insurance coverage; hearing aids; children

HB2187 - insurance coverage; hearing aids; children

Children Education Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Julie Willoughby
Last action: 2026-01-20
Official status: House second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Insurance Coverage for Hearing Aids for Children

This bill requires health care services organizations to provide full insurance coverage for hearing aids and related services for children under the age of eighteen or those up to twenty-one if they are still in high school.

What This Bill Does

Requires health care services organizations to cover hearing aids and related services for children under 18 years old, or up to 21 if they're still in high school.
Specifies that the coverage must include fitting and dispensing services, ear molds when needed, and any other necessary services provided by a licensed healthcare provider.
Allows health care organizations to offer extra hearing aid coverage beyond what is required.
Defines 'hearing aid' to include cochlear implants, bone-conductive devices, and similar equipment designed for children's needs.
Exempts short-term travel insurance or limited benefit plans from this requirement.

Who It Names or Affects

Children under the age of eighteen who need hearing aids.
High school students up to twenty-one years old who require hearing aids.
Health care services organizations that provide health insurance.

Terms To Know

health care services organization: A company that provides health insurance and related services.
evidence of coverage: The document or policy that shows what a health insurance plan covers.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not apply to short-term travel, accident-only, or limited benefit insurance plans.
Coverage for hearing aids may still have deductibles and coinsurance like other benefits in the same insurance plan.
The law will start applying to new policies issued on or after December 31, 2026.

Bill History

2026-01-20 House
House second read
2026-01-15 House
House Rules: None
2026-01-15 House
House Health & Human Services: None
2026-01-15 House
House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2187 - insurance coverage; hearing aids; children

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2187 - 572R - I Ver

PREFILED��� JAN 09 2026

REFERENCE TITLE:
insurance coverage; hearing aids; children

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2187

Introduced by

Representative
Willoughby

AN
ACT

amending title 20, chapter 4, article 9,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 20-1057.21; relating to
health care services organizations.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title
20, chapter 4, article 9, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
section 20-1057.21, to read:

START_STATUTE
20-1057.21.

Hearing aids; evidences of coverage; children; definitions

A. A
health care services organization that issues, amends, delivers or renews an
evidence of coverage shall provide full coverage for any hearing aid and
related service for an enrollee who is under eighteen years of age or who is
under twenty-one years of age if the enrollee is still attending high
school.

B. A
health care services organization may make available to the enrollee the option
of purchasing additional hearing aid coverage that exceeds the services
described in this section.�

C. The
hearing aid coverage shall include fitting and dispensing services, providing
ear molds, as necessary to maintain optimal fit, and any related services as
provided by a licensed health care provider.�

D. This
section does not apply to short-term travel, accident-only or limited benefit
coverage as defined in section 20-1137.

E. Coverage
for hearing aids may be subject to deductibles and coinsurance consistent with
those imposed on other benefits under the same evidence of coverage.

F. For the purposes of this section:

1. "hearing aid":

(
a
) Means
durable medical equipment that is of a design and circuitry to optimize
audibility and listening skills in the environment commonly experienced by
children.

(
b
) Includes:

(
i
) Cochlear
implants.

(
ii
) Bone-conductive
hearing devices.

(
iii
) Any other
required device that is intended to amplify or create hearing.

2. "Licensed health care
provider" means a physician who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter
13 or 17, an audiologist who is licensed pursuant to title 36, chapter 17 and a
hearing aid dispenser who is licensed pursuant to title 36, chapter 17.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.
Applicability

Section 20-1057.21, Arizona Revised
Statutes, as added by this act, applies to evidences of coverage issued with an
effective date on or after December 31, 2026.