Senate File 143 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY McCOY Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act requiring insurers offering certain individual or group 2 health insurance contracts, policies, or plans to provide 3 coverage for audiological services and hearing aids for 4 children. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 2221XS 82 7 av/cf/24 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 514C.23 AUDIOLOGICAL SERVICES 1 2 AND HEARING AIDS FOR CHILDREN == COVERAGE. 1 3 1. Notwithstanding the uniformity of treatment 1 4 requirements of section 514C.6, a contract, policy, or plan 1 5 providing for third=party payment or prepayment of health or 1 6 medical expenses shall provide minimum coverage benefits for 1 7 audiological services and hearing aids for children, including 1 8 but not limited to the following classes of third=party 1 9 payment provider contracts, policies, or plans delivered, 1 10 issued for delivery, continued, or renewed in this state on or 1 11 after January 1, 2008: 1 12 a. Individual or group accident and sickness insurance 1 13 providing coverage on an expense=incurred basis. 1 14 b. An individual or group hospital or medical service 1 15 contract issued pursuant to chapter 509, 514, or 514A. 1 16 c. An individual or group health maintenance organization 1 17 contract regulated under chapter 514B. 1 18 d. An individual or group Medicare supplemental policy, 1 19 unless coverage pursuant to such policy is preempted by 1 20 federal law. 1 21 e. A plan established pursuant to chapter 509A for public 1 22 employees. 1 23 2. This section shall not apply to accident=only, 1 24 specified disease, short=term hospital or medical, hospital 1 25 confinement indemnity, credit, dental, vision, long=term care, 1 26 basic hospital and medical=surgical expense coverage as 1 27 defined by the commissioner, disability income insurance 1 28 coverage, coverage issued as a supplement to liability 1 29 insurance, workers' compensation or similar insurance, or 1 30 automobile medical payment insurance. 1 31 3. As used in this section, "minimum coverage for 1 32 audiological services and hearing aids for children" means 1 33 coverage that includes at a minimum both of the following: 1 34 a. Coverage for hearing aids that are prescribed, filled 1 35 and dispensed by a licensed audiologist for children up to 2 1 eighteen years of age. 2 2 b. Coverage for an ear mold and a hearing aid for each 2 3 hearing=impaired ear payable every twenty=four months for 2 4 children up to eighteen years of age and coverage for up to 2 5 four additional ear molds per year for children up to three 2 6 years of age. 2 7 4. The commissioner of insurance shall adopt rules 2 8 pursuant to chapter 17A as necessary to administer this 2 9 section. 2 10 EXPLANATION 2 11 This bill requires insurers offering certain individual or 2 12 group health insurance contracts, policies, or plans in the 2 13 state to provide coverage for audiological services and 2 14 hearing aids for children. 2 15 The provisions of the bill are applicable to third=party 2 16 payment provider contracts, policies, or plans delivered, 2 17 issued for delivery, continued, or renewed in this state on or 2 18 after January 1, 2008. 2 19 The commissioner of insurance is required to adopt rules 2 20 under Code chapter 17A to administer the provisions of the 2 21 bill. 2 22 New Code section 514C.23 requires specified individual and 2 23 group health insurance contracts, policies, or plans that 2 24 provide coverage for third=party payment or prepayment of 2 25 health or medical expenses to provide minimum coverage for 2 26 audiological services and hearing aids for children. 2 27 The bill provides that "minimum coverage for audiological 2 28 services and hearing aids for children" must include, at a 2 29 minimum, coverage for hearing aids that are prescribed, 2 30 filled, and dispensed by a licensed audiologist for children 2 31 up to 18 years of age, coverage for an ear mold and a hearing 2 32 aid for each hearing=impaired ear payable every 24 months for 2 33 children up to 18 years of age, and coverage for up to four 2 34 additional ear molds per year for children up to three years 2 35 of age. 3 1 LSB 2221XS 82 3 2 av:rj/cf/24