Key Updates to State Hearing Health Insurance Mandates

During (and in spite of) the COVID-19 pandemic, two additional states, Virginia and Montana, passed legislation mandating private insurance coverage of children’s hearing aids.

Virginia passed legislation that went into effect in 2021 requiring insurance coverage of hearing aids for children 18 and younger. The law requires coverage of one hearing aid per ear every 24 months and stipulates a cap of $1,500 per hearing aid.

The law does permit individuals to choose a more expensive hearing aid and pay the difference in price. Montana passed legislation that went into effect on January 1, 2022, that requires insurance coverage for children 18 and younger and covers one hearing aid per ear, every three years.

The addition of Virginia and Montana brings the number of states that mandate private insurance coverage of children’s hearing aids to 27.

In addition, there are also three states that include coverage of children’s hearing aids in their state’s “benchmark” plan for the purposes of inclusion in individual and small group plans available for sale on the Affordable Care Act (ACA)Exchange. A state may change its “benchmark” plan and associated coverages at any time.

The Academy’s reference document on this topic provides additional information.