The Children's Access to Reconstructive Evaluation & Surgery (CARES) Act of 2007 (H.R. 1655/S. 1588) 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, championed by Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La), 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 senators and representative and urge them to co-sponsor H.R. 1655 and S. 1588 to make treatment for congenital craniofacial anomalies a covered benefit.