1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Audiology Patient Choice Act of 2018 . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Hearing loss is the third most common chronic physical condition for Americans over 65, behind only arthritis and high blood pressure. (2) Individuals with mild hearing loss are three times more likely to experience a fall and falls are the leading cause of injury and deaths from injury for Americans over 65. (3) Untreated hearing and balance problems contribute to and are highly correlated with depression and social isolation. (4) Seniors with hearing loss run a much higher risk of cognitive problems and experience cognitive decline up to 40 percent faster than those with normal hearing. (5) Medicare beneficiaries should have access to the same level of audiologic care as is available in the Veterans’ Administration, under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and under private insurance. (6) The Medicare program needs to be updated in a comprehensive way so Medicare beneficiaries are able to have access to all of the advancements in the delivery of audiologic care. 3. Improved Medicare coverage of audiology services (a) Treatment of audiologists as physicians for purposes of furnishing audiology services The first sentence of section 1861(r) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395x(r) ) is amended— (1) by striking or before (5)