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To amend section 1739.05 and to enact sections | 1 |
1751.68 and 3923.84 of the Revised Code to require | 2 |
health insurers to offer coverage for hearing | 3 |
aids. | 4 |
Section 1. That section 1739.05 be amended and sections | 5 |
1751.68 and 3923.84 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as | 6 |
follows: | 7 |
Sec. 1739.05. (A) A multiple employer welfare arrangement | 8 |
that is created pursuant to sections 1739.01 to 1739.22 of the | 9 |
Revised Code and that operates a group self-insurance program may | 10 |
be established only if any of the following applies: | 11 |
(1) The arrangement has and maintains a minimum enrollment of | 12 |
three hundred employees of two or more employers. | 13 |
(2) The arrangement has and maintains a minimum enrollment of | 14 |
three hundred self-employed individuals. | 15 |
(3) The arrangement has and maintains a minimum enrollment of | 16 |
three hundred employees or self-employed individuals in any | 17 |
combination of divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this section. | 18 |
(B) A multiple employer welfare arrangement that is created | 19 |
pursuant to sections 1739.01 to 1739.22 of the Revised Code and | 20 |
that operates a group self-insurance program shall comply with all | 21 |
laws applicable to self-funded programs in this state, including | 22 |
sections 3901.04, 3901.041, 3901.19 to 3901.26, 3901.38, 3901.381 | 23 |
to 3901.3814, 3901.40, 3901.45, 3901.46, 3902.01 to 3902.14, | 24 |
3923.24, 3923.282, 3923.30, 3923.301, 3923.38, 3923.581, 3923.63, | 25 |
3923.80, 3923.84, 3924.031, 3924.032, and 3924.27 of the Revised | 26 |
Code. | 27 |
(C) A multiple employer welfare arrangement created pursuant | 28 |
to sections 1739.01 to 1739.22 of the Revised Code shall solicit | 29 |
enrollments only through agents or solicitors licensed pursuant to | 30 |
Chapter 3905. of the Revised Code to sell or solicit sickness and | 31 |
accident insurance. | 32 |
(D) A multiple employer welfare arrangement created pursuant | 33 |
to sections 1739.01 to 1739.22 of the Revised Code shall provide | 34 |
benefits only to individuals who are members, employees of | 35 |
members, or the dependents of members or employees, or are | 36 |
eligible for continuation of coverage under section 1751.53 or | 37 |
3923.38 of the Revised Code or under Title X of the "Consolidated | 38 |
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985," 100 Stat. 227, 29 | 39 |
U.S.C.A. 1161, as amended. | 40 |
Sec. 1751.68. (A) As used in this section, "hearing aid" | 41 |
means any wearable instrument or device designed or offered for | 42 |
the purpose of aiding or compensating for impaired human hearing, | 43 |
including all attachments, accessories, and parts thereof, except | 44 |
batteries and cords, that is distributed by a hearing aid dealer | 45 |
licensed under Chapter 4747. of the Revised Code. | 46 |
(B) Notwithstanding section 3901.71 of the Revised Code, a | 47 |
health insuring corporation that offers coverage for basic health | 48 |
care services shall also offer coverage for hearing aids as a | 49 |
rider to any policy, contract, or agreement providing coverage for | 50 |
basic health care services. | 51 |
(C) Coverage for hearing aids shall be subject to all of the | 52 |
following: | 53 |
(1) The benefit provided shall be not less than one thousand | 54 |
five hundred dollars per ear over the course of three years. | 55 |
(2) The coverage shall be provided to persons of all ages. | 56 |
(3) The benefit shall not be subject to any deductible or | 57 |
copayment requirements. The coverage may be subject to coinsurance | 58 |
requirements. | 59 |
(4) The coverage required under this section shall include | 60 |
the purchase of related services and supplies including the | 61 |
initial assessment, fitting, adjustments, and auditory training | 62 |
that is provided according to accepted professional standards. | 63 |
Sec. 3923.84. (A) As used in this section: | 64 |
(1) "Basic health care services" has the same meaning as | 65 |
under section 1751.01 of the Revised Code. | 66 |
(2) "Hearing aid" means any wearable instrument or device | 67 |
designed or offered for the purpose of aiding or compensating for | 68 |
impaired human hearing, including all attachments, accessories, | 69 |
and parts thereof, except batteries and cords, that is distributed | 70 |
by a hearing aid dealer licensed under Chapter 4747. of the | 71 |
Revised Code. | 72 |
(B) Notwithstanding section 3901.71 of the Revised Code, a | 73 |
sickness and accident insurer that offers coverage for basic | 74 |
health care services shall also offer coverage for hearing aids as | 75 |
a rider to any individual or group policy providing coverage for | 76 |
basic health care services. | 77 |
(C) Coverage for hearing aids shall be subject to all of the | 78 |
following: | 79 |
(1) The benefit provided shall be not less than one thousand | 80 |
five hundred dollars per ear over the course of three years. | 81 |
(2) The coverage shall be provided to persons of all ages. | 82 |
(3) The benefit shall not be subject to any deductible or | 83 |
copayment requirements. The coverage may be subject to coinsurance | 84 |
requirements. | 85 |
(4) The coverage required under this section shall include | 86 |
the purchase of related services and supplies including the | 87 |
initial assessment, fitting, adjustments, and auditory training | 88 |
that is provided according to accepted professional standards. | 89 |
(D) This section does not apply to any sickness and accident | 90 |
insurer that does not offer coverage for basic health care | 91 |
services. | 92 |
Section 2. That existing section 1739.05 of the Revised Code | 93 |
is hereby repealed. | 94 |