User:C.tastet/sandbox/North Carolina House Bill 589

= House Bill 589 (HB589/58-3-285) = House Bill 589 (58-3-285) is a North Carolina Legislation that mandated insurance coverage for hearing aids for anyone under the age of 22. The bill was lobbied by an organization called BEGINNINGS for Parents of Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Inc. The bill was a part of a wave for hearing aid coverage in the United States. The law was put into effect in North Carolina on January 1, 2011 and was signed by governor Perdue on June 7, 2010.

Specific coverage
House Bill 589 mandates health plans to provide coverage ($2,500) for one hearing per hearing impaired ear every 36 months for individuals under the age of 22. Coverage includes hearing aids and services ordered by a physician or an audiologist licensed in North Carolina.

In addition, a new hearing aid will be covered when the current device cannot meet the needs of the individual. The coverage also includes "Services, including the initial hearing aid evaluation, fitting, and adjustments, and supplies, including ear molds." ,but deductibles and limitations apply. Coverage services can also review criteria to determine medical necessity for the covered patient.

Importance
A hearing aid can cost between $1,000-$6,000 per each ear. Often, affordability turns many patients away from getting the help they need. The Better Hearing Institute found that untreated hearing loss reduced income on average by $12,000 and up to $30,000 a year. For children, it can affect factors such as speech and language development which can be detrimental to education. Studies have found that "...children diagnosed with hearing loss and provided amplification within the first 6 months of life will develop the language foundation necessary for literacy and academic success by the time they start kindergarten." . "In NC, approximately 1.7 children per 1,000 births or 223 children under the age of 3 years, were diagnosed with permanent hearing loss in 2007 at an average cost of $11,375 per child for a total of $2,536,625".