[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2001]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TREATMENT OF CHILDREN'S DEFORMITIES ACT

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                           HON. SUE W. KELLY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 8, 1998

  Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Treatment of 
Children's Deformities Act, legislation that prohibits insurers from 
discriminating against children born with deformities by denying 
coverage of reconstructive surgery. Children should not only be 
provided reconstructive surgery to improve the function of a part of 
the body, but also should be given the opportunity to face the world 
with a normal appearance. Insurers would like for you to think that 
such surgery is merely cosmetic--parents of children dealing with the 
physical and psychological effects of such deformities would beg to 
differ.
  Today, approximately seven percent of American children are born with 
pediatric deformities and congenital defects such as birth marks, cleft 
lip, cleft palate, absent external ears and other facial deformities. A 
recent survey of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive 
Surgeons indicated that over half of the plastic surgeons surveyed have 
had a pediatric patient who in the last two years has been denied, or 
experienced significant difficulty in obtaining, insurance coverage for 
their surgical procedures.
  Some insurance companies claim that reconstructive procedures that do 
not improve function are not medically necessary and are, therefore, 
cosmetic. America's physicians recognize an important difference 
between reconstructive and cosmetic surgery to which this bill calls 
attention. The American Medical Association defines cosmetic surgery as 
being performed to reshape normal structures of the body in order to 
improve the patient's appearance and self-esteem. They define 
reconstructive surgery as being performed on abnormal structures of the 
body caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, 
infection, tumors or disease.
  The Treatment of Children's Deformities Act acknowledges the 
importance of the AMA's definitions and requires that managed care and 
insurance companies do the same. The problems that Americans across the 
board are experiencing with various managed care companies who place 
cost over quality care is infuriating enough, but when it affects the 
physical and emotional well-being of children, Congress must be willing 
to put our foot down.
  Please join me in defending the needs of children with deformities 
and congenital defects and their families by cosponsoring this 
important bill.

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