2023 House Bill 4944

House Fiscal Agency Analysis

House Bills 4944 and 4963 would amend the Insurance Code to require insurers that deliver, issue for delivery, or renew health insurance policies in Michigan to provide coverage for hearing aids (HB 4944) and hearing-related services and devices (HB 4963) for qualified enrollees. Both bills would allow insurers to subject the required coverage to applicable costsharing, including deductible, co-insurance, or co-pay provisions of the relevant health insurance policy. The bills would apply to health insurance policies delivered, executed, issued, amended, adjusted, or renewed in Michigan, or outside of Michigan if covering a Michigan resident, beginning January 1, 2026. Qualified enrollee would mean an enrollee to whom all of the following apply: • The enrollee is less than 19 years of age. • An audiologist has evaluated the enrollee for hearing loss. • For House Bill 4944 only, after the audiologist has evaluated the enrollee, an otolaryngologist has medically evaluated the enrollee, determined they are a candidate for a hearing aid, and referred the enrollee to the audiologist for evaluation, selection, and fitting. The bills would not apply to qualified health plans after the deductible is met for a health savings account to the extent necessary to preserve the insured individual’s ability to claim tax-exempt contributions and withdrawals from the account under IRS regulations and guidance. (The terms qualified health plan and health savings account are as defined in federal law.)