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SB 331CALIFORNIASession 20252026
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California SB 331 requires large group health plans to cover hearing aids for children under 21

Original title: Health care coverage: hearing aids.

September 4, 2026

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Where This Stands

Currently Unknown. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Version history & redline

6 versions on file

Official version history is partial: 6 linked texts are unavailable or incomplete. Source links remain available below.

Comparing 05/01/25 - Amended Senate05/23/25 - Amended Senate
removed addedOfficial text

The text diff for this stage has not been computed yet.

OpenStates mirror retained for redline only; official linked text was unavailable

Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →

The Frame

What this does

This bill expands insurance mandates for pediatric hearing care, potentially reducing out-of-pocket costs for families with large group health plans while establishing a new regulatory requirement for insurers.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

enrollees under 21 years of age

They become eligible for mandated insurance coverage for medically necessary hearing aids under large group plans.

large group health care service plans

They are required to include coverage for hearing aids and related services in their contracts.

What changed

Last recorded activity September 4, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

Starting January 1, 2028, large group health insurance plans in California must provide coverage for medically necessary hearing aids and related services for enrollees under 21 years of age. Plans are permitted to cap the coverage at $3,000 per individual hearing aid device.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

This bill expands insurance mandates for pediatric hearing care, potentially reducing out-of-pocket costs for families with large group health plans while establishing a new regulatory requirement for insurers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this bill cover hearing aids for adults?
No, the mandate specifically applies to enrollees and insureds under 21 years of age.
Is there a limit on how much the insurance company has to pay?
Yes, the bill allows plans to limit the coverage to $3,000 per individual hearing aid device.
When does this requirement take effect?
The requirement applies to large group health plans issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2028.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Lobbying Activity

AARP

$4,110,000

2026

HEALTH ISSUESMEDICARE/MEDICAIDLAW ENFORCEMENT/CRIME/CRIMINAL JUSTICEPHARMACY

P.L. 119-21, One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R. 8867, Planning for Long-term Aging Needs (PLAN) Act H.R. 5861, Legacy Act of 2025 H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. H.R. 9396, the Prior Authorization Accountability Act. S. 4916, the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act. H.R. 8100, Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act. S. 3886, Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act. H.R. 6766/S. 3492, the Essential Caregivers Act of 2025. H.R. 7966/S. 4118, Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. S. 2120, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 H.R. 5575, the Firefighters Assisting Seniors to Emergency Response (FASTER) Act of 2025. H.R. 3954/S. 4641, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. H.R.5554/S.2831, Stand Strong for Medicare Act. S. 3439/H.R. 6735, Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act and efforts related to the bill S. 1227/H.R. 2491, Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act S. 668/H.R. 3183, Supporting Access to Falls Education and Prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety Initiatives (SAFE STEPS) for Veterans Act of 2025 CMS-1851-P, Hospice Proposed rule. CMS-1843-P, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed rule. CMS-1844-P, Home Health Proposed rule. No bill number. Health care transparency. No bill number. Discussed use of artificial intelligence and health data technology. No bill number. Discussed health-related policies and activities around the fall respiratory virus season. No bill number. Discussed health insurance affordability proposals. No bill number. Discussed Nursing Home staffing standards, safety, and quality. No bill number. Discussed Nursing home transparency and ownership requirements. No bill number. Discussed home health, hospice, and long-term care. No bill number. Discussed falls prevention. No bill number. Discussed social isolation. No bill number. Discussed HUD Assisted Living Requirements No bill number. Discussed family caregiving. No bill number. Discussed AARP paper on Medicare Caregiver Training Services. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid community engagement interim final rule, including the family caregiver exemption. No bill number. Discussed the paid direct care workforce in long-term care. No bill number. Discussed the unaffordability of long-term care. No bill number. Discussed Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program and Medicaid HCBS spousal impoverishment protections. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid fraud and family caregivers, Medicaid self-direction programs. No bill number. Discussed sandwich generation family caregiver hearing and submitted a statement for the record discussing family caregivers and sandwich generation caregivers, programs that support them, AARP caregiving resources, and federal policies to support sandwich generation caregivers and caregivers more broadly. No bill number. Discussed long-term care. No bill number. CMS-2453-NC; Medicaid Program; 2028 Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Quality Measure Set Submitted comments No bill number. Discussed expanding access to home care. No bill number. Discussed the increasing cost of home care No bill number. Discussed HSA use for telehealth chronic care management services/subscriptions. No bill number. Discussed artificial intelligence and technology

Connected Entities

organizationDepartment of Managed Health CareRegulates health care service plans under the Knox-Keene Act.Map →
otherLet California Kids Hear ActOfficial name of SB 331.Map →
organizationUnited States Department of Health and Human ServicesApproves essential health benefits benchmark plans.Map →
organizationDepartment of InsuranceRegulates health insurers in California.Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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