2019 -- H 5121

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LC000524

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO INSURANCE - HEARING AIDS

     Introduced By: Representatives Vella-Wilkinson, Morin, Solomon, Bennett, and Millea

     Date Introduced: January 11, 2019

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 27-18-60 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-18 entitled "Accident

and Sickness Insurance Policies" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     27-18-60. Hearing aids.

     (a)(1) Every individual or group health insurance contract, or every individual or group

hospital or medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery,

or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2006 July 1, 2019, shall provide coverage for one

thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) two thousand dollars ($2,000) per individual hearing aid,

per ear, every three (3) years for anyone under the age of nineteen (19) years, and shall provide

coverage for seven hundred dollars ($700) per individual hearing aid, per ear, every three (3)

years for anyone of the age of nineteen (19) years and older.

     (2) Every group health insurance contract or group hospital or medical expense insurance

policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after

January 1, 2006 July 1, 2019, shall provide, as an optional rider, additional hearing aid coverage.

Provided, the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to contracts, plans, or group policies

subject to the small employer health insurance availability act, chapter 50 of this title.

     (b) For the purposes of this section:

     (1) "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, but

excluding batteries, cords, and other assistive listening devices, including, but not limited to FM

systems.

     (c) It shall remain within the sole discretion of the accident and sickness insurer as to the

provider of hearing aids with which they choose to contract. Reimbursement shall be provided

according to the respective principles and policies of the accident and sickness insurer. Nothing

contained in this section precludes the accident and sickness insurer from conducting managed

care, medical necessity, or utilization review.

     (d) This section does not apply to insurance coverage providing benefits for: (1) hospital

confinement indemnity; (2) disability income; (3) accident only; (4) long term care; (5) Medicare

supplement; (6) limited benefit health; (7) specified diseased indemnity; (8) sickness of bodily

injury or death by accident or both; (9) and other limited benefit policies.

     SECTION 2. Section 27-19-51 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-19 entitled "Nonprofit

Hospital Service Corporations" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     27-19-51. Hearing aids.

     (a)(1) Every individual or group health insurance contract, or every individual or group

hospital or medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery,

or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2006 July 1, 2019, shall provide coverage for one

thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) two thousand dollars ($2,000) per individual hearing aid,

per ear, every three (3) years for anyone under the age of nineteen (19) years, and shall provide

coverage for seven hundred dollars ($700) per individual hearing aid per ear, every three (3) years

for anyone of the age of nineteen (19) years and older.

     (2) Every group health insurance contract or group hospital or medical expense insurance

policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after

January 1, 2006 July 1, 2019, shall provide, as an optional rider, additional hearing aid coverage.

Provided, the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to contracts, plans, or group policies

subject to the small employer health insurance availability act, chapter 50 of this title.

     (b) For the 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, but excluding batteries, cords, and other assistive listening devices,

including, but not limited to, FM systems.

     (c) It shall remain within the sole discretion of the nonprofit hospital service corporation

as to the provider of hearing aids with which they choose to contract. Reimbursement shall be

provided according to the respective principles and policies of the nonprofit hospital service

corporation. Nothing contained in this section precludes the nonprofit hospital service corporation

from conducting managed care, medical necessity, or utilization review.

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     SECTION 3. Section 27-20-46 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-20 entitled "Nonprofit

Medical Service Corporations" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     27-20-46. Hearing aids.

     (a)(1) Every individual or group health insurance contract, or every individual or group

hospital or medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery,

or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2006 July 1, 2019, shall provide coverage for one

thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) two thousand dollars ($2,000) per individual hearing aid,

per ear, every three (3) years for anyone under the age of nineteen (19) years, and shall provide

coverage for seven hundred dollars ($700) per individual hearing aid per ear, every three (3) years

for anyone of the age of nineteen (19) years and older.

     (2) Every group health insurance contract or group hospital or medical expense insurance

policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after

January 1, 2006 July 1, 2019, shall provide, as an optional rider, additional hearing aid coverage.

Provided, the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to contracts, plans, or group policies

subject to the small employer health insurance availability act, chapter 50 of this title.

     (b) For the 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, but excluding batteries, cords, and other assistive listening devices,

including, but not limited to, FM systems.

     (c) It shall remain within the sole discretion of the nonprofit medical service corporation

as to the provider of hearing aids with which they choose to contract. Reimbursement shall be

provided according to the respective principles and policies of the nonprofit medical service

corporation. Nothing contained in this section precludes the nonprofit medical service corporation

from conducting managed care, medical necessity, or utilization review.

     SECTION 4. Section 27-41-63 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-41 entitled "Health

Maintenance Organizations" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     27-41-63. Hearing aids.

     (a)(1) Every individual or group health insurance contract, or every individual or group

hospital or medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery,

or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2006 July 1, 2019, shall provide coverage for one

thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) two thousand dollars ($2,000) per individual hearing aid,

per ear, every three (3) years for anyone under the age of nineteen (19) years, and shall provide

coverage for seven hundred dollars ($700) per individual hearing aid per ear, every three (3) years

for anyone of the age of nineteen (19) years and older.

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     (2) Every group health insurance contract or group hospital or medical expense insurance

policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after

January 1, 2006 July 1, 2019, shall provide, as an optional rider, additional hearing aid coverage.

Provided, the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to contracts, plans, or group policies

subject to the small employer health insurance availability act, chapter 50 of this title.

     (b) For the 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, but excluding batteries, cords, and other assistive listening devices,

including, but not limited to FM systems.

     (c) It shall remain within the sole discretion of the health maintenance organizations as to

the provider of hearing aids with which they choose to contract. Reimbursement shall be provided

according to the respective principles and policies of the health maintenance organizations.

Nothing contained in this section precludes the health maintenance organizations from

conducting managed care, medical necessity, or utilization review.

     SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO INSURANCE - HEARING AIDS

***

     This act would increase insurance coverage for hearing aids from one thousand five

hundred dollars ($1,500) to two thousand dollars ($2,000), per ear, every three (3) years. In

addition, the amount of insurance coverage would no longer be based on the age of the recipient.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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