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HB2187 • 2026

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

The bill text does not specify the exact dollar amounts or percentage limits for deductibles and coinsurance, only that they must be consistent with other benefits.

HB2187: Insurance Coverage for Children's Hearing Aids

This law requires health care services organizations in Arizona to provide full coverage for hearing aids and related services for children under specific age limits.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires health plans to cover the cost of hearing aids and fitting services for eligible children, though deductibles or coinsurance may apply if they match rates for other covered items.
  • Defines 'hearing aid' to include cochlear implants, bone-conductive devices, and other amplification equipment designed for children.
  • Mandates coverage for ear molds and related services provided by licensed doctors, audiologists, or hearing aid dispensers.
  • Allows insurance plans to offer optional extra hearing aid coverage beyond the required benefits.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Children under age 18 enrolled in health care services organizations.
  • High school students up to age 21 who are still attending school.
  • Health care services organizations that issue or renew insurance plans.
  • Licensed physicians, audiologists, and hearing aid dispensers providing these services.

Terms To Know

Evidence of coverage
The document issued by an insurer that lists the benefits and rules for a health plan.
Cochlear implant
A surgically implanted electronic device included in this law's definition of hearing aids to help provide sound.
Coinsurance
The percentage of a medical cost that the patient must pay, which may apply here if it matches rates for other benefits under the same plan.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law does not apply to short-term travel, accident-only, or limited benefit insurance plans.
  • Coverage rules only begin for new policies issued on or after December 31, 2026.
  • The text allows deductibles and coinsurance if they are consistent with other benefits in the plan.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-20 House

    House second read

  2. 2026-01-15 House

    House Rules: None

  3. 2026-01-15 House

    House Health & Human Services: None

  4. 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.