§ 27-18-60. Hearing aids.
(a)(1) Every individual or group health insurance contract, or every individual or group
hospital or medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued
for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2026, shall provide
coverage for one thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($1,750) per individual hearing
aid, per ear.
(2) Every group health insurance contract or group hospital or medical expense insurance
policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state
on or after January 1, 2026, shall provide, as an optional rider, additional hearing
aid coverage. Provided, the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to contracts,
plans, or group policies subject to the small employer health insurance availability
act, chapter 50 of this title.
(b) For the purposes of this section:
(1) "Hearing aid� means any nonexperimental, wearable instrument or device designed for
the ear and offered for the purpose of aiding or compensating for impaired human hearing,
but excluding batteries, cords, and other assistive listening devices, including,
but not limited to FM systems.
(c) It shall remain within the sole discretion of the accident and sickness insurer as
to the provider of hearing aids with which they choose to contract. Reimbursement
shall be provided according to the respective principles and policies of the accident
and sickness insurer. Nothing contained in this section precludes the accident and
sickness insurer from conducting managed care, medical necessity, or utilization review.
(d) This section does not apply to insurance coverage providing benefits for: (1) Hospital
confinement indemnity; (2) Disability income; (3) Accident only; (4) Long-term care;
(5) Medicare supplement; (6) Limited benefit health; (7) Specified disease indemnity;
(8) Sickness or bodily injury or death by accident or both; and (9) Other limited
benefit policies.