BILL NUMBER: AB 2004	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Bloom

                        FEBRUARY 16, 2016

   An act to add Section 1367.72 to the Health and Safety Code, and
to add Section 10123.72 to the Insurance Code, relating to health
care coverage.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2004, as introduced, Bloom. Hearing aids: minors.
   Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975,
provides for the licensure and regulation of health care service
plans by the Department of Managed Health Care and makes a willful
violation of the act a crime. Existing law also provides for the
regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance.
Existing law requires health care service plan contracts and health
insurance policies to provide coverage for specified benefits.
   This bill would require a health care service plan contract or a
health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after
January 1, 2017, to include coverage for hearing aids for an enrollee
or insured under 18 years of age, as specified. Because a willful
violation of these requirements by a health care service plan would
be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 1367.72 is added to the Health and Safety Code,
to read:
   1367.72.  (a) (1) A health care service plan contract issued,
amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2017, shall include
coverage for hearing aids for all enrollees under 18 years of age
when medically necessary.
   (2) Coverage for hearing aids includes an initial assessment, new
hearing aids at least every five years, new hearing aids if
alterations to the existing hearing aids cannot meet the needs of the
child, a new hearing aid if the existing one is no longer working,
fittings, adjustments, auditory training, and maintenance of the
hearing aids.
   (b) For purposes of this section, "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 and cords.
   (c) This section shall not apply to Medicare supplement,
dental-only, or vision-only health care service plan contracts.
  SEC. 2.  Section 10123.72 is added to the Insurance Code, to read:
   10123.72.  (a) (1) A health insurance policy issued, amended, or
renewed on or after January 1, 2017, shall include coverage for
hearing aids for all insureds under 18 years of age when medically
necessary.
   (2) Coverage for hearing aids includes an initial assessment, new
hearing aids at least every five years, new hearing aids if
alterations to the existing hearing aids cannot meet the needs of the
child, a new hearing aid if the existing one is no longer working,
fittings, adjustments, auditory training, and maintenance of the
hearing aids.
   (b) For purposes of this section, "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 and cords.
   (c) This section shall not apply to accident-only, specified
disease, hospital indemnity, Medicare supplement, dental-only, or
vision-only health insurance policies.
  SEC. 3.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.