EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0641*
SENATE BILL 641
J5 5lr2931
CF HB 1355
By: Senator Gallion
Introduced and read first time: January 25, 2025
Assigned to: Finance
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 21, 2025
CHAPTER ______
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 ordered, fitted, and dispensed by 6
a licensed hearing aid dispenser; and generally relating to health insurance coverage 7
for 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
2 SENATE BILL 641
(1) insurers and nonprofit health service plans that provide hospital, 1
medical, or surgical benefits to individuals or groups on an expense–incurred basis under 2
health insurance policies or contracts that are issued or delivered in the State; and 3
(2) health maintenance organizations that provide hospital, medical, or 4
surgical benefits to individuals or groups under contracts that are issued or delivered in 5
the State. 6
(b) (1) In this subsection, “hearing aid” means a device that: 7
(i) is of a design and circuitry to optimize audibility and listening 8
skills in the environment commonly experienced by children; and 9
(ii) is nondisposable. 10
(2) An entity subject to this section shall provide coverage for hearing aids 11
for a minor child who is covered under a policy or contract if the hearing aids are prescribed, 12
fitted, and dispensed by a licensed audiologist OR A LICENSED HEARIN G AID DISPENSER . 13
(3) (i) An entity subject to this section may limit the benefit payable 14
under paragraph (2) of this subsection to $1,400 per hearing aid for each hearing–impaired 15
ear every 36 months. 16
(ii) An insured or enrolled individual may choose a hearing aid that 17
is priced higher than the benefit payable under this subsection and may pay the difference 18
between the price of the hearing aid and the benefit payable under this subsection, without 19
financial or contractual penalty to the provider of the hearing aid. 20
(c) This section does not prohibit an entity subject to this section from providing 21
coverage that is greater or more favorable to an insured or enrolled individual than the 22
coverage required under this section. 23
15–838.1. 24
(a) In this section, “hearing aid” means a device that: 25
(1) is of a design and circuitry to optimize audibility and listening skills in 26
the environment commonly experienced by adults; and 27
(2) is nondisposable. 28
(b) This section applies to: 29
(1) insurers and nonprofit health service plans that provide hospital, 30
medical, or surgical benefits to individuals or groups on an expense–incurred basis under 31
health insurance policies or contracts that are issued or delivered in the State; and 32
SENATE BILL 641 3
(2) health maintenance organizations that provide hospital, medical, or 1
surgical benefits to individuals or groups under contracts that are issued or delivered in 2
the State. 3
(c) An entity subject to this section shall provide coverage for all medically 4
appropriate and necessary hearing aids for an adult who is covered under a policy or 5
contract if the hearing aids are: 6
(1) prescribed, fitted, and dispensed by a licensed audiologist; OR 7
(2) ORDERED, FITTED, AND DISPENSED BY A LICENSED HEARING A ID 8
DISPENSER. 9
(d) (1) An entity subject to this section may limit the benefit payable under 10
subsection (c) of this section to $1,400 per hearing aid for each hearing–impaired ear every 11
36 months. 12
(2) An insured or enrollee may choose a hearing aid that is priced higher 13
than the benefit payable under this subsection and may pay the difference between the 14
price of the hearing aid and the benefit payable under this subsection, without financial or 15
contractual penalty to the provider of the hearing aid. 16
(e) This section does not prohibit an entity subject to this section from providing 17
coverage that is greater or more favorable to an insured or enrollee than the coverage 18
required under this section. 19
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall apply to all 20
policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or 21
after January 1, 2026. 22
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 23
January 1, 2026. 24
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.