An Act To Require Health Insurers To Cover the Costs of Hearing Aids
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0447
Committee Amendment CA_A_S149 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S. P. 145, L.D. 447, Bill, "An 
Act To Require Health Insurers To Cover the Costs of Hearing Aids" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 2 to 4 and 
inserting in their place the following: 
. Sec. 2. 24·A MRSA §2761 is enacted to read: 
§2761. 
Coverage for hearing aids 
1. Hearing aid; definition. 
For purposes of this section. 
"hearing aid" means any nonexperimentaL wearable instrument or 
device designed for the ear and offered for the purpose of aiding 
or compensating for impaired human hearing. excluding batteries 
and cords and other assistiye listening deyices. including. but 
not limited to. freguency modulation systems. 
2. 
Required coverage. 
All individual health policies and 
contracts must provide coverage for the purchase of a hearing aid 
for each hearing-impaired ear for an individual covered under the 
policy who is 18 years of age or under in accordance with the 
following reguirements. 
A. 
The hearing loss must be documented by a physician or 
audiologist licensed pursuant to Title 32. chapter 77. 
B. 
The hearing aid must be purchased from an audiologist 
licensed pursuant to Title 32. chapter 77 or a hearing aid 
dealer licensed pursuant to Title 32. chapter 23-11.. 
Page l-LR0869(2) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .~. to S.P. 145, L.D. 447 
C. The policy, contract or certificate may limit coverage to 
$1, 400 per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every 
months. 
3. 
Limits: coinsurance: deductibles. 
Except as otherwise 
provided in this section, any policy or contract that provides 
coverage for services under this section may contain provisions 
for maximum benefits and coinsurance and reasonable limitations. 
deductibles and exclusions to the extent that these provisions 
are not inconsistent with the requirements of this section. 
Sec.3. 24·A MRSA §2847·L is enacted to read: 
§2847-L. 
Coverage for hearing aids 
1. 
Bearing aid: definition. 
For purposes of this section. 
"hearing aid" means any nonexperimental. wearable instrument or 
device designed for the ear and offered for the purpose of aiding 
or compensating for impaired human hearing, excluding batteries 
and cords and other assistive listening devices. including. but 
not limited to, frequency modulation systems. 
2. 
Regyired 
coverage. 
All 
group 
insurance 
policies. 
contracts and certificates must provide coverage for the purchase 
of a hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear for an individual 
covered under the policy. contract or certificate who is 18 years 
of age or under in accordance with the following requirements. 
A. 
The hearing loss must be documented by a physician or 
audiologist licensed pursuant to Title 32. chapter 77. 
B. 
The hearing aid must be purchased from an audiologist 
licensed pursuant to Title 32. chapter 77 or a hearing aid 
dealer licensed pursuant to Title 32. chapter 23-A. 
C. 
The policy, contract or certificate may limit coverage 
to $1.400 per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear 
every 36 months. 
3. 
Limits: coinsurance: deductib1es. 
Except as otherwise 
provided in this section. any policy. contract or certificate 
that provides 
coverage 
for 
services 
under 
this 
section may 
contain 
prov~s~ons for 
maximum 
benefits 
and 
coinsurance 
and 
reasonable limitations. deductibles and exclusions to the extent 
that these provisions are not inconsistent with the requirements 
of this section. 
Sec. 4. 24·A MRSA §4252 is enacted to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
(?o~ 
~ 
'~~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A" to S.P. 145, L.D. 447 
§4252. 
Coverage for hearing aids 
1. 
Bearing aid; definition. 
For purposes of this section, 
"hearing aid" means any nonexperimentaL wearable instrument or 
device designed for the ear and offered for the purpose of aiding 
or compensating for impaired human hearing, excluding batteries 
and cords and other assistive listening devices, including, but 
not limited to, frequency modulation systems. 
2. 
Required coverage. 
All health maintenance organization 
individual 
and group contracts 
and certificates must provide 
coverage 
for 
the 
purchase 
of 
a 
hearing 
aid 
for 
each 
hearing-impaired ear for an individual covered under the policy, 
contract or certificate who is 18 years of age or under in 
accordance with the following requirements. 
A. 
The hearing loss must be documented by a physician or 
audiologist licensed pursuant to Title 32, chapter 77. 
B. 
The hegring gid must be purchgsed from gn gudiologist 
licensed pursugnt to Title 32, chgpter 77 or 9 hearing gid 
dealer licensed pursuant to Title 32, chgpter 23-A. 
C. 
The policy. contract or certificate may limit coverage 
to $1,400 per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear 
every 36 months. 
3. 
Limits; coinsurance; deductib1es. 
Except gS otherwise 
provided in this section. any policy. contract or certificate 
that provides 
coverage 
for 
services 
under 
this 
section mgy 
contgin 
prov~s~ons for 
maximum 
benefits 
and 
coinsurance 
and 
regsonable limitations, deductibles and exclusions to the extent 
that these provisions are not inconsistent with the requirements 
of this section.' 
Further amend the bill by inserting after section 5 the 
following: 
'Sec. 6. Exemption from review. 
Notwithstanding the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 24-A, section 2752, this Act is enacted 
wi thout review and evaluation by the Department of Professional 
and Financial Regulation, Bureau of Insurance. 
Sec. 
7. 
Appropriations 
and 
allocations. 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
The 
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
Salary Plan 
following 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~-
~.~ 
'<I 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,~, to S.P. 145, L.D. 447 
Ini tiati ve: 
Appropriates and allocates funds for the additional 
costs 
of health insurance 
to 
the State resulting 
from 
the 
requirement to provide coverage for hearing aids for persons 18 
years of age and under up to a limit of $1,400 per hearing aid 
for each hearing-impaired ear every 36 months. 
GENERAL FUND 
Personal Services 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
HIGHWAY FUND 
Personal Services 
HIGHWAY FUND TOTAL 
Further amend the 
nonconsecutive 
Part 
consecutively. 
2005-06 
2006-07 
$11,826 
$49,267 
$11,826 
$49,267 
2005-06 
2006-07 
$4,780 
$20,322 
$4,780 
$20,322' 
bill by relettering 
letter 
or 
section 
or renumbering any 
number 
to 
read 
SUMMARY 
This amendment requires health insurance policies, contracts 
and certificates to provide coverage for hearing aids for persons 
years of age 
and under. 
The bill required coverage for 
persons 
years 
of 
age 
and 
under. 
The 
amendment 
allows 
insurance policies to limit coverage to $1,400 per hearing aid 
every 36 months. 
The provisions apply to all policies, contracts 
and certificates issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2006. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/14/05 ;:t;?ac:.. 
LD447 
LR 0869(02) 
An Act To Require Health Insurers To Cover the Costs of Hearing Aids 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment A 
Committee: Insurance and Financial Services 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Highway Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Highway Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
2005-06 
$11,826 
$4,780 
$11,826. 
$4,780 
2006-07 
$49,267 
$20,322 
$49,267 
$20,322 
Projections 
2007-08 
$53,208 
$21,948 
$53,208 
$21,948 
Projections 
2008-09 
$57,465 
$23,704 
$57,465 
$23,704 
Adding hearing aid coverage for persons age 18 and under with a limit of $1 ,400 per hearing aid for each hearing-
impaired ear every 36 months will increase premium costs by an estimated 0.05% for the state employee health plan 
effective with the contract beginning April 1, 2006. The additional employer costs across all funds to the state 
employee health insurance program is estimated to be $28,083 for fiscal year 2005-06 and $118,414 for fiscal year 
2006-07. 
General Fund appropriations of$II,826 for 2005-06 and $49,267 for 2006-07 and Highway Fund allocations of 
$4,780 for 2005-06 and $20,322 for 2006-07 are included in the bill for the salary plan reserve accounts to fund the 
increases for General Fund and Highway Fund employees. The costs for employees paid by other funds, including a 
small amount for the Fund for a Healthy Maine, may require increased allotments as recommended by the State 
Budget Officer and approved by the Governor. 
Any additional costs to the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation in implementing this legislation can 
be absorbed by the department within existing resources. This fiscal note does not reflect the additional costs to the 
private insurance market as a result of this legislation. 
LR0869(2) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1