foot care among the items and services for which payment may be made under the supplementary medical insurance program, and to provide safeguards against consumer abuse in the provision of these items and services.

5/24/1983--Introduced.

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide payment under the supplementary medical insurance program for one comprehensive physical examination a year, dental care including dentures, eye examinations including eyeglasses, hearing aids including examination, and treatment of foot conditions. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to eliminate unnecessary or excessive medical appliance expenditures under the Medicare program by implementing appliance leasing, auditing medical appliance manufacturers and providers, and cross-referencing prevailing medical appliance rates. Includes under the term "medical appliance" hearing aids, eyeglasses, dentures, and similar health aids. States that the Federal Trade Commission should continue and increase scrutiny of the medical appliance industries in the interest of consumer protection. States that the Secretary should provide increased assistance to encourage: (1) the continuing education and training of hearing specialists, clinical audiologists, and physicians to improve the quality of hearing care; and (2) the provision by State and local governments of more and better hearing care for the elderly, including a network of examination and treatment sites.