,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #decb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,septemb] #h1          
#bjbj,mrs4 ,capito 7= h]self & ,ms4     
,w>r57 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0   
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,heal?1 ,education1 ,labor1 & ,p5sions  
,a ,,bill  ,to am5d title ,,xxvii ( !   
,public ,heal? ,s]vice ,act & ! ,pati5t 
,protection & ,af=dable ,c>e ,act to    
require cov]age ( he>+ devices & sy/ems 
9 c]ta9 private heal? insurance plans1 &
 = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is  
,act may be cit$ z ,ally's ,act4  #b4   
,cov]age ( he>+ devices & sy/ems 9 c]ta9
 private heal? insurance plans  7a7 ,9  
g5]al ,"p ,a ( ! ,public ,heal? ,s]vice 
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;gg et seq47 is 
am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] section #bgac !    
foll[+ new section3  #bgac;,a4 ,cov]age 
( he>+ devices & sy/ems  7a7 ,9 g5]al   
,beg9n+ ) plan ye>s beg9n+ on or aft]   
,janu>y #a1 #bjba1 a gr\p heal? plan & a
 heal? insurance issu] (f]+ gr\p or     
individual heal? insurance cov]age %all1

 at a m9imum provide cov]age = & may    
impose co/-%>+ requirem5ts 9 accordance 
) subsection 7b7 = an individual t a    
physician 7z def9$ 9 section #ahfa7r7 ( 
! ,social ,security ,act7 or qualifi$   
audiologi/ 7z def9$ 9 section           
#ahfa7ll77#d77;,b7 ( su* ,act7 det]m9es 
meets an indication 7includ+ unilat]al  
or bilat]al he>+ loss7 = an auditory    
device z approv$ by ! ,food & ,drug     
,adm9i/ration =-- 7#a7 auditory implant 
devices 7includ+ auditory osseo9tegrat$ 
7bone conduction7 implants & co*le>     
implants7 & ext]nal s\nd processors2    
7#b7 ! ma9t5ance ( auditory implant     
devices & ext]nal s\nd processors       
describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a72  7#c7 e #e    
ye>s1 ! upgrade 7or replacem5t if an    
upgrade is n available7 ( auditory      
implant devices & ext]nal s\nd          
processors describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a72    
7#d7 adhesive adapt]s & s(tb& headb&s2  
7#e7 ! repair ( auditory implant devices
 & ext]nal s\nd processors describ$ 9   
p>agraph 7#a72  7#f7 a compreh5sive he>+

 assessm5t2  7#g7 a preop]ative m$ical  
assessm5t2  7#h7 surg]y 7z appropriate72
  7#i7 po/op]ative m$ical appo9tm5ts =  
purposes ( ensur+ appropriate recov]y f 
surg]y2  7#aj7 po/op]ative audiological 
appo9tm5ts = activation & fitt+ ( !     
implant device & ext]nal s\nd processor2
 &  7#aa7 aural rehabilitation &        
treatm5t s]vices 7z appropriate74  7b7  
,co/-,%>+ ,beg9n+ ) plan ye>s beg9n+ on 
or aft] ,janu>y #a1 #bjba1 ! co/-%>+    
incurr$ "u a plan or cov]age describ$ 9 
subsection 7a7-- 7#a7 = an auditory     
implant device & ext]nal s\nd processors
 "u ?is section1 %all n exce$ a doll>   
am\nt t is ! highe/ co/-%>+ requirem5t =
 ! am\nt ( ! *>ges impos$ = su* device t
 is provid$ by a physician or qualifi$  
audiologi/ t has a contractual          
relation%ip ) su* plan or cov]age = !   
provid+ ( su* device2  7#b7 = an item or
 s]vice "u ?is section1 %all n exce$ a  
doll> am\nt t is impos$ = simil> items &
 s]vices "u t plan t are provid$ by a   
physician or qualifi$ audiologi/2 &     

7#c7 t has a contractual relation%ip )  
su* plan or cov]age = ! provid+ ( su*   
items & s]vices4  4  7b7 ,application to
 gr&fa!r$ heal? plans ,section          
#abea7;a77#d77;,a7 ( ! ,pati5t          
,protection & ,af=dable ,c>e ,act 7#db  
,u4,s4,c4 #ahjaa7;a77#d77;,a77 is       
am5d$-- 7#a7 by /rik+ title & ins]t+    
title1 or z add$ aft] ! date ( !        
enactm5t ( ?is ,act72 &  7#b7 by add+ at
 ! end ! foll[+ new clause3  7v7        
,section #bgac;,a 7relat+ to he>+       
devices & sy/ems74  4  7c7 ,effective   
date ,! am5dm5ts made by ?is section    
%all apply ) respect to plan ye>s beg9n+
 on or aft] ,janu>y #a1 #bjba4