HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

636

TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to hearing aids.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that according to the National Institute of Health, an estimated one-third of Americans between the ages of sixty-five and seventy-five and around one-half of those older than seventy-five have some degree of hearing loss.  In addition, a 2005 study by the Better Hearing Institute, estimated that untreated hearing loss resulted in a loss of income per household of up to $12,000 per year.

     According to the Lions Club, the cost of a custom low- to mid-level analog or digital hearing aid begins around $2,000 or less, and around $3,000 and higher for a high-end hearing aid.  Medicare and most private insurance companies do not cover the cost of hearing aids through their base health care coverage.  As a result, it is not unusual for people with hearing loss to choose not to purchase hearing aids because these expensive devices are not covered by insurance.

     The purpose of this Act is to require that the cost of hearing aids be covered by private health insurers.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 431:10A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§431:10A-    Hearing aids; notice.  (a)  Any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, each individual and group accident and health or sickness policy, contract, plan, or agreement issued or renewed in this State after December 31, 2013, other than an accident-only, specified disease, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, long-term care, dental, vision, or other limited benefit health insurance policy, shall provide, not as an employer option, coverage for the cost of hearing aids for the policyholder and individuals covered under the policy, contract, plan, or agreement.

     (b)  Coverage required under this section may be subject to deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or annual or maximum payment limits that are consistent with deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and annual or maximum payment limits applicable to other similar coverage under the policy, contract, plan, or agreement.

     (c)  Every insurer shall provide notice to its policyholders regarding the coverage required by this section.  The notice shall be in writing and prominently positioned in any literature or correspondence sent to policyholders and shall be transmitted to policyholders within calendar year 2013 when annual information is made available to policyholders, or in any other mailing to policyholders, but in no case later than December 31, 2013.

     (d)  For the purposes of this section, "hearing aid" shall have the same meaning as in section 451A-1."

     SECTION 3.  Chapter 432:1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§432:1-    Hearing aids; notice.  (a)  Any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, each individual and group hospital or medical service plan, policy, contract, or agreement issued or renewed in this State after December 31, 2013, shall provide, not as an employer option, coverage for the cost of hearing aids for the member and individuals covered under the individual and group hospital or medical service plan, policy, contract, or agreement.

     (b)  Coverage required under this section may be subject to deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or annual or maximum payment limits that are consistent with deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and annual or maximum payment limits applicable to other similar coverage under the individual and group hospital or medical service plan, policy, contract, or agreement.

     (c)  Every mutual benefit society shall provide notice to its members regarding the coverage required by this section.  The notice shall be in writing and prominently positioned in any literature or correspondence sent to members and shall be transmitted to members within calendar year 2013 when annual information is made available to policyholders, or in any other mailing to members, but in no case later than December 31, 2013.

     (d)  For the purposes of this section, "hearing aid" shall have the same meaning as defined in section 451A-1."

     SECTION 4.  Section 432D-23, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§432D-23  Required provisions and benefits.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, each policy, contract, plan, or agreement issued in the State after January 1, 1995, by health maintenance organizations pursuant to this chapter, shall include benefits provided in sections 431:10-212, 431:10A-115, 431:10A-115.5, 431:10A-116, 431:10A‑116.5, 431:10A-116.6, 431:10A-119, 431:10A-120, 431:10A‑121, 431:10A-125, 431:10A-126, [and] 431:10A-122, and 431:10A-  , and chapter 431M."

     SECTION 5.  The benefit to be provided by health maintenance organizations corresponding to the benefit provided under section 431:10A-  , Hawaii Revised Statutes, as contained in the amendment to section 432D-23, Hawaii Revised Statutes, in section 4 of this Act, shall take effect for all policies, contracts, plans, or agreements issued in the State after December 31, 2013.

     SECTION 6.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Health Insurance Coverage; Hearing Aids

 

Description:

Requires health insurance policies and contracts issued after 12/31/13 to provide coverage for the cost of hearing aids in their base plans.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.