HR 616 105th Congress House

Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1997

Official title: To require that health plans provide coverage for a minimum hospital stay for mastectomies and lymph node dissection for the treatment of breast cancer, covera… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To require that health plans provide coverage for a minimum hospital stay for mastectomies and lymph node dissection for the treatment of breast cancer, coverage for reconstructive surgery following mastectomies, and coverage for secondary consultations.

Introduced: October 23, 1997 See on congress.gov

Health Breast cancerCollective bargaining agreementsCommerceConsumer education

More subjectsShow fewer subjects

Employee health benefitsFinance and Financial SectorHealth insuranceHealth insurance industryHospital careLabor and EmploymentMastectomyStandardsSurgeryWomenWomen's health

Everywhere this bill has been 9 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Mar 3, 1997

Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.

Feb 14, 1997

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.

Feb 13, 1997

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Feb 5, 1997

Introduced in House

Feb 5, 1997

Referred to House Education and the Workforce

Feb 5, 1997

Referred to House Ways and Means

Feb 5, 1997

Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Feb 5, 1997

Referred to House Commerce

Feb 5, 1997

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E159)

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Latest action March 3, 1997

Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1997 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Public Health Service Act to require certain group health plans, and health insurance issuers providing coverage under a group plan, to ensure specified minimum coverage regarding: (1) breast cancer mastectomies, lumpectomies, and lymph node dissections; (2) post-mastectomy breast reconstruction on both breasts; and (3) secondary consultations by specialists. Prohibits: (1) changing coverage terms and conditions based on a participant's or beneficiary's decision to request less than the minimum coverage; and (2) certain penalties or incentives to providers or specialists. Amends: (1) the Public Health Service Act to apply the same requirements to health insurance issuers in the individual market; and (2) the Internal Revenue Code to apply those requirements to group health plans.

Related & companion bills 1

Bill text 1 version

Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 6

Education and Workforce Committee
House of Representatives
Energy and Commerce Committee
House of Representatives
Health and Environment Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Energy and Commerce Committee
Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Education and Workforce Committee
Health Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Ways and Means Committee
Ways and Means Committee
House of Representatives

Cosponsors 27

Sherman, Brad

California · Oct 9, 1998

NETHERCUTT, GEORGE

· Mar 18, 1998

Thompson, Bennie G.

Mississippi · Nov 13, 1997

Calvert, Ken

California · Nov 7, 1997

Graham, Lindsey

South Carolina · Nov 7, 1997

MCCARTHY, KAREN

· Nov 7, 1997

Norton, Eleanor Holmes

District of Columbia · Nov 7, 1997

SANDLIN, MAX

· Nov 7, 1997

Bishop, Sanford D.

Georgia · Oct 23, 1997

McGovern, James P.

Massachusetts · Oct 23, 1997

Nadler, Jerrold

New York · Oct 23, 1997

Schumer, Charles E.

New York · Oct 23, 1997

Scott, Robert C. "Bobby"

Virginia · Oct 23, 1997

Davis, Danny K.

Illinois · Apr 29, 1997

California · Feb 25, 1997

New Jersey · Feb 5, 1997

Sanders, Bernard

Vermont · Feb 5, 1997

Smith, Christopher H.

New Jersey · Feb 5, 1997

Smith, Adam

Washington · Feb 5, 1997

Cite this page click to expand

APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 616: Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1997. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-616/

MLA

"H.R. 616: Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1997." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-616/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 616, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-616/.

Markdown link

[H.R. 616: Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1997](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-616/)