HCS HB 282 -- HEALTH INSURANCE

SPONSOR:  Holand (Moore)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Health
Care Policy by a vote of 12 to 1.

This substitute requires health insurance entities to provide
coverage for associated hearing evaluations, consumable supplies,
and hearing aids for dependent children through 19 years of age
who are covered by a health policy or health plan.  Coverage will
begin after January 1, 2004.

The substitute:

(1)  Specifies the type of hearing aid which will be covered.
The hearing aid must be prescribed and dispensed by an
otolaryngologist or a licensed audiologist;

(2)  Requires that a replacement hearing aid for children be
covered once every three years;

(3)  Prohibits a health insurer or health plan from establishing
a benefit cap for hearing aids less than $1,250 per hearing aid,
per ear.  If an enrollee chooses a more expensive hearing aid,
the enrollee is required to pay the difference without a
financial or contractual penalty being imposed upon the provider
of the hearing aid.  Health insurers or health plans are also
prohibited from requesting hearing acuity information from
enrollees;

(4)  Allows a health insurer or health plan to provide more
favorable insurance coverage for hearing aids;

(5)  Prohibits enrollees from being subject to greater
deductibles and copayments than other similar health care
services provided by the policy, contract, or plan;

(6)  Exempts supplemental insurance policies; and

(7)  Authorizes the Director of the Department of Insurance to
develop rules to implement the provisions of the substitute.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not available at time of printing.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that working parents with insurance
coverage need assistance when purchasing hearing aids and related
devices.  Rapidly changing technology for hearing aids and other
devices is one factor resulting in increased costs for these
devices.  Children affected by hearing loss should be given the
opportunity to have hearing aids which will improve learning,
language development, and academic achievement.  Missouri should
become one of the few states to provide this insurance coverage
to children from working families.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Moore; Missouri
School of the Deaf; and Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard
of Hearing.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that mandating
insurance coverage for hearing aids and related devices will
result in higher insurance premiums paid by enrollees.  Enrollees
should share some of the costs associated with purchasing hearing
aids and devices, and health insurers should be given the option
to provide this coverage.

Testifying against the bill were Blue Cross/Blue Shield of
Missouri; Group Health Plans; and Missouri Association of Health
Plans.

Joseph Deering, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:11 am