The Children's Access to Reconstructive Evaluation & Surgery (CARES) Act of 2009, H.R. 1339/S. 1235, would expand private payer coverage of craniofacial anomalies by requiring private insurers that already offer surgical benefits to provide coverage for treatment of a minor child's congenital or developmental deformity or disorder due to trauma, infection, tumor, or disease.

The CARES Act, introduced by Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) in the House and Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La) in the Senate, would set an immediate, national standard of health care coverage for children with craniofacial anomalies by making changes to ERISA, the Public Health Service Act and the Internal Revenue Code.  Currently, only 14 states require insurance companies to cover craniofacial anomalies and this reasonable legislative action will avoid a prolonged, state-by-state battle. 

Please contact your U.S. Representative and Senators and urge them to co-sponsor the CARES Act to make treatment for congenital craniofacial anomalies a covered benefit.