Bill Text: HI SB535 | 2018 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Hearing Aids.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-04-23 - Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Wednesday 04-25-18 2:15PM in conference room 229. [SB535 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2018-SB535-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
535 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017 |
S.D. 2 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
H.D. 1 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO HEARING AIDS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Chapter 431, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to article 10A to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§431:10A- Coverage for hearing aids. (a)
Each individual and group accident and health or sickness policy issued
or renewed in this State after December 31, 2018, other than a limited benefit
health insurance policy as provided in section 431:10A-102.5, shall provide,
not as an employer option, coverage for the cost of hearing aids for the
policyholder and individuals covered under the policy.
(b) Hearing aid purchases covered under this
section shall be subject to a minimum benefit of $
for a reasonably medically necessary hearing aid per hearing-impaired ear every
thirty-six months. A policyholder or
individual covered under the policy who has not used the minimum benefit before
the end of the thirty-six-month period shall be eligible to use any remaining
benefit toward the cost of a replacement hearing aid.
(c) The policyholder and individual covered under
the policy may choose a hearing aid that is priced higher than the benefit
payable under this section without financial or contractual penalty to the
provider of the hearing aid.
(d) This section does not prohibit a health
insurer subject to this section from providing coverage that is greater or more
favorable to the policyholder and individuals covered under the policy.
(e) Coverage required under this section may be
subject to deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or annual or maximum payment
limits that are consistent with deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and
annual or maximum payment limits applicable to other similar coverage under the
policy.
(f) Every insurer shall provide notice to its
policyholders regarding the coverage required by this section. The notice shall be in writing and
prominently positioned in any literature or correspondence sent or provided to
policyholders and shall be transmitted to policyholders within calendar year
2019 when annual information is made available to policyholders, or in any other
mailing to policyholders, but in no case later than December 31, 2019.
(g) For the purposes of this section,
"hearing aid" shall have the same meaning as in section 451A-1 and
includes conventional and bone conduction hearing aids."
SECTION 2. Chapter 432, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to article 1 to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§432:1- Coverage of hearing aids. (a) Each individual and group hospital or medical
service plan contract issued or renewed in this State after December 31, 2018,
shall provide, not as an employer option, coverage for the cost of hearing aids
for the member and individuals covered under the plan contract.
(b) Hearing aid purchases covered under this
section shall be subject to a minimum benefit of $
for a reasonably medically necessary hearing aid per
hearing-impaired ear every thirty-six months. A member or individual covered under the plan
contract who has not used the minimum benefit before the end of the thirty-six-month
period shall be eligible to use any remaining benefit toward the cost of a
replacement hearing aid.
(c) The members and individuals covered under the
plan contract may choose a hearing aid that is priced higher than the benefit
payable under this section without financial or contractual penalty to the
provider of the hearing aid.
(d) This section does not prohibit a mutual
benefit society subject to this section from providing coverage that is greater
or more favorable to the member and individuals covered under the plan
contract.
(e) Coverage required under this section may be
subject to deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or annual or maximum payment
limits that are consistent with deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and
annual or maximum payment limits applicable to other similar coverage under the
individual and group hospital or medical service plan contract.
(f) Every mutual benefit society shall provide
notice to its members regarding the coverage required by this section. The notice shall be in writing and prominently
positioned in any literature or correspondence sent or provided to members and
shall be transmitted to members within calendar year 2019 when annual
information is made available to members, or in any other mailing to members,
but in no case later than December 31, 2019.
(g) For the purposes of this section,
"hearing aid" shall have the same meaning as in section 451A-1 and
includes conventional and bone conduction hearing aids."
SECTION 3. Section 432D-23, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§432D-23
Required provisions and benefits. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the
contrary, each policy, contract, plan, or agreement issued in the State after
January 1, 1995, by health maintenance organizations pursuant to this chapter,
shall include benefits provided in sections 431:10-212, 431:10A-115,
431:10A-115.5, 431:10A-116, 431:10A-116.2, 431:10A-116.5, 431:10A-116.6,
431:10A-119, 431:10A-120, 431:10A-121, 431:10A-122, 431:10A-125, 431:10A-126,
431:10A-132, 431:10A-133, 431:10A-134, 431:10A-140, and [431:10A-134,]
431:10A- , and chapter 431M."
SECTION 4. The benefit to be provided by health maintenance organizations corresponding to the benefit provided under section 431:10A- , Hawaii Revised Statutes, as contained in the amendment to section 432D-23, Hawaii Revised Statutes, in section 3 of this Act, shall take effect for all policies, contracts, plans, or agreements issued in the State after December 31, 2018.
SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on June 1, 2050.
Report Title:
Hearing Aids; Health Insurance; Mandated Coverage
Description:
Requires health insurance policies and contracts issued after 12/31/18 to provide coverage for the cost of hearing aids at least a minimum amount per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every thirty-six months. (SB535 HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
