An Act to Provide 2 Hearing Aids to MaineCare Members with Diagnosed Hearing Loss
Summary
LD 167 amends MaineCare law to require reimbursement for bilateral hearing aids for eligible members with diagnosed hearing loss. Under current law, MaineCare covered a hearing aid for one hearing-impaired ear; this bill expands that benefit to cover a second hearing aid when the member meets department rules related to severity of hearing loss and, for the second aid, certain functional or life circumstances such as school enrollment, vocational training, employment needs, or needs identified by a primary care provider.
The bill also includes an appropriation to the Department of Health and Human Services to fund the expanded benefit, with state General Fund and federal expenditures fund allocations beginning in fiscal year 2026-27. The act takes effect July 1, 2026, giving the department time to implement the new reimbursement policy and associated rules.
Impact
This bill changes 22 MRSA §3174-ZZ by expanding MaineCare’s hearing-aid coverage from one hearing aid to two for qualifying members with hearing loss. It affects MaineCare enrollees, audiologists, hearing aid dealers, and the Department of Health and Human Services, which must administer the new reimbursement standard and likely update rules governing severity and eligibility criteria. The appropriations section adds funding for provider payments, including both state and federal dollars, to support the expanded benefit.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the provided materials. Based on the bill’s purpose and enacted funding, the measure appears to have been treated as a health coverage expansion intended to improve access to assistive hearing technology for MaineCare members with diagnosed hearing loss. Its approval and chaptering suggest it received sufficient support to become law.
Contention
The main policy issue embedded in the bill is eligibility for the second hearing aid: the department must determine severity of hearing loss and whether the member’s circumstances justify bilateral coverage based on school, vocational training, employment needs, or a provider’s assessment. Potential points of contention would likely center on cost, administrative rulemaking, and how narrowly or broadly DHHS defines qualifying circumstances, but no specific objections or supporters are identified in the provided record.
Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2023 This bill allows for Medicare coverage of hearing aids and related examinations. The Government Accountability Office must study programs that provide assistance for hearing aids and related examinations for individuals with hearing loss.