EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0641*
SENATE BILL 641
J5 5lr2931
CF 5lr2935
By: Senator Gallion
Introduced and read first time: January 25, 2025
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Health Insurance – Required Coverage – Hearing Aids 2
FOR the purpose of altering the circumstances under which certain insurers, nonprofit 3
health service plans, and health maintenance organizations are required to provide 4
coverage for medically appropriate and necessary hearing aids for minors and adults 5
to require coverage if the hearing aid is prescribed, fitted, and dispensed by a licensed 6
hearing aid dispenser; and generally relating to health insurance coverage for 7
hearing aids. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – Insurance 10
Section 15–838 and 15–838.1 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2017 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Insurance 16
15–838. 17
(a) This section applies to: 18
(1) insurers and nonprofit health service plans that provide hospital, 19
medical, or surgical benefits to individuals or groups on an expense–incurred basis under 20
health insurance policies or contracts that are issued or delivered in the State; and 21
(2) health maintenance organizations that provide hospital, medical, or 22
surgical benefits to individuals or groups under contracts that are issued or delivered in 23
the State. 24 2 SENATE BILL 641
(b) (1) In this subsection, “hearing aid” means a device that: 1
(i) is of a design and circuitry to optimize audibility and listening 2
skills in the environment commonly experienced by children; and 3
(ii) is nondisposable. 4
(2) An entity subject to this section shall provide coverage for hearing aids 5
for a minor child who is covered under a policy or contract if the hearing aids are prescribed, 6
fitted, and dispensed by a licensed audiologist OR A LICENSED HEARIN G AID DISPENSER . 7
(3) (i) An entity subject to this section may limit the benefit payable 8
under paragraph (2) of this subsection to $1,400 per hearing aid for each hearing–impaired 9
ear every 36 months. 10
(ii) An insured or enrolled individual may choose a hearing aid that 11
is priced higher than the benefit payable under this subsection and may pay the difference 12
between the price of the hearing aid and the benefit payable under this subsection, without 13
financial or contractual penalty to the provider of the hearing aid. 14
(c) This section does not prohibit an entity subject to this section from providing 15
coverage that is greater or more favorable to an insured or enrolled individual than the 16
coverage required under this section. 17
15–838.1. 18
(a) In this section, “hearing aid” means a device that: 19
(1) is of a design and circuitry to optimize audibility and listening skills in 20
the environment commonly experienced by adults; and 21
(2) is nondisposable. 22
(b) This section applies to: 23
(1) insurers and nonprofit health service plans that provide hospital, 24
medical, or surgical benefits to individuals or groups on an expense–incurred basis under 25
health insurance policies or contracts that are issued or delivered in the State; and 26
(2) health maintenance organizations that provide hospital, medical, or 27
surgical benefits to individuals or groups under contracts that are issued or delivered in 28
the State. 29
(c) An entity subject to this section shall provide coverage for all medically 30
appropriate and necessary hearing aids for an adult who is covered under a policy or 31 SENATE BILL 641 3
contract if the hearing aids are prescribed, fitted, and dispensed by a licensed audiologist 1
OR A LICENSED HEARIN G AID DISPENSER . 2
(d) (1) An entity subject to this section may limit the benefit payable under 3
subsection (c) of this section to $1,400 per hearing aid for each hearing–impaired ear every 4
36 months. 5
(2) An insured or enrollee may choose a hearing aid that is priced higher 6
than the benefit payable under this subsection and may pay the difference between the 7
price of the hearing aid and the benefit payable under this subsection, without financial or 8
contractual penalty to the provider of the hearing aid. 9
(e) This section does not prohibit an entity subject to this section from providing 10
coverage that is greater or more favorable to an insured or enrollee than the coverage 11
required under this section. 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall apply to all 13
policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or 14
after January 1, 2026. 15
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 16
January 1, 2026. 17