Illinois Governor Signs Hearing Care Plan Transparency

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed into law Senate Bill 2838 (SB 2838), a measure designed to increase transparency, strengthen consumer protections, and improve fairness in hearing care plan contracts. 

The Academy supported the legislation, recognizing its potential to improve consumer understanding of hearing care benefits and provide greater clarity for both patients and hearing care professionals. Earlier this year, the Academy submitted a letter of support to lawmakers, citing the bill’s transparency provisions and regulatory safeguards. The Academy would also like to congratulate the Illinois Academy of Audiology (ILAA) and all of its members on their hard work in this legislative effort.

This law requires hearing care organizations and Third-Party Administrators to clearly communicate hearing care benefits, coverage details, cost-sharing obligations, and other plan information to enrollees and participating providers. The legislation also prohibits hearing care plans from requiring providers to furnish non-covered items or services at plan-established reimbursement rates and establishes disclosure requirements when providers choose not to accept those rates for non-covered services.

The law also addresses transparency in discounted hearing care plans and seeks to prevent the misrepresentation of discount programs as funded insurance benefits. In addition, the legislation updates Illinois insurance laws governing hearing care plans and discounted hearing care plans while creating greater oversight of these arrangements.

For more information on this law, please see the ILAA FAQ.