Hearing Aid Action

Jennifer Egetimeier, the mom behind the Illinois “Have You Heard?” campaign to pass a previous bill for hearing aid coverage has some excellent information to share about what is happening in other states to provide hearing aid coverage:

The states that mandate insurance coverage for hearing aids are:
1. Connecticut
2. Kentucky
3. Louisiana
4. Maryland
5. Minnesota
6. Missouri
7. Oklahoma
8. Rhode Island
9. Maine
and now, possibly 10. Colorado (awaiting governor’s signature)

Other states that have tried/are trying include (but are not limited to): Wisconsin, Virginia, Washington, California, and New Jersey.

Here is what is covered:
1. Connecticut: Requires individual and group health insurance policies to provide coverage for hearing aids for children 12 years old or younger; classifies hearing aids as durable medical equipment and allows policies to limit the benefit to $1,000 every 24 months.

2. Kentucky: Requires health benefit plans, including those provided to state employees or their dependents, to cover the cost of a hearing aid for each ear, as needed, as well as related services
necessary to assess, select, and fit the hearing aid; payment capped at $1400 per hearing aid every 36 months; insured able to choose a higher price hearing aid and pay the difference in cost; hearing aid
must be prescribed by a licensed audiologist and dispensed by a licensed audiologist or hearing instrument specialist.

3. Louisiana: Requires any new health insurance policy after January 1, 2004, and any existing policy on or before its renewal date but no later than January 1, 2005, to cover hearing aids for children under
18 years of age if the aids are fitted and dispensed by a licensed audiologist or hearing aid specialist.  May limit benefits to $1,400 per ear with hearing loss over a 36 month period. The insuree is able
to purchase a more expensive hearing aid and pay the difference to the hearing aid provider.

4. Maryland: Requires insurers to provide coverage for hearing aids for a minor child if the hearing aids are prescribed, fitted, and dispensed by a licensed audiologist; coverage may be limited to
$1,400 per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every 36 months; insured may choose a more expensive hearing aid and pay the difference.

5. Minnesota: Requires coverage of hearing aids for children 18 years of age or younger if hearing loss is congenital and not correctable by other procedures covered in the policy, e.g., surgery; coverage
limited to one hearing aid per affected ear every three years; may impose co-payment, co-insurance, or other limitations only if similar limitations apply to other coverages under the plan. Effective for
policies issued on or after August 1, 2003.

6. Missouri: Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for infant hear screening, re-screening (if necessary), audiological assessment and follow-up, and initial amplification, including hearing aids.

7. Oklahoma: Effective November 1, 2002, requires any group health insurance or health benefit plan to provide coverage for audiological services and hearing aids for children up to 18 years of age; adds
requirement of hearing aid prescription and dispensing by a licensed audiologist; allows hearing aid benefit every 48 months without a dollar limit.

8. Rhode Island: After January 1, 2006, requires every individual or group health insurance contract and hospital or medical expense insurance policy to provide $400 coverage per hearing aid per ear
every three years for children and adults; the insurer may choose the provider of hearing aids with which to contract; the contract or policy shall also provide, as an optional rider, additional coverage for hearing aids.

9. Maine: Requires health insurance policies to provide coverage for hearing aids for children up to age 18. The mandate will be phased in by age groups. Policies issued or renewed as of Jan. 1, 2008, must
provide hearing aid coverage for children from birth to 5 years of age starting January 2008. For children 6 to 13 years old, coverage must start in January 2009; and for those 14 to 18 years old, coverage begins in January 2010.

10. Colorado: May 2008 (in process now)
Colorado’s General Assembly recently passed a full coverage hearing aid insurance mandate. The bill (CO SB 057) now awaits Governor Bill Ritter’s signature. The mandate calls for health insurance providers
to cover the hearing aid needs of minors under the age of 18. The bill would provide coverage subject to “the same annual deductible or co-payments established for all other benefits.” If signed, the law will come into effect January 1, 2009.

If you need more information…
Try this link for info on the first eight.
http://www.asha.org/about/legislation-
advocacy/state/issues/ha_reimbursement.htm

Try this link for info on #9 and #10. This is also posted on links on
Yahoo:
Hearing Aid Information