Reconstructive Surgery Act of 2001

The Reconstructive Surgery Act of 2001 (S. 576) was a legislative proposal designed to ensure that health insurance plans provide coverage for reconstructive surgery. The bill aimed to bridge the gap between "cosmetic" and "reconstructive" procedures by requiring insurers to cover surgeries performed to improve or restore bodily function or to correct significant deformities caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors, or disease.

### Practical Impact on Citizens

If enacted, this bill would have provided the following protections for patients:

Guaranteed Coverage:* Health insurance companies in both the group and individual markets would be legally required to cover reconstructive procedures that are medically necessary to restore a person's appearance or physical function.

Standardized Definitions:* It would have helped prevent insurance companies from denying claims by labeling necessary reconstructive procedures as "cosmetic" or "elective."