Governor Minner Signs Two Bills to Improve Insurance Coverage for Children
Bills Require Improved Coverage for Hearing Aids and Sharing of Information to Insure
More Children in Delaware
Dover – Governor Ruth Ann Minner today signed two bills in her Legislative Hall office that will improve insurance coverage for children in Delaware. House Bill 355 will benefit hearing impaired youth, and House Bill 286 is designed to ensure that children without health insurance receive coverage.
H.B. 355, sponsored by Rep. Gerald Brady, requires individual and group health insurance contracts to provide coverage for hearing aids of up to $1,000 per ear, every three years, for their customers who are 24 and under.
“This is obviously a bill that will be of tremendous help to our hearing impaired youth and their families,” Gov. Minner said. “I thank Rep. Brady and our General Assembly for passing this important legislation.”
“I am very proud that my colleagues in the General Assembly supported my efforts to provide these benefits for children throughout our state, and I thank Governor Minner for signing this legislation as quickly as possible,” Brady said.
House Bill 286 requires local school districts to provide to the Department of Health and Social Services a list of students who are enrolled in free and reduced price lunch programs. The Department will review that information to determine whether those students can also be enrolled in a free or reduced price health insurance program.
“We are committed to the health of our children, as they are our future leaders and caretakers of our state,” Gov. Minner said. “We want to ensure that they remain healthy and receive the medical care they need, regardless of their family’s financial situation.”
“This bill will definitely benefit our state’s children who need health care coverage,” Maier said. “I’m happy we’ve come up with a solution and thank Gov. Minner for her support of this legislation.”
