2027-2028 Advocacy Priorities for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists

The 2027–2028 Public Policy Agenda prioritizes policies that support appropriate payment and comprehensive coverage for audiology and speech-language pathology services. ASHA’s ongoing work includes advocating with government payers—including Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE—private insurers, and managed care organizations, as well as providing resources and support to help members navigate billing, coding, coverage, and payer-related challenges.

Building on this work and in partnership with members, ASHA will focus its advocacy with federal and state policymakers, regulators, payers, and agencies on the following priorities:

• Protect and Improve Payment: Advocate for payment policies that recognize the value of audiology and speech-language services; protect and improve payment; and prevent unsustainable cuts that threaten access to timely, high-quality care.
• Preserve and Expand Comprehensive Coverage: Work with stakeholders to preserve existing coverage, address coverage gaps, and expand access to audiology and speech-language pathology services by demonstrating their clinical, economic, and societal value.
• Modernize Payment and Coverage: Advocate for payment and coverage policies that keep pace with advances in clinical practice, technology, and service delivery; reflect the full scopes of practice of audiology and speech-language pathology; and support permanent coverage of telehealth services across settings.
• Shape Value-Based Care Policies: Advocate for value-based care policies, systems, and payment models that appropriately recognize audiology and speech-language pathology services; protect access to care; and meaningfully reflect quality and patient outcomes.

The 2027–2028 Public Policy Agenda prioritizes policies that improve access to high-quality audiology and speech-language pathology services and support effective service delivery across settings. ASHA’s ongoing work includes addressing member concerns and challenges, as well as monitoring and responding to legislative, regulatory, and other policy developments involving licensure, scopes of practice, access to care, and service delivery.

Building on this work and in partnership with members, ASHA will focus its 2027–2028 advocacy on the following priorities:

• Support Communication as a Basic Human Right: Advocate for policies that support equitable access to person-centered, evidence-based services and allow clinicians to provide care in the most appropriate settings to all individuals—regardless of age; citizenship; disability; ethnicity; gender, gender expression, gender identity, and genetic information; national origin, including culture, language, dialect, and accent; neurodiversity; race; religion; sex, sexual orientation; socioeconomic status; and/or veteran status.
• Support Early Identification and Intervention: Support policies and programs that promote early identification of communication disorders and hearing loss from birth through early childhood and connect children and their families to timely, appropriate assessment and intervention—particularly during critical periods of development.
• Promote Identification and Intervention Across the Lifespan: Promote timely and equitable access to screening, identification, assessment, and intervention for people of all ages—children to seniors—who are at risk of or experiencing communication, swallowing, hearing, or balance disorders.
• Protect Professional Standards and Promote Workforce Mobility: Advocate for policies that protect the integrity of the professions by upholding appropriate education, training, and licensure standards that safeguard the public and promote high-quality services. ASHA will work to preserve the full scopes of practice of the professions across service delivery settings, support the implementation of the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact, and advance policies that improve workforce mobility and timely access to care.
• Reduce Barriers to Accessing Services: Advocate for policies that reduce geographic, financial, technological, and administrative barriers to audiology and speech-language pathology services and support innovative service delivery models, including telepractice when clinically appropriate.

The 2027–2028 Public Policy Agenda prioritizes policies that strengthen the communication sciences and disorders workforce across the professional continuum—from recruitment into graduate education—through academic preparation, research, clinical training, employment, and long-term retention. These priorities promote high-quality education and clinical training, effective and efficient service delivery, workforce well-being, and the academic and research infrastructure needed to prepare future professionals and sustain the professions.

Building on this work and in partnership with members, ASHA will focus its 2027–2028 advocacy on the following priorities:

• Grow, Diversify, and Sustain the Workforce: Advocate for policies that address audiology and speech-language pathology personnel shortages and support recruitment into the professions; expand educational and clinical training opportunities; reduce financial barriers to graduate education; and support the preparation and retention of a diverse, highly qualified workforce. ASHA will also advocate for continued access to student loans and other financial pathways that help individuals enter the professions.
• Advance School-Based Services: Advocate for policies that strengthen the capacity and sustainability of the school-based audiology and speech-language pathology workforce and improve students’ access to timely, comprehensive services. Priorities include adequate funding, appropriate staffing and workload policies, workforce recruitment and retention, reduced administrative burdens, and appropriate reimbursement for school-based services.
• Strengthen Higher Education and Research: Advocate for robust federal investment in communication sciences and disorders research, research training, and career development to advance the evidence base for the professions; support innovation in service delivery; and build the pipeline of future researchers, clinician scientists, and clinicians. ASHA will also support higher education policies that strengthen the academic and research workforce and promote high-quality professional education and preparation.
• Shape Policies for the Responsible Use of Technology: Advocate for policies that support the responsible and evidence-based use of artificial intelligence across education, clinical practice, research, payment, and service delivery. ASHA will work with policymakers, payers, employers, and other stakeholders to ensure that emerging technologies support—rather than replace—professional judgment, protect quality of care, and serve the interests of members and the people they serve.