Bill
A 3287
Expands NJ Medicaid to cover medically necessary hearing aids, cochlear implants, and auditory osseointegrated devices plus related services and accessories.
Date Introduced: January 13, 2026
Sponsor: Assembly member Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (co-sponsor)
Purpose
- Expand Medicaid coverage to explicitly include hearing-related devices and associated services under certain conditions.
- Codify and extend current practice to include additional assistive hearing technologies beyond hearing aids.
Key Provisions
1) Expanded Medicaid Coverage for Hearing-Related Devices (Section 6 amendment)
- The bill asks the state to provide Medicaid coverage for:
- Unilateral or bilateral hearing aids
- Cochlear implants
- Auditory osseointegrated devices (AOIs)
- Related accessories and services
- Conditions:
- Coverage must be medically necessary
- Devices and services must be prescribed or recommended by a licensed physician or audiologist
- Definitions clarified:
- Hearing aid: ear-level or body-worn device that amplifies sound (microphone, amplifier, receiver)
- Cochlear implant: device implanted under the skin sending impulses to the cochlea
- Auditory osseointegrated device: skull-implanted device replacing middle-ear function with a transducer
- Bilateral: involves both ears; Unilateral: involves one ear
- This expands beyond current practice, which already covers hearing aids that are deemed medically necessary, to explicitly include cochlear implants and AOIs and their related accessories/services.
2) Administration and Federal Compliance
- The Commissioner of Human Services must pursue state plan amendments or waivers to implement the new provisions and secure federal financial participation under the Medicaid program.
- Regulations and rules necessary to implement the act will be adopted under the Administrative Procedure Act.
3) Effective Date and Implementation
- The act takes effect on the first day of the fourth month after enactment, with possible anticipatory administrative action to begin implementing ahead of that date.
Optional Clarifications in the Act (Context)
- The bill references existing Medicaid framework under New Jersey law that is aligned with Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act, and it notes that payments for covered devices and services are to be made as full payments by Medicaid to providers, with certifications by providers that no additional charges will be placed on the recipient.
- It reiterates that no copayments or cost-sharing shall be imposed on Medicaid-eligible individuals for these services, except as federal law requires.
- The legislation includes provisions ensuring that third-party payors cannot reduce or exclude coverage due to an individual’s Medicaid eligibility and that such protections do not apply to certain trust arrangements governed by federal law.
Who Would Be Affected
- Medicaid-eligible individuals who require hearing devices or related services.
- Audiologists, physicians, and other licensed practitioners who prescribe or recommend the devices.
- Providers of hearing aids, cochlear implants, AOIs, and related services (fitting, accessories, maintenance, and therapy as applicable).
- State Medicaid program administration, which would implement these changes through state plan amendments and regulatory updates.
Impact Considerations
- Potential increase in Medicaid expenditures due to broader coverage for advanced hearing technologies.
- Improved access to a wider range of assistive hearing devices for eligible populations, including those who may benefit most from cochlear implants or AOIs.
- Alignment with evolving standards of care for hearing impairment and potential downstream effects on quality of life and communication-related outcomes.
Procedural Timeline
- Introduction and referral to the Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee.
- The bill would require state plan amendments, regulatory rulemaking, and federal approval (where applicable) to implement.
- Anticipated effective date: four months after enactment (with possible early administrative steps).
Bottom Line
Bill A-3287 would formally expand New Jersey Medicaid coverage to include unilateral/bilateral hearing aids, cochlear implants, and auditory osseointegrated devices, plus related accessories and services, when medically necessary and prescribed by a licensed professional. It directs state authorities to obtain any necessary federal approvals and to implement the changes through regulatory action, with an effective start date set after enactment.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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