Pennsylvania

Summary: This measure requires health insurance policies to provide coverage for hearing aids, as well as urges Congress to expand Medicare coverage to include hearing aids.

Health insurance policies and government programs must provide coverage for a hearing aid sold in accordance with section 403 of the “Hearing Aid Sales Registration Law.”

The health insurance policy must make available, starting with the first year of enrollment and every three years thereafter, no less than a two thousand five hundred dollar benefit toward coverage for a hearing aid. The benefit may be used by the insured with an entity in the business of selling hearing aids and fitters that are contracted with the health insurance policy.

Status: 1^st Chamber

Outlook: This measure was referred to the House Insurance Committee.

This measure is eligable for consideration in the committee of referral.

According to the sponsor, “Hearing aids usually cost anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000, creating a fiscal barrier for individuals with hearing loss to experience what so many take advantage of. In Pennsylvania, these necessary pieces of equipment are only required to be covered for Medicaid recipients under the age of 21, translating to millions of Pennsylvanians having to learn to grin and bear with hearing loss when it is not covered by an individual’s health insurance policy. A person should not be forced to pay an out-of-pocket expense just to be able to hear again.”