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Legislative Alert

Support the Reconstructive Surgery Act of 2005 (HR 4022)

The legislation has been reintroduced by Congressman Mike Ross (D-AR) to require insurance companies to cover medically necessary surgery for congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors, or disease. This legislation is most important for females affected by CAH who are born with genital differences as a result of androgen excess.

Unfortunately, many health insurance companies define some surgeries as “cosmetic,” making it necessary to define these reconstructive surgeries as “medically necessary.” This Act defines medically necessary reconstructive surgery as surgery “performed to correct or repair abnormal structures of the body caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infections, tumors, or disease, to (1) improve functions; or (2) give the patient a normal appearance, to the extent possible, in the judgment of the physician performing the surgery.”

To take action, please write a letter to your U.S. Representative by visiting http://www.house.gov/writerep and indicate your support of HR 4022.

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