HB 282 -- Health Insurance

Co-Sponsors:  Moore, Graham, Lowe, Selby, Walton, Holand

This bill 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 bill:

(1)  Specifies the type of hearing aid which will be covered.
The hearing aid must be prescribed and dispensed by licensed
professionals;

(2)  Requires that a replacement hearing aid for children will 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)  Specifies the total amount of the deductible or co-payment
which enrollees are required to pay;

(6)  Exempts supplemental insurance policies; and

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

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