New Law Requires Maine Insurers to Cover Hearing Aids

Maine became the fifth U.S. state to require private health insurers to cover hearing aids on Jan. 1, reports WGMA-TV 13 . Under the law, private health insurers' MaineCare Medicaid program must cover hearing aids up to $3,000 per ear every three years. A 2014 report by Maine's Bureau of Insurance estimated that up to 173,000 Maine residents have some degree of hearing impairment. State law previously required coverage for children under 18 years old and capped the insurer's cost at $1,400. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association says Maine joins Arkansas, Illinois, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island in mandating hearing aid coverage for both children and adults.