Health insurance; mandated coverage for hearing aids for minors. (SB423)
Introduced By
Sen. Bill DeSteph (R-Virginia Beach) with support from co-patron Del. Josh Cole (D-Fredericksburg)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✓ |
Passed Committee |
✓ |
Passed House |
✓ |
Passed Senate |
✓ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Health insurance; mandated coverage for hearing aids for minors. Requires health insurers, health maintenance organizations, and corporations providing health care coverage subscription contracts to provide coverage for hearing aids and related services for children 18 years of age or younger when an otolaryngologist recommends such hearing aids and related services. The coverage includes one hearing aid per hearing-impaired ear, up to a cost of $1,500, every 24 months. The measure applies to policies, contracts, and plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on and after January 1, 2021. Read the Bill »
Outcome
Bill Has Passed
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
01/07/2020 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/20 20102201D |
01/07/2020 | Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor |
01/20/2020 | Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
01/20/2020 | Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations |
01/21/2020 | Impact statement from SCC (SB423) |
01/28/2020 | Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
01/29/2020 | Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
01/30/2020 | Read second time |
01/30/2020 | Reading of amendment waived |
01/30/2020 | Committee amendment agreed to |
01/30/2020 | Engrossed by Senate as amended SB423E |
01/30/2020 | Printed as engrossed 20102201D-E |
01/31/2020 | Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/04/2020 | Impact statement from SCC (SB423E) |
02/13/2020 | Placed on Calendar |
02/13/2020 | Read first time |
02/13/2020 | Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce |
02/14/2020 | Assigned L & C sub: Subcommittee #2 |
02/17/2020 | Impact statement from SCC (SB423E) |
02/18/2020 | Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 1-N) |
02/18/2020 | Subcommittee recommends referring to Committee on Appropriations |
02/20/2020 | Reported from Labor and Commerce (22-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/20/2020 | Referred to Committee on Appropriations |
02/21/2020 | Assigned App. sub: Health & Human Resources |
02/21/2020 | Impact statement from SCC (SB423E) |
02/28/2020 | House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered |
02/28/2020 | Reported from Appropriations with amendments (21-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
03/03/2020 | Read second time |
03/04/2020 | Read third time |
03/04/2020 | Committee amendments agreed to |
03/04/2020 | Passed by for the day |
03/05/2020 | Read third time |
03/05/2020 | Engrossed by House as amended |
03/05/2020 | Passed House with amendments (95-Y 1-N) |
03/05/2020 | VOTE: Passage (95-Y 1-N) (see vote tally) |
03/05/2020 | Reconsideration of House passage agreed to by House |
03/05/2020 | Passed House with amendments (97-Y 2-N) |
03/05/2020 | VOTE: Passage #2 (97-Y 2-N) (see vote tally) |
03/05/2020 | House amendments rejected by Senate (0-Y 39-N) (see vote tally) |
03/05/2020 | House insisted on amendments |
03/05/2020 | House requested conference committee |
03/05/2020 | Senate acceded to request (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
03/05/2020 | Conferees appointed by Senate |
03/05/2020 | Senators: DeSteph, Spruill, Deeds |
03/05/2020 | Conferees appointed by House |
03/05/2020 | Delegates: Cole, J.G., Carroll Foy, Fariss |
03/07/2020 | C Amended by conference committee |
03/07/2020 | Conference report agreed to by Senate (38-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
03/08/2020 | Conference report agreed to by House (91-Y 2-N) |
03/08/2020 | VOTE: Adoption (91-Y 2-N) (see vote tally) |
03/18/2020 | Enrolled |
03/18/2020 | Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB423ER) |
03/18/2020 | Signed by President |
03/19/2020 | Signed by Speaker |
03/20/2020 | Impact statement from SCC (SB423ER) |
03/20/2020 | Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 20, 2020 |
03/20/2020 | G Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 11, 2020 |
04/10/2020 | G Approved by Governor-Chapter 1094 (effective 7/1/20) |
04/10/2020 | G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1094) |
Comments
The Virginia Society of Hearing Aid Specialists will oppose this bill as written. I object to coverage ONLY PRESCRIBED by an AUDIOLOGIST. Hearing aids are DISPENSED AND FITTED NOT PRESCRIBED. Only a licensed HEARING AID SPECIALIST can dispense and fit a hearing aid under Virginia law.
This bill as written would restrict access to hearing aids that would be covered under health insurance to an Audiologist who also holds a license to dispense hearing aids. This would be a burden to families who don't have access to an Audiologist. The bill should include ALL LICENSED HEARING AID SPECIALISTS as this is the appropriate person to dispense and fit a hearing aids. FDA and Virginia law require children to be seen by a physician before purchasing hearing aids. Virginia law requires children see by an ENT physician before their first hearing aid fitting to make sure all medical concerns are addressed prior to the fitting. Adding the requirement to also have to see an Audiologist adds an additional barrier to the delivery of services to minors. I would be happy to discuss this further with the patron to amend this bill to wording that the Virginia Society of Hearing Aid Specialists could support for the benefit of all children of Virginia.
Teresa Robinson Irwin, MS, A.C.A., BC-HIS
Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist
Virginia Society of Hearing Aid Specialists