An Act To Require Health Insurance Coverage for Hearing Aids
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1514
Committee: Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: SULLIV AN, PERRY, MARRACHE, LEWIN, MILLER, PINGREE, TREAT, WALCOTT
Amends: 24 MRSA §2317-B, 24-A MRSA §2762, 24-A MRSA §2847-M, 24-A MRSA §4253

Legislative Document 
No. 1514 
S.P.537 
March 20, 2007 
An Act To Require Health Insurance Coverage for Hearing Aids 
Reference to the Committee on Insurance and Financial Services suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Senator SULLIV AN of York. 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Representative PERRY of Calais and Senator: MARRACHE of Kennebec, 
Representatives: LEWIN of Eliot, MILLER of Somerville, PINGREE of North Haven, TREAT 
of Farmingdale, WALCOTT of Lewiston. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 24 MRSA §2317-B, sub-§12-B is enacted to read: 
12-B. Title 24-A, sections 2762, 2847-M and 4253. Coverage for hearing aids, 
Title 24-A, sections 2762, 2847-M and 4253; 
Sec. 2. 24-A MRSA §2762 is enacted to read: 
§2762. Coverage for hearing aids 
1. Required coverage. All individual health insurance policies and contracts mllst 
provide coverage for the purchase of a hearing ajd for each ear from an a!!giQl~llii;;! 
licensed pursuant to Title 32, chapter 77 or a hearing aid dealer licensedJillrsuant to Title 
32, chapter 23-A for a person under 21 vears of age whose hearing loss has been 
documented bv a physician or licensed audiologist. For purposes of this section, "M~lIing 
aid" means a nonexperimentaL wearable instrument or device desi~ned 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. Limits; coinsurance; deductibles. 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-M is enacted to read: 
§2847-M. Coverage for hearing aids 
1. 
Required coverage. 
All group health insurance policies, contracts and 
certificates must provide coverage for the purchase of a hearing aid for each ear from an 
audiologist licensed pursuant to Title 32, chapter 77 or a hearing aid dealer licensed 
pursuant to Title 32, chapter 23-A for a person under 21 years of age whose hearing loss 
has been documented by a physician or licensed audiologist. For purposes of this section, 
"hearing aid" means a nonexperimental, wearable instrument or device designed for the 
ear and offered for the pumose 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. 
Limits; coinsurance; deductibles. 
Any policy, contract or certificate 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. 4. 24-A MRSA §4253 is enacted to read: 
.. 
II 
§4253. Coverage for hearing aids 
1. Reguired coverage. All health maintenance organization individual and group 
health insurance policies, contracts and certificates must provide coverage for the 
purchase of a hearing aid for each ear from an audiologist licensed pursuant to Title 32, 
chapter 77 or a hearing aid dealer licensed pursuant to Title 32, chapter 23-A for a person 
under 21 years of age whose hearing loss has been documented by a physician or licensed 
audiologist. 
For purposes of this section, "hearing aid" means a 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, frequencv modulation systems. 
2. 
Limits; coinsurance; deductiblcs. 
Any policy. contract or certificate that 
pJ:..Qvides coverage for services under this section may contain provisions for maximum 
benefits and coinsurance and reasonable limitations, deductibles and exc lusions to the 
extent that these provisions are not inconsistent with the reqtlirernents of this_~ection 
Sec. 5. Application. The requirements of this Act apply to all policies, contracts 
and certificates executed. delivered. issued for delivery, continu(:d or renewed in this 
State on or after January 1.2008. For purposes of this Act, all contracts are deemed tel be 
renewed no later than the next yearly anniversary of the contract date. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires health insurance policies, contracts and certificates to provide 
coverage for hearing aids for persons under 21 years of age whose hearing loss has been 
documented by a physician or licensed audiologist. The provisions ofthis bill apply to all 
policies, contracts and celiificates issued or renewed on or after January 1,2008.