BILL NO. 287
(as introduced)
1st Session, 64th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
1 Charles III, 2023
Private Member's Bill
Affordable Hearing Aids for Seniors Act
Gary Burrill
Halifax Chebucto
First Reading: March 30, 2023
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
Explanatory Note
This Bill provides for financial assistance for Nova Scotia residents who require a hearing aid for long-term hearing loss.
An Act to Provide for Affordable
Hearing Aids for Seniors
Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Affordable Hearing Aids for Seniors Act.
2 Section 17 of Chapter 197 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Health Services and Insurance Act, as amended by Chapter 20 of the Acts of 1992 and Chapter 7 of the Acts of 2011, is further amended by adding immediately after subsection (2) the following subsections:
- (3) Subject to subsection (3A), the Governor in Council shall make regulations on or before March 31, 2024, respecting the M.S.I. Plan requiring the funding of seventy-five per cent of the cost of a hearing aid up to a maximum of
(a) one thousand dollars for one; and
(b) two thousand dollars for two,
every five years for residents of the Province who
(c) are sixty-five years of age or older;
(d) had a household income in the previous year at or below that specified in the regulations, which may not be less than the Market Basket Measure threshold for Canada, as determined by Statistics Canada; and
(e) have long-term hearing loss requiring the use of a hearing aid for a minimum of six months, which hearing loss has been confirmed by a provider.
(3A) The Governor in Council shall reassess the income level specified under clause (3)(d) annually.
(3B) The money required for the purpose of subsection (3) must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.
3 (1) Subsection 71(3) of Chapter 44 of the Acts of 2012, the Insured Health Services Act, is amended by adding immediately after clause (c) the following clause:
- (ca) subject to subsection (3A), requiring the funding of 75% of the cost of a hearing aid up to a maximum of
every five years for residents of the Province who
- (iii) are 65 years of age or older,
(v) had a household income in the previous year at or below that specified in the regulations, which may not be less than the Market Basket Measure threshold for Canada, as determined by Statistics Canada, and
(vi) have long-term hearing loss requiring the use of a hearing aid for a minimum of six months, which hearing loss has been confirmed by a designated service provider;
(2) Section 71 of Chapter 44 is further amended by adding immediately after subsection (3) the following subsections:
- (3A) The Governor in Council shall reassess the income level specified under subclause (3)(ca)(v) annually.
(3B) The money required for the purpose of clause (3)(ca) must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2023 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created March 30, 2023. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.
