ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-seventh Legislature

First Regular Session

House: HHS DP 11-1-0-0

☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note

HB 2125: insurance coverage; hearing aids; children

Sponsor: Representative Willoughby, LD 13

Caucus & COW

Overview

Requires a health care services organization that issues, amends, delivers or renews evidence of coverage to provide coverage for hearing aids and related services to eligible enrollees.

History

A health care services organization is any person that undertakes to conduct one or more health care plans. Unless the context otherwise requires, health care services organizations includes a provider sponsored health care services organization. An evidence of coverage is any certificate, agreement or contract issued to an enrollee and setting out the coverage to which the enrollee is entitled (A.R.S. § 20-1051).

Hearing aids are used to improve the hearing and speech comprehension of people who have hearing loss (National Institute of Health).

Provisions

1.   Requires a health care services organization that issues, amends, delivers or renews evidence of coverage to provide full coverage for any hearing aid and related service for an enrollee who is under 18 years old or 21 years old if the enrollee is still attending high school. (Sec. 1)

2.   Allows a health care services organization to make available to the enrollee the option of purchasing additional hearing aid coverage that exceeds the described services. (Sec. 1)

3.   Requires hearing aid coverage to include fitting and dispensing services, providing ear molds as necessary to maintain optimal fit and any related services as provided by a licensed health care provider. (Sec. 1)

4.   Excludes short-term travel, accident-only, limited or limited benefit coverage from the hearing aid coverage requirements. (Sec. 1)

5.   Specifies that coverage for hearing aids may be subject to deductibles and coinsurance consistent with those imposed on other benefits under the same evidence of coverage. (Sec. 1)

6.   Defines hearing aid and licensed health care provider. (Sec. 1)

7.   Applies the hearing aid coverage requirements to any evidence of coverage issued with an effective date of December 31, 2025. (Sec. 2)

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11.                    HB 2125

12.  Initials AG/AB    Page 0 Caucus & COW

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