A Partial Listing of Hearing Aid Insurance Coverage
In the
United States, 2000
I. PUBLIC SECTOR
A. Coverage for all citizens of a state:
Rhode Island -Insurers must provide coverage for hearing aids in every health insurance contract as an optional rider. The amount of coverage is up to the individual insurer.
B. Coverage for State Employees Only:
Maryland--Maryland State Employees - coverage is through an insurance plan that is fully funded by the state of Maryland for its employees. Hearing aids must be purchased from Beltone [Miraclear Aids are excluded]. Amount of coverage is $562 per aid every three years. Total coverage is $1,114 every three years. The companies which offer coverage under the MD State Employees Plan are:
Carefirst BC/BS,
MLE-MAMSI,
Aetna US HealthCare,
MK IPA,
Preferred(MAMSI),
Freestate,
George Washington University Health Plan,
Kaiser Permanente,
Prudential
California--California State Employees (CALPERS- Cal. Public Employees Retirement System) - coverage is through an insurance plan that is fully funded by the state of California for its employees. Coverage terms: $1,000.00 total coverage, per state employee, every three years. Employees must work more than 20 hours per week, and the job must be classified as lasting longer than six months. - coverage in CA is provided through the following companies:
irst Choice - CA state fully funded insurance plan,
First Care- CA state fully funded insurance plan,
Blue Shield,
Health Plan of the Redwoods,
LifeGuard,
MaxiCare,
Universal Care,
Aetna,
Cigna,
HealthNet,
Kaiser Permanente,
Pacificare
Minnesota--Minnesota State Employees [More details pending]
Missouri--Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan (MCHCP). This medical insurance plan covers approximately 164,000 people, and includes employees of the State of Missouri, as well as employees of any political subdivision in the state, such as school districts or towns, and their family members, as well as retirees. -the plan provides for annual hearing testing, with a $10.00 co-pay. Members of the plan may get bilateral hearing aids every two years. Each specific plan has a minimum and maximum coverage amount. Plan members pay 20% coinsurance; plan pays 80% of the plan's maximum allowance. -Coverage is provided through the following:
Health Partners of the Midwest,
Humana HMO and POS98,
TriSource HealthCare, Inc.,
American Life & Health Ins. Co.,
Group Health Plan, Inc.,
Kaiser Permanente HMO,
Mercy Health Plans HMO,
Missouri Advantage HMO,
Premier Health Plans HMO,
Prudential HealthCare HMO, and
United HealthCare of the Midwest, Inc.
C. Other Public Entities:
University of Iowa -- The University of Iowa health care plan provides coverage to employees of the University and their families for an audiometric exam, a diagnostic hearing aid test (to determine the type of hearing aid which a person requires), and one set of hearing aids every three years. The exam, hearing aid test and hearing aids may be obtained from any provider the person wishes, however, it is advantageous to use participating providers who have contacts with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa. The plan member pays 10% of the usual, customary and reasonable charges, and the plan pays 90% of the charge up to a maximum of $600 for the audiometric test, the diagnostic hearing aid test, and one set of hearing aids in the three-year period.
II. PRIVATE SECTOR
A.
Raytheon Corporation, Rhode Island--provides hearing aid insurance coverage for employees. (This is offered through Blue Cross/Blue Shield)
B.
Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage - a Medicare HMO in Colorado for retirees. The plan covers diagnostic and follow-up exams with a $5.00 co-pay per visit. The hearing aids are covered by a credit of between $200-400, per ear every five years. The actual amount provided by Kaiser Permanente depends on which Senior Advantage Program is selected. The hearing aids must be selected from hearing aid dealers in contract with the plan.
C.
Verizon- provides hearing aid insurance coverage through an HMO to employees. The benefit is limited to $1,000.00 every 24 months. The hearing aids must be prescribed by an in-network provider.
