| Insurance Coverage is Required for Post-Mastectomy
Breast Reconstruction if Mastectomy is Covered.
Alaska: enacted in 2000; conforms state law to the federal
standards. The bill directly refers to the specific federal requirement:
(A health care insurer that offers, issues for delivery, delivers,
or renews in this state a health care insurance plan providing medical
and surgical benefits for mastectomies shall comply with 42 U.S.C.
300gg-6 and 42 U.S.C. 300gg-52 regarding coverage for reconstructive
surgery following mastectomies).
Arizona: enacted in 2000; conforms state law to the federal
standards. The bill directly refers to the specific federal requirement:
(A health care insurer that offers, issues for delivery, delivers,
or renews in this state a health care insurance plan providing medical
and surgical benefits for mastectomies shall comply with 42 U.S.C.
300gg-6 and 42 U.S.C. 300gg-52 regarding coverage for reconstructive
surgery following mastectomies).
Arkansas: enacted in 1997; covers prosthetic devices and
reconstructive surgery.
California: enacted in 1978; covers prosthetic devices or
reconstructive surgery incident to mastectomy, including restoring
symmetry; law was amended in 1991 to include coverage for pre-1980
mastectomies.
Connecticut: enacted in 1987; covers at least a yearly benefit
of $500 for reconstructive surgery, $300 for prosthesis, and $300
for surgical removal of each breast due to tumor.
Delaware: enacted 2001; covers all stages of breast reconstruction
including surgery and reconstruction of the opposite breast to produce
symmetry; includes language stating surgery shall be provided in
a manner determined in consultation with the attending physician.
Florida: enacted in 1987; covers initial prosthetic device
and reconstructive surgery incident to mastectomy; 1997 amendment
states that the surgery must be in a manner chosen by the treating
physician, and surgery to reestablish symmetry is covered.
Illinois: initially enacted in 1980; covers initial prosthetic
device and reconstructive surgery incident to post-1981 mastectomies.
New bill enacted 2001 brings state into Federal compliance with
federal requirements of the 1998 Womens' Health and Cancer Rights
Act
Indiana: enacted in 1997; covers prosthetic devices and
all stages of reconstructive surgery, in the manner determined by
the attending physician and patient, including reconstruction of
the other breast to produce symmetry. Additional legislation enacted
in 2002 requires coverage for post-mastectomy services regardless
of whether the individual was covered under the policy at the time
of the mastectomy.
Kansas: enacted in 1999; covers breast reconstruction, including
surgery of the other breast to produce a symmetrical appearance,
prostheses and physical complications, in a manner determined in
consultation with the attending physician and the patient.
Kentucky: enacted in 1998; covers all stages of breast reconstruction
surgery following a mastectomy that resulted from breast cancer.
2002 amendment conforms statute to federal law
Louisiana: enacted in 1997; covers reconstructive surgery
following a mastectomy, including reconstruction of the other breast
to produce a symmetrical appearance, as agreed by the patient and
attending physician. 1999 amendment conforms statute to federal
law.
Maine: enacted in 1995; covers both breast on which surgery
was performed and the other breast if patient elects reconstruction,
in the manner chosen by the patient and physician.
Maryland: enacted in 1996; requires coverage for reconstructive
surgery resulting from a mastectomy, including surgery performed
on a non-diseased breast to establish symmetry.
Michigan: enacted in 1989; covers breast cancer rehabilitative
services, delivered on an inpatient or outpatient basis, including
reconstructive plastic surgery and physical therapy.
Minnesota: enacted in 1980; covers all reconstructive surgery
incidental to or following injury, sickness or other diseases of
the involved part, or congenital defect for a child. Additional
legislation enacted in April 2002 expands language to specifically
include benefits for all stages of reconstruction following mastectomy
consistent with federal law. Also specifies that limitations on
reconstructive surgery do not apply to reconstructive breast surgery
following medically necessary mastectomy.
Missouri: enacted in 1997; covers prosthetic devices and
reconstructive surgery necessary to achieve symmetry, as recommended
by the oncologist or primary care physician.
Montana: enacted in 1997; covers reconstructive surgery
following a mastectomy resulting from breast cancer, including all
stages of one reconstructive surgery on the non-diseased breast
to establish symmetry, and costs of any prostheses.
Nebraska: enacted in March 2000; follows the example of
the federal statute by requiring coverage for medical and surgical
benefits for mastectomy and for all stages of reconstruction of
the breast after a mastectomy has been performed and reconstruction
of the other breast to produce a symmetrical appearance. The measure
also requires coverage for prostheses and physical complications
of mastectomy.
Nevada: enacted in 1983; covers at least two prosthetic
devices and reconstructive surgery incident to mastectomy. The law
was amended in 1989 to cover surgery to reestablish symmetry.
New Hampshire: enacted in 1997; covers breast reconstruction,
including surgery and reconstruction of the other breast to produce
a symmetrical appearance, in the manner chosen by the patient and
physician.
New Jersey: enacted in 1985; covers reconstructive breast
surgery, including cost of prostheses. The law was amended in 1997
to extend coverage to reconstructive surgery to achieve and restore
symmetry.
New York: enacted in 1997: covers breast reconstruction
following mastectomy, including reconstruction on a healthy breast
required to achieve reasonable symmetry, in the manner determined
by the attending physician and the patient to be appropriate.
N. Carolina: enacted in 1997; covers for reconstructive
breast surgery, including all stages and revisions of surgery performed
on a non-diseased breast to establish symmetry, and reconstruction
of the nipple/areolar complex without regard to the lapse of time
between mastectomy and reconstruction. (1999 amendment conforms
statute to federal law: Not Carried Over to 1999 General Assembly
Second Session.)
N. Dakota: enacted 2001; specifies that health insurance
policies may not be issued or renewed in the state unless they provide
the benefit provisions of the 1998 Federal Womens' Health and Cancer
Rights Act.
Oklahoma: enacted in 1997; covers reconstructive breast
surgery performed as a result of a partial or total mastectomy,
including all stages of reconstructive surgery performed within
2 years on a non-diseased breast to establish symmetry.
Pennsylvania: enacted in 1997; covers prosthetic devices
and breast reconstruction, including surgery on the opposite breast
to achieve symmetry, within six years of the mastectomy date. Additional
legislation enacted 2002 adds language consistent with federal law.
Rhode Island: enacted in 1996; covers prosthetic devices
and reconstructive surgery to restore and achieve symmetry incident
to a mastectomy. Surgery must be performed within 18 months of the
original mastectomy.
S. Carolina: enacted in 1998; covers prosthetic devices
and breast reconstruction, including the non-diseased breast, if
determined medically necessary by the patient and attending physician
with the approval of the insurer.
Tennessee: enacted in 1997; covers all stages of reconstruction
for the diseased breast, excluding lumpectomy, and procedures to
restore and achieve symmetry between the breasts, in the manner
chosen by the patient and physician, within 5 years of the reconstructive
surgery on the diseased breast.
Texas: enacted in 1997; covers reconstruction of the breast
incident to mastectomy, including procedures to restore and achieve
symmetry, for contracts delivered, issued for delivery or renewed
on or after Jan. 1, 1998. 1999 amendment conforms statute to federal
law.
Utah: enacted in 2000; follows the example of the federal
statute by requiring coverage for medical and surgical benefits
for mastectomy and for all stages of reconstruction of the breast
after a mastectomy has been performed and reconstruction of the
other breast to produce a symmetrical appearance. The measure also
requires coverage for prostheses and physical complications of mastectomy.
Virginia: enacted in 1998; covers reconstructive breast
surgery performed coincident with a mastectomy performed for breast
cancer or following the mastectomy, and surgery performed to reestablish
symmetry between the two breasts.
Washington: enacted in 1985; covers reconstructive breast
surgery if mastectomy resulted from disease, illness or injury.
The law was amended in 1996 to include surgery to reestablish symmetry.
West Virginia: Enacted 2002, includes coverage for reconstruction
of the breast on which mastectomy was performed and the opposite
breast for symmetry; also provides coverage for prosthesis and complications
all as determined in consultation with attending physician and patient.
Wisconsin: enacted in 1997; covers breast reconstruction
of the affected tissue incident to mastectomy and specifies that
such surgery is not considered cosmetic.
|