SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 1731
91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES HOLAND AND BARRY (Co-sponsors).
Read 1st time January 30, 2002, and 1000 copies ordered printed.
TED WEDEL, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 376, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to health insurance coverage for children's hearing aids.
Section A. Chapter 376, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 376.1221, to read as follows:
376.1221. 1. Every health insurer and health benefit plan, as defined in section 376.1350, offering health benefit plans that are delivered, issued for delivery, continued or renewed after January 1, 2003, shall provide coverage for hearing examinations and hearing aids. To qualify for such coverage, examinations must be conducted by a licensed and board-certified otolaryngologist or licensed audiologist. Prescriptions shall be provided by a licensed and board-certified otolaryngologist only. The hearing loss in each ear must exceed thirty decibels in the speech frequencies. Only persons less than eighteen years of age or persons whose qualifying hearing disability was documented before such persons were eighteen years of age will be covered.
2. The coverage provided in this section:
(1) May be limited to a maximum benefit of eighty percent of the actual cost of the covered items or services; and
(2) Shall be limited to reimbursement for covered items or services no more than once every three years.
3. This section shall not apply to a supplemental insurance policy, including a life care contract, accident-only
policy, specified disease policy, hospital policy providing a fixed daily benefit only, Medicare supplement policy,
long-term care policy, short-term major medical policies of six months or less duration, or any other supplemental
policy as determined by the director of the department of insurance.
Missouri House of Representatives