Florida Senate - 2020                                    SB 1006
       
       
        
       By Senator Baxley
       
       
       
       
       
       12-00626B-20                                          20201006__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to coverage for hearing aids for
    3         children; creating s. 627.6413, F.S.; requiring
    4         certain individual health insurance policies to
    5         provide coverage for hearing aids for children 21
    6         years of age or younger; specifying health care
    7         providers who may prescribe, fit, and dispense the
    8         hearing aids; specifying a minimum coverage limit
    9         within a certain timeframe; providing an exception;
   10         providing that an insured is responsible for certain
   11         costs that exceed the policy limit; providing
   12         applicability; providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Section 627.6413, Florida Statutes, is created
   17  to read:
   18         627.6413 Coverage for hearing aids for children.—
   19         (1) A health insurance policy that provides coverage on an
   20  expense-incurred basis for a family member of the insured must
   21  provide coverage for hearing aids for children diagnosed with
   22  hearing loss from birth through 21 years of age. If the child is
   23  under 18 years of age, a hearing aid must be prescribed, fitted,
   24  and dispensed by a licensed audiologist. For a child who is 18
   25  to 21 years of age, a hearing aid may be fitted and dispensed by
   26  a licensed audiologist or licensed hearing aid specialist.
   27         (2) The policy must provide a minimum coverage limit of
   28  $3,500 per ear within a 24-month period. However, if a child
   29  experiences a significant and unexpected change in his or her
   30  hearing or a medical condition requiring an unexpected change in
   31  the hearing aid before the existing 24-month period expires, and
   32  alterations to the existing hearing aid do not or cannot meet
   33  the needs of the child, a new 24-month period must begin with
   34  full benefits and coverage.
   35         (3) An insured is responsible for the cost of hearing aids
   36  and related services that exceed the coverage limit provided by
   37  his or her policy.
   38         (4) This section applies to a policy that is issued or
   39  renewed on or after January 1, 2021.
   40         Section 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2021.