Bill Text: NY S08684 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Amended


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 7-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-05-20 - PRINT NUMBER 8684A [S08684 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-S08684-Amended.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         8684--A

                    IN SENATE

                                     March 30, 2022
                                       ___________

        Introduced by Sens. PERSAUD, ADDABBO, BIAGGI, COMRIE, GAUGHRAN, HOYLMAN,
          SALAZAR  --  read  twice  and  ordered printed, and when printed to be
          committed to the Committee on Insurance -- committee discharged,  bill
          amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
          tee

        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 37 to read as follows:
     3    (37) (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
    25  American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, following  medical  clear-

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD15037-03-2

        S. 8684--A                          2

     1  ance  by  a physician licensed to practice medicine, and an audiological
     2  evaluation, provided an entity subject to this subsection may limit  the
     3  benefit payable under this subsection to five thousand dollars per hear-
     4  ing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every twenty-four months.
     5    (3)  This  subsection  does  not  prohibit  an  entity  subject to the
     6  provisions of this subsection from providing coverage that is greater or
     7  more favorable to an insured or enrolled individual.
     8    § 3. Section 4303 of the insurance law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
     9  subsection (tt) to read as follows:
    10    (tt)(1)  As  used in this subsection, "hearing aid" shall mean a medi-
    11  cally-prescribed, non-disposable device that is of a design and  circui-
    12  try to optimize audition and listening.
    13    (2) Every policy which provides hospital, medical or surgical coverage
    14  shall  provide  coverage  for  hearing aids for patients if such hearing
    15  aids are fitted and dispensed by a licensed audiologist certified by the
    16  American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, following  medical  clear-
    17  ance  by  a physician licensed to practice medicine, and an audiological
    18  evaluation, provided an entity subject to this subsection may limit  the
    19  benefit payable under this subsection to five thousand dollars per hear-
    20  ing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every twenty-four months.
    21    (3)  This  subsection  does  not  prohibit  an  entity  subject to the
    22  provisions of this subsection from providing coverage that is greater or
    23  more favorable to an insured or enrolled individual.
    24    § 4. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
    25  ing  the date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to all
    26  policies and contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered, or amended on
    27  or after such date.   Effective  immediately,  the  addition,  amendment
    28  and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
    29  of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are  authorized  to be made and
    30  completed on or before such date.
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