Bill Text: NY S01474 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires coverage for hearing aids for patients who are covered under a policy or contract of insurance if the hearing aids are fitted and dispensed by a licensed audiologist certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association following medical clearance by a physician licensed to practice medicine and an audiological evaluation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO INSURANCE [S01474 Detail]
Download: New_York-2023-S01474-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1474 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 12, 2023 ___________ Introduced by Sens. PERSAUD, ADDABBO, COMRIE, HOYLMAN-SIGAL, SALAZAR -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to the mandatory coverage of hearing aids by insurers and other organizations The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subsection (i) of section 3216 of the insurance law is 2 amended by adding a new paragraph 39 to read as follows: 3 (39) (A) As used in this paragraph, "hearing aid" shall mean a medi- 4 cally-prescribed, non-disposable device that is of a design and circui- 5 try to optimize audition and listening skills. 6 (B) Every policy which provides hospital, medical or surgical coverage 7 shall provide coverage for hearing aids for patients if the hearing aids 8 are fitted and dispensed by a licensed audiologist certified by the 9 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association following medical clearance 10 by a physician licensed to practice medicine and an audiological evalu- 11 ation, provided an entity subject to this paragraph may limit the bene- 12 fit payable under this paragraph to five thousand dollars per hearing 13 aid for each hearing-impaired ear every twenty-four months. 14 (C) This paragraph does not prohibit an entity subject to the 15 provisions of this paragraph from providing coverage that is greater or 16 more favorable to an insured or enrolled. 17 § 2. Section 3221 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new 18 subsection (u) to read as follows: 19 (u) (1) As used in this subsection, "hearing aid" shall mean a medi- 20 cally-prescribed, non-disposable device that is of a design and circui- 21 try to optimize audition and listening. 22 (2) Every policy which provides hospital, medical or surgical coverage 23 shall provide coverage for hearing aids for patients if such hearing 24 aids are fitted and dispensed by a licensed audiologist certified by the EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD02034-01-3S. 1474 2 1 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, following medical clear- 2 ance by a physician licensed to practice medicine, and an audiological 3 evaluation, provided an entity subject to this subsection may limit the 4 benefit payable under this subsection to five thousand dollars per hear- 5 ing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every twenty-four months. 6 (3) This subsection does not prohibit an entity subject to the 7 provisions of this subsection from providing coverage that is greater or 8 more favorable to an insured or enrolled individual. 9 § 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is amended by adding a new 10 subsection (uu) to read as follows: 11 (uu)(1) As used in this subsection, "hearing aid" shall mean a medi- 12 cally-prescribed, non-disposable device that is of a design and circui- 13 try to optimize audition and listening. 14 (2) Every policy which provides hospital, medical or surgical coverage 15 shall provide coverage for hearing aids for patients if such hearing 16 aids are fitted and dispensed by a licensed audiologist certified by the 17 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, following medical clear- 18 ance by a physician licensed to practice medicine, and an audiological 19 evaluation, provided an entity subject to this subsection may limit the 20 benefit payable under this subsection to five thousand dollars per hear- 21 ing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every twenty-four months. 22 (3) This subsection does not prohibit an entity subject to the 23 provisions of this subsection from providing coverage that is greater or 24 more favorable to an insured or enrolled individual. 25 § 4. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed- 26 ing the date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to all 27 policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered, or amended on 28 or after such date. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment 29 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation 30 of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and 31 completed on or before such date.
