Arlington Heights, Ill, Oct. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Insurance denials and delays for breast and chest wall reconstruction after cancer will become a thing of the past with passage of the Advancing Women's Health Coverage Act (AWHCA). The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and The Plastic Surgery Foundation (The PSF), together with bipartisan congressional champions Kat Cammack (R-FL), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), April McClain Delaney (D-MD), Young Kim (R-CA), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Laurel Lee (R-FL), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) and Celeste Maloy (R-UT) as well as stakeholder advocacy groups such as Susan G. Komen®, have teamed up to advance this legislation. The proposed bill strengthens the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) from 1998 and closes insurance loopholes to ensure breast cancer patients can access comprehensive reconstructive care and choose the option that fits their goals, their lives and their bodies.  

“These changes ensure no breast cancer patient is left behind when it comes to accessing the best possible reconstructive care,” said C. Bob Basu, MD, MBA, MPH, president of ASPS. “This legislation empowers patients with the reconstruction and recovery resources they deserve.” 

ASPS and The PSF have worked for a decade to develop this legislation. Technology and surgical approaches have advanced significantly since the original bipartisan bill’s passage 27 years ago, but the letter of WHCRA has not kept pace with medical progress. The lack of modernization has opened critical gaps in coverage and permitted insurance loopholes to persist. Patients can face insurer denials, delays or out-of-pocket expenses that make necessary reconstructive care inaccessible. This bill addresses these barriers to protect patients’ rights and improve their quality of life.  

“The updates are not just about procedures, but about patient autonomy and choice,” said Babak Mehrara, MD, president of The PSF. “Modernization ensures breast cancer patients are fully supported with care from diagnosis through recovery.” 

More patients are seeking breast and chest wall reconstruction options as part of their recovery journey. According to the 2024 ASPS Procedural Statistics Release, breast reconstruction remained one of the most frequently performed procedures in the United States, totaling 162,579 cases – a 3 percent rise from 2023. 

"Access to reconstructive surgery after mastectomy is an essential part of mastectomy care for those patients who make the deeply personal decision to choose reconstruction. For over 25 years, the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act has ensured patients have coverage for reconstructive surgery but it is past time that our laws reflect the rights of patients to full, modern mastectomy and post-mastectomy care,” says Molly Guthrie, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Susan G. Komen. “Modernizing this law to guarantee affordable access to needed services after mastectomy – whether that be chest wall reconstruction, breast reconstruction or the use of breast prostheses – is an important opportunity for all stakeholders to come together and support the breast cancer community. Susan G. Komen applauds Representatives Cammack, Dingell, Van Duyne, McBath, Hinson, McClain Delaney, Kim and Pettersen for their leadership in bringing coverage into the 21st century by introducing the Advancing Women’s Health Coverage Act.” 

These critical updates are part of the AWHCA: 

• Expanded access to advanced reconstruction: Ensures access to complex revisional procedures and up-to-date surgical techniques, including implant-based reconstruction, tissue-based surgery, a procedure that uses the patient’s own tissue to rebuild breasts or the chest, as well as “going flat.”  

• Inclusion of breast-conserving surgery: Extends coverage to patients undergoing lumpectomy.  

• Custom prostheses:  Guarantees coverage for personalized prosthetic devices to support patients who choose an alternative to reconstruction.  

• Full treatment of lymphedema: Requires insurance coverage for updated care of this debilitating complication that affects up to 20 percent of breast cancer patients. 

• Insurer accountability: Prevents insurers from offering only the minimum coverage. 

“Women should be fighting cancer rather than insurance companies," said Rep. Cammack. "Every woman battling breast cancer deserves access to the best care modern medicine can offer—not limits based on outdated insurance codes & bureaucratic red tape. For too long, survivors have been denied coverage for proven reconstructive options that restore confidence, dignity and quality of life. This bill puts patients back in charge, ensuring their recovery, health and confidence aren’t dictated by a system stuck in the 1990s.” 

"Every person diagnosed with breast cancer deserves access to the full range of options that support their recovery,” said Rep. Dignell. “Reconstructive surgery is not just about appearance—it’s a part of the healing process that helps patients recover both physically and emotionally. By closing insurance loopholes, this bill not only expands access to comprehensive reconstructive care but also provides breast cancer survivors the dignity of choice in their treatment journey." 

Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women in the United States. Studies show breast or chest wall reconstruction significantly improves patients' quality of life by enhancing their psychological, social and sexual well-being after breast cancer surgery. It is essential that patients receive comprehensive care to empower them to reclaim their bodies in a way that aligns with their personal goals. The legislation’s protections apply to all patients, regardless of the type of reconstruction they choose. 

About ASPS 

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 11,000 physician members worldwide, the society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. Founded in 1931, the society represents physicians who have been certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.  

About The PSF 

The Plastic Surgery Foundation (The PSF), founded in 1948, supports research, international volunteer programs and visiting professor programs. The foundation's mission is to improve the quality of life of patients through research and development. The PSF accomplishes its mission by providing invaluable support to the research of plastic surgery sciences through a variety of grant programs. The PSF works in concert with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). 

Niccole Caan
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
847-228-3333
media@plasticsurgery.org