A new Massachusetts law recently signed by Governor Deval Patrick requires that private insurers cover children under age 21 for hearing aids.
Both the Massachusetts Senate and House passed the bill, introduced as Bill H.52, with overwhelming bi-partisan support, which included 71 co-sponsors.
According to the Massachusetts Hearing Aids for Children Coalition, which helped to introduce the bill, 150 children a year are born with hearing loss in the state. Until now, a parent typically paid for a child’s hearing aids without any insurance reimbursement.
The new law now requires private health insurers to provide coverage of up to $2,000 for any single hearing aid for children up to the age of 21.
SOURCE: The Massachusetts Hearing Aids for Children Coalition
