Summary: Too often, children who are born deaf and would be eligible for cochlear implants don’t receive them because the operation is so expensive – a delay that can have serious effects on the child’s development. This bill requires health insurance plans to cover cochlear implant operations for children as well as post treatment services.

Why This Matters: A Cochlear Implant (CI) is a biomedical device that allows deaf people with severe hearing loss to hear. Far more effective than a hearing aid, the quality of sound from a CI is often clear enough that recipients do not have to rely on lip-reading in order to understand speech.

The surgery is much more successful the earlier it is done in life. However, this surgery – which is expensive – is not required to be covered by third-party insurers, including MassHealth. This means that some children whose parents can’t afford the surgery are being denied this potentially life-altering procedure.

In addition to the human cost, the denial or postponement of Cochlear Implant surgery costs the state more money over the long haul in social services – including special education services – the state provides for residents who are deaf or severely hearing-impaired.

What this Bill Would Do: This bill would mandate insurance coverage by third-party insurers for all expenses related to cochlear implant surgery and other implantable hearing technology for children in Massachusetts, including post-treatment services.