122nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 447		LR 0869(02)
	An Act To Require Health Insurers To Cover the Costs of Hearing Aids
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Insurance and Financial Services
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
					Projections	Projections
			2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$11,826	$49,267	$53,208	$57,465
	Highway Fund		$4,780	$20,322	$21,948	$23,704
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund		$11,826	$49,267	$53,208	$57,465
	Highway Fund		$4,780	$20,322	$21,948	$23,704
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	Adding hearing aid coverage for persons age 18 and under with a limit of $1,400 per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every 36 months will increase premium costs by an estimated 0.05% for the state employee health plan effective with the contract beginning April 1, 2006.  The additional employer costs across all funds to the state employee health insurance program is estimated to be $28,083 for fiscal year 2005-06 and  $118,414 for fiscal year 2006-07.
	General Fund appropriations of $11,826 for 2005-06 and $49,267 for 2006-07 and Highway Fund allocations of $4,780 for 2005-06 and $20,322 for 2006-07 are included in the bill for the salary plan reserve accounts to fund the increases for General Fund and Highway Fund employees.  The costs for employees paid by other funds, including a small amount for the Fund for a Healthy Maine, may require increased allotments as recommended by the State Budget Officer and approved by the Governor.
	Any additional costs to the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation in implementing this legislation can be absorbed by the department within existing resources.  This fiscal note does not reflect the additional costs to the private insurance market as a result of this legislation.