Longitudinal Policy Surveillance of Private Insurance Hearing Aid Mandates in the United States

1997–2022

Bibliographic Data

ID11024744
AuthorsMichelle Arnold (0000-0002-5633-3715, Michelle L. Arnold and Madison Dowdy are with the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa. Brianna J. Heslin and Stacie P. Kershner are with the Center for Law, Health & Society, Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta. Serena Phillips and Michael F. Pesko are with the Department of Economics, College of Arts and Science, University of Missouri, Columbia. Brandy Lipton is with the Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine.), Brianna J Heslin (Michelle L. Arnold and Madison Dowdy are with the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa. Brianna J. Heslin and Stacie P. Kershner are with the Center for Law, Health & Society, Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta. Serena Phillips and Michael F. Pesko are with the Department of Economics, College of Arts and Science, University of Missouri, Columbia. Brandy Lipton is with the Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine.), Madison Dowdy (Michelle L. Arnold and Madison Dowdy are with the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa. Brianna J. Heslin and Stacie P. Kershner are with the Center for Law, Health & Society, Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta. Serena Phillips and Michael F. Pesko are with the Department of Economics, College of Arts and Science, University of Missouri, Columbia. Brandy Lipton is with the Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine.), Stacie P Kershner (Michelle L. Arnold and Madison Dowdy are with the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa. Brianna J. Heslin and Stacie P. Kershner are with the Center for Law, Health & Society, Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta. Serena Phillips and Michael F. Pesko are with the Department of Economics, College of Arts and Science, University of Missouri, Columbia. Brandy Lipton is with the Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine.), Stacie Kershner (University of South Florida), Serena Phillips (0000-0002-7100-9710, Michelle L. Arnold and Madison Dowdy are with the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa. Brianna J. Heslin and Stacie P. Kershner are with the Center for Law, Health & Society, Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta. Serena Phillips and Michael F. Pesko are with the Department of Economics, College of Arts and Science, University of Missouri, Columbia. Brandy Lipton is with the Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine.), Brandy Lipton (Michelle L. Arnold and Madison Dowdy are with the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa. Brianna J. Heslin and Stacie P. Kershner are with the Center for Law, Health & Society, Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta. Serena Phillips and Michael F. Pesko are with the Department of Economics, College of Arts and Science, University of Missouri, Columbia. Brandy Lipton is with the Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine.), Brandy J Lipton (0000-0002-8387-6758, University of South Florida), Michael F Pesko (0000-0002-9247-9703, Michelle L. Arnold and Madison Dowdy are with the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa. Brianna J. Heslin and Stacie P. Kershner are with the Center for Law, Health & Society, Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta. Serena Phillips and Michael F. Pesko are with the Department of Economics, College of Arts and Science, University of Missouri, Columbia. Brandy Lipton is with the Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine.)
Year2024
Volume114
Issue4
Pages407-414
Publication date2024-04-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2023.307551
PMID38478867
OpenAlexW4392780287
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited17

Objectives. To produce a database of private insurance hearing aid mandates in the United States and quantify the share of privately insured individuals covered by a mandate. Methods. We used health-related policy surveillance methods to create a database of private insurance hearing aid mandates through January 2023. We coded salient features of mandates and combined policy data with American Community Survey and Medicare Expenditure Panel Survey–Insurance Component data to estimate the share of privately insured US residents covered by a mandate from 2008 to 2022. Results. A total of 26 states and 1 territory had private insurance hearing aid mandates. We found variability for mandate exceptions, maximum age eligibility, allowable frequency of benefit use, and coverage amounts. Between 2008 and 2022 the proportion of privately insured youths (aged ≤ 18 years) living where there was a private insurance hearing aid mandate increased from 3.4% to 18.7% and the proportion of privately insured adults (19–64 years) increased from 0.3% to 4.6%. Conclusions. Hearing aid mandates cover a small share of US residents. Mandate exceptions in several states limit coverage, particularly for adults. Public Health Implications. A federal mandate would improve hearing aid access. States can also improve access by adopting exception-free mandates with limited utilization management and no age restrictions. ( Am J Public Health. 2024;114(4):407–414. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307551 )

Audiology · Business · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Health care · Health insurance · Hearing aid · Mandate · Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act · Political science · Public health · Hearing Loss and Rehabilitation · Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics · Law · Medicine · Noise Effects and Management · Nursing