§ 27-19-51 - Hearing aids. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 27-19-51

   § 27-19-51  Hearing aids. – (a) Every individual or group health insurance contract, or every individual orgroup hospital or medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policydelivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after January 1,2006, shall provide coverage for one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) perindividual hearing aid, per ear, every three (3) years for anyone under the ageof nineteen (19) years, and shall provide coverage for seven hundred dollars($700) per individual hearing aid per ear, every three (3) years for anyone ofthe age of nineteen (19) years and older.

   (2) Every group health insurance contract or group hospitalor medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issuedfor delivery, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2006, shallprovide, as an optional rider, additional hearing aid coverage. Provided, theprovisions of this paragraph shall not apply to contracts, plans, or grouppolicies subject to the small employer health insurance availability act,chapter 50 of this title.

   (b) For the purposes of this section, "hearing aid" means anynonexperimental, wearable instrument or device designed for the ear and offeredfor the purpose of aiding or compensating for impaired human hearing, butexcluding batteries, cords, and other assistive listening devices, including,but not limited to, FM systems.

   (c) It shall remain within the sole discretion of thenonprofit hospital service corporation as to the provider of hearing aids withwhich they choose to contract. Reimbursement shall be provided according to therespective principles and policies of the nonprofit hospital servicecorporation. Nothing contained in this section precludes the nonprofit hospitalservice corporation from conducting managed care, medical necessity, orutilization review.