An Act To Require Insurance Coverage for Hearing Aids for Adults
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0038
Committee Amendment CA_A_H241 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. I} "to H.P. 39, L.D. 38, Bill, "An Act To Require 
Insurance Coverage for Hearing Aids for Adults" 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 2 by striking out all of paragraph B (page 1, 
lines 10 and 11 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'B. The hearing aid must be purchased from an audiologist or hearing aid dealer 
licensed pursuant to Title 32, chapter 137 in accordance with federal and state laws. 
regulations and rules for the sale and dispensing of hearing aids.' 
Amend the bill in section 3 in subsection 2 by striking out all of paragraph B (page 1, 
lines 25 and 26 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'B. The hearing aid must be purchased from an audiologist or hearing aid dealer 
licensed pursuant to Title 32, chapter 137 in accordance with federal and state laws. 
regulations and rules for the sale and dispensing of hearing aids.' 
Amend the bill in section 5 in subsection 2 by striking out all of paragraph B (page 2, 
lines 3 and 4 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'B. The hearing aid must be purchased from an audiologist or hearing aid dealer 
licensed pursuant to Title 32, chapter 137 in accordance with federal and state laws. 
regulations and rules for the sale and dispensing of hearing aids.' 
Amend the bill by adding after section 8 the following: 
'Sec. 9. Calculation and transfer; premium costs. The State Budget Officer 
shall calculate the amount of increased premium costs that apply to each General Fund 
account and Highway Fund account for all departments and agencies and transfer the 
amounts by financial order upon the approval of the Governor. 
The transfers are 
considered adjustments to appropriations in fiscal year 2020-21. 
Sec. 10. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ·A "to H.P. 39, L.D. 38 
Departments and Agencies - Statewide 0016 
Initiative: Provides ongoing funds for increased premium costs to departments and 
agencies statewide as a result of the State Employee Health Plan being required to cover 
hearing aids. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
HIGHWAY FUND 
All Other 
HIGHWAY FUND TOTAL 
2019-20 
$0 
$0 
2019-20 
$0 
$0 
2020-21 
$158,492 
$158,492 
2020-21 
$56,779 
$56,779 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment adds language to clarify the requirement that the purchase of a 
hearing aid in accordance with the bill's coverage must be done in accordance with 
federal and state laws, regulations and rules for the dispensing of hearing aids. The 
amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section and provides for the 
calculation and transfer of amounts for premium costs by financial order. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Revised: 04/19/19 .%Pac.. 
LD38 
LR 291(02) 
An Act To Require Insurance Coverage for Hearing Aids for Adults 
\ 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ,A(µ.-;) V 1J 
Committee: Health Coverage, 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 
FY 2019-20 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
FY 2020-21 
$158,492 
$56,779 
$158,492 
$56,779 
Projections 
FY 2021-22 
$158,492 
$56,779 
$158,492 
$56,779 
Projections 
FY 2022-23 
$158,492 
$56,779 
$158,492 
$56,779 
The bill requires the State Employee Health Plan to offer hearing aid coverage at a minimum of $3,000 per hearing 
aid. Based on information provided by the state health plan on the incidence of hearing loss among plan members and 
national statistics on the percentage of individuals with hearing loss who use hearing aids, it is estimated that 
premiums for the state plan will increase by $1.09 per member per month. The total cost to the plan is estimated to be 
$347 ,319 annually for the 26,550 current plan members. The bill includes General Fund appropriations of $158,492 in 
fiscal year 2020-21 and Highway Fund allocations of $56, 779 in fiscal year 2020-21 to state departments and agencies 
that pay premiums to the health plan to cover the increased premium costs for those two funds. The remaining costs of 
$132,047 will be absorbed by multiple funds across state government. It is expected that coverage of hearing aids 
under the State Employee Health Plan will begin on or after July 1, 2020. 
LR0291(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1