I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 536 

To amend chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, and the Employee 

Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Public Health Service 

Act to require coverage of hearing aids under the Federal Employees 

Health Benefits Program and private group and individual insurance. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 17, 2007 

Mr. LYNCH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees 

on Energy and Commerce and Education and Labor, for a period to be 

subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 

of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, and 

the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 

and the Public Health Service Act to require coverage 

of hearing aids under the Federal Employees Health 

Benefits Program and private group and individual insurance. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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•HR 536 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Helping America Hear 

3 Act of 2007’’. 

4 SEC. 2. COVERAGE OF HEARING AIDS UNDER FEHBP PRO5 GRAM. 

6 Section 8904 of title 5, United States Code, is 

7 amended by adding at the end the following new sub8 section: 

9 ‘‘(c) Each health benefits plan under this chapter 

10 shall include coverage for the provision of at least 2 hear11 ing aids every 3 years, except that this subsection shall 

12 not be construed as requiring the payment under such 

13 plan in any 3-year period of more than $2,500 on hearing 

14 aids with respect to any individual.’’. 

15 SEC. 3. COVERAGE OF HEARING AIDS UNDER PRIVATE IN16 SURANCE PLANS. 

17 (a) ERISA.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subpart B of part 7 of sub19 title B of title I of the Employee Retirement Income 

20 Security Act of 1974 is amended by adding at the 

21 end the following new section: 

22 ‘‘SEC. 714. REQUIRING COVERAGE OF HEARING AIDS. 

23 ‘‘If a group health plan provides benefits with respect 

24 to hospital and surgical expenses, the plan (and any health 

25 insurance issuer offering health insurance coverage in con26 nection with such a plan) shall provide coverage for the 


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•HR 536 IH

1 provision of at least 2 hearing aids every 3 years, except 

2 that this section shall not be construed as requiring the 

3 payment under such plan in any 3-year period of more 

4 than $2,500 on hearing aids with respect to any indi5 vidual.’’. 

6 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con7 tents in section 1 of such Act is amended by insert8 ing after the item relating to section 713 the fol9 lowing new item: 

‘‘Sec. 714. Requiring coverage of hearing aids.’’. 

10 (b) INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE.—Part B of 

11 title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act is amended 

12 by inserting after section 2752 the following new section: 

13 ‘‘SEC. 2752. REQUIRING COVERAGE OF HEARING AIDS. 

14 ‘‘The provisions of section 714 of the Employee Re15 tirement Income Security Act of 1974 shall apply to health 

16 insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer 

17 in the individual market in the same manner as they apply 

18 to health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance 

19 issuer in connection with a group health plan in the small 

20 or large group market.’’. 

21 SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

22 The amendments made by this Act shall apply to cov23 erage furnished in plan years beginning more than 60 days 

24 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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