The Illinois legislature recently passed a bill that would require insurers to cover all craniofacial surgeries for kids up until the age of 19, wcia.com reported March 31.
Four notes:
1. Insurance companies typically only cover the first surgery for facial abnormalities, such as cleft palate or missing teeth.
2. Dave Marsh, director of governmental relations at the Illinois State Dental Society, told the news station that the current coverage policies are in place because most insurers are not aware of how many dental procedures a child with a facial abnormality may need, so additional surgeries are viewed as cosmetic.
3. HB4349 passed the state House and Senate. It is awaiting final signature by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
4. A federal version of the bill, the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act, was introduced in the U.S. Senate March 16.