In a Jan. 6 letter, the American Dental Association asked Congress to pass legislation that would require all private group and individual health plans to cover necessary procedures that repair or restore congenital anomalies.
Sent to the Health Subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, ADA President Chad Gehani, DDS, and ADA Executive Director Kathleen O'Loughlin, DMD, wrote that the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act would remove barriers that prevent access to diagnosis and treatment for congenital anomalies.
The ADA said that many private health insurance companies "routinely deny or delay follow-up or corrective procedures claiming that they are cosmetic in nature — which fails to recognize the medical conditions of these patients."
Fifteen other healthcare organizations are also pushing legislators to pass the bill, which currently has 266 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House.