An Act To Require Insurance Companies To Pay up to $200 for Wigs for Individuals Who Have Lost Hair Due to Medical Reasons
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0879
Committee: Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: O'BRIEN
Amends: 22 MRSA §3, 24-A MRSA §2745-H, 24-A MRSA §2837, 24-A MRSA §4252

Legislative Document 
No. 879 
H.P.656 
House of Representatives, February 20, 2003 
An Act To Require Insurance Companies To Pay up to $200 for 
Wigs for Individuals Who Have Lost Hair Due to Medical Reasons 
Reference to the Committee on Insurance and Financial Services suggested and ordered 
printed. 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative O'BRIEN of Augusta. (BY REQUEST) 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. I. 22 MRSA §3I73-F is enacted to read: 
§3l73-F. 
Reimbursement for wigs 
Through a program of Medicaid coverage, the department shall 
provide reimbursement, up to $200 to the extent allowable under 
the United States Social Security Act, Title XIX or successors to 
it, for the purchase of 
a 
wig or hairpiece when the wig or 
hairpiece is purchased to cover baldness or thin hair resulting 
from a disease attested to by a physician or treatment for such a 
disease. 
Sec. 2. 24-A MRSA §2745-H is enacted to read: 
§2745-H. 
Coverage for wigs 
1. 
Reqyired coverage. 
All individual insurance policies 
and 
contracts, 
except 
accidental 
injury, 
specified 
disease, 
hospital indemnity, Medicare supplement, long-term care and other 
limited benefit health insurance policies and contracts, 
must 
provide 
coverage 
up 
to 
$200 
for 
the 
purchase 
of 
a 
wig 
or 
hairpiece 
when 
the 
wig 
or 
hairpiece 
is 
purchased 
to 
cover 
baldness or thin hair resulting from a disease attested to by a 
physician or treatment for such a disease. 
2. 
Application. 
The reguirements of this section apply to 
all policies, 
contracts 
and certificates executed, 
delivered, 
issued for delivery, continued or renewed in this State on or 
after 
October 
1, 
2003. 
For 
purposes 
of 
this 
section, 
all 
contracts are deemed to be renewed no later than the next yearly 
anniversary of the contract date. 
Sec. 3. 24-A MRSA §2837-1 is enacted to read: 
§2837-I. 
Coverage for wigs 
1. 
Required coverage. 
All group insurance policies and 
contracts, except accidental injury, specified disease, hospital 
indemnity, Medicare supplement. long-term care and other limited 
benefit health insurance pOlicies 
and contracts, must provide 
coverage up to $200 for the purchase of a wig or hairpiece when 
the wig or hairpiece is purchased to cover baldness or thin hair 
resulting from a disease attested to by a physician or treatment 
for such a disease. 
2. 
Application. 
The reguirements of this section apply to 
all policies. 
contracts 
and certificates executed. 
delivered, 
issued for delivery, continued or renewed in this State on or 
after 
October 
1, 
2003. 
For 
purposes 
of 
this 
section, 
all 
contracts are deemed to be renewed no later than the next yearly 
anniversary of the contract date. 
Sec. 4. 24-A MRSA §4252 is enacted to read: 
§4252. 
Coverage for wigs 
1. 
Required coverage. 
All health maintenance organization 
individual and group contracts must provide coverage up to $200 
for the purchase of a wig or hairpiece when the wig or hairpiece 
is purchased to cover baldness or thin hair resulting from a 
disease attested to by 
a 
physician or treatment for 
such 
a 
disease. 
2. 
Application. 
The requirements of this section apply to 
all policies, 
contracts 
and certificates executed, 
delivered, 
issued for delivery, continued or renewed in this State on or 
after October 
1, 
2003. 
For 
purposes 
of 
this 
section, 
all 
contracts are deemed to be renewed no later than the next yearly 
anniversary of the contract date. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires iadividual and group health insurance 
policies and health maintenance organization contracts to cover 
up 
to 
$200 of the purchase of 
a 
wig or hairpiece when the 
purchase is made to cover baldness or thin hair resulting from a 
disease attested to by 
a 
physician or treatment for 
such 
a 
disease. 
The bill requires similar Medicaid reimbursement to the 
extent allowed by federal law.