Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act

 On October 21, 1998 a new federal law, the Women's Health  and Cancer Rights Act, became effective. The law requires health plan that provide coverage for mastectomies to also cover reconstructive surgery and prostheses following mastectomies.

 The law mandates that an insured receiving benefits for a medically necessary mastectomy who elects breast reconstruction after the mastectomy, will also receive coverage for:

 

• Reconstruction of the breast on which the mastectomy has been performed

• Surgery and reconstruction of the other breast to produce a symmetrical apperance

• Prostheses 

• Treatment of physical complaints of all stages of mastectomy, including lymphedemas