Hearing aid insurance coverage for young adults is now one step closer to becoming law. Last week, both the Senate and the House passed LD 523, a bill that I sponsored to extend this coverage up until the age of 26.
Two years ago, Connie Gobeil, a constituent, asked for my help on this issue. As one who suffers from hearing loss, she knows first-hand the struggles people go through to update their hearing aids due to progressive hearing loss over the years.
In Maine, we currently require insurance companies to cover hearing aids for children up to the age of 18. This was a good first step, but we needed to do more. More than a quarter of people affected by hearing loss are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 39. This leaves a significant number of young adults without access to devices that would have a profoundly positive impact on the quality of their lives.
At the public hearing, we heard from many people who would benefit from this bill. One woman advocated for her two daughters; one had been born unable to hear and the other was diagnosed at age 3. In 2007, she came to Augusta to testify on the original bill to require insurance policies in Maine to cover hearing aids for children from birth to age 18. Her eldest daughter is now 13 years old. She testified in 2013, wearing a bone-conductor headset aid. Sign language interpreters were present at the hearing. She expressed her concern and anxiety about what would happen when she turned 18 and her insurance coverage lapsed.
Years ago, I co-sponsored the law that allowed young adults up to the age of 26 to stay on their parents’ insurance. By extending the age to 26 for hearing aids, it will complement the work we did on the health insurance extension.
In Maine, approximately 180,000 people suffer from some degree of hearing loss. While hearing aids may be covered by some insurance plans, for most people with hearing loss, they must cover the cost out of their pocket. This can be very challenging. Many providers generally do not offer payment plans to consumers, so the cost of hearing aids must be met upfront. Hearing aids cost anywhere from $1,200 to $6,000 depending on the model necessary for the individual. For students and young adults, the lack of coverage for these necessary devices can be a devastating burden.
That’s why Connie and I sat at my kitchen table to write LD 523, “An Act to Require Health Insurance Coverage for Hearing Aids for Adults.” Although we were not able to extend coverage to adults of all ages, extending coverage to those up to age 26 was a huge step forward.
Most of us take our ability to hear for granted on a daily basis. I hope we can do the right thing to help the thousands of Mainers who are struggling with hearing loss to live full and successful lives. The bill has passed many important hurdles to get this far; let’s hope that it receives final approval and is signed into law.
— Sen. Linda Valentino is a Democrat who represents the communities of Senate District 5: Buxton, Dayton, Old Orchard Beach, Saco and part of Biddeford.
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