Hearing Aid Bill House Bill 589: Insurance Benefits for Children's Hearing Aids

By Joni Alberg

During the 2009 Session of the NC General Assembly, House Bill 589 (and its companion, Senate Bill 375) was introduced. This bill requires health benefit plans in North Carolina, including the NC State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees, to cover the cost of one hearing aid per hearing-impaired ear up to $2,500 every 36 months for children under the age or 22 years. This bill was very favorably received and appeared to be headed toward passage by the end of the 2009 Session. Unfortunately, near the end of the Session, the bill was amended to include health benefit plan coverage for therapies provided in the treatment of individuals with autism. Since the financial impact of the additional autism treatment coverage was not provided, the House postponed action on the entire bill until May 12, 2010—when the 2010 Session of the NC General Assembly again convenes.

What happens next??? If all goes as planned, the House will refer the Bill back to a House/Senate “conference” committee who we hope will remove the coverage for individuals with autism and thus ensuring House Bill 589 will become law. Insurance coverage for therapies benefitting individuals with autism is extremely important. A separate bill for this coverage is being drafted and, hopefully, will be introduced during the 2010 Session.

What you can do!! Contact your Representative now and ask him or her to encourage Speaker Joe Hackney and Majority Leader Hugh Holliman to place House Bill 589 on the House agenda as soon as possible when they convene in May. Tell your Representative how important this bill is to you, your family, and/or children with hearing loss. Your voice will be heard!! And just think how LOUDLY all our voices will sound!!!

To find out who represents you go to http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/

Editor's Note: Another good source of information is http://actionalert.hearfromthestart.info