THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

140

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

Requesting the auditor to assess the social and financial effects of requiring health insurers to offer coverage for hearing aids.

 

 


     WHEREAS, according to the Mayo Clinic, an estimated one‑quarter of Americans between the ages of sixty-five and seventy-five and around three-quarters of those older than seventy-five have some degree of hearing loss; and

 

     WHEREAS, further according to the Mayo Clinic, hearing loss is not reversible; and

 

     WHEREAS, according to the American Association of Retired Persons, the cost of a custom hearing aid can range as high as $2,000 and Medicare and most insurance companies do not cover the cost of hearing aids; and

 

     WHEREAS, section 23-51, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires that "[b]efore any legislative measure that mandates health insurance coverage for specific health services, specific diseases, or certain providers of health care services as part of individual or group health insurance policies, can be considered, there shall be concurrent resolutions passed requesting the auditor to prepare and submit to the legislature a report that assesses both the social and financial effects of the proposed mandated coverage"; and

 

     WHEREAS, section 23-51, Hawaii Revised Statutes, further provides that "[t]he concurrent resolutions shall designate a specific legislative bill that:

 

     (1)  Has been introduced in the legislature; and

 

     (2)  Includes, at a minimum, information identifying the:

 

          (A)  Specific health service, disease, or provider that would be covered;

 

          (B)  Extent of the coverage;

 

          (C)  Target groups that would be covered;

 

          (D)  Limits on utilization, if any; and

 

          (E)  Standards of care.

 

For the purposes of this part, mandated health insurance coverage shall not include mandated options"; and

 

     WHEREAS, section 23-52, Hawaii Revised Statutes, further specifies the minimum information required for assessing the social and financial impact of the proposed health coverage mandate in the Auditor's report; and

 

     WHEREAS, S.B. No. 192 S.D. 1 (2009) mandates health insurance coverage for hearing aids for hospital and medical service plan contracts, medical service corporation contracts, and health maintenance organization plans, other than an accident-only, specified disease, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, long-term care, dental, vision, or other limited benefit health insurance policy; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Legislature believes that mandatory health insurance coverage for hearing aids, as provided in S.B. No. 192 S.D. 1, will substantially assist persons suffering from hearing loss in leading full lives; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Auditor is requested to conduct an impact assessment report, pursuant to sections 23-51 and 23-52, Hawaii Revised Statutes, of the social and financial impacts of mandating coverage for hearing aids for hospital and medical service plan contracts, medical service corporation contracts, and health maintenance organization plans as provided in S.B. No. 192 S.D. 1; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor is requested to submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature, including any necessary implementing legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Auditor and to the Insurance Commissioner, who in turn is requested to transmit copies to each insurer in the State that issues health insurance policies.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Hearing Aids; Health Insurance.