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HR 1339 111th Congress House

Children's Access to Reconstructive Evaluation & Surgery (CARES) Act of 2009

Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require that group and in… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require that group and individual health insurance coverage and group health plans provide coverage for treatment of a minor child's congenital or developmental deformity or disorder due to trauma, infection, tumor, or disease.

Introduced: May 12, 2010 See on congress.gov
Health AccidentsChild healthEmergency medical services and trauma careEmployee benefits and pensions
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Health care costs and insuranceHealth care coverage and accessHereditary and development disordersSurgery and anesthesia
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This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 7 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 29, 2009
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
Mar 6, 2009
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 5, 2009
Referred to House Ways and Means
Mar 5, 2009
Referred to House Education and Labor
Mar 5, 2009
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, 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.
Mar 5, 2009
Referred to House Energy and Commerce
Mar 5, 2009
Introduced in House
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 Latest action April 29, 2009

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Children's Access to Reconstructive Evaluation & Surgery (CARES) Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to require a group health plan that covers surgical benefits to also cover outpatient and inpatient diagnosis and treatment of a congenital or developmental deformity, disease, or injury of a minor child (defined as child under the age of 22).

Requires that such coverage: (1) be subject to pre-authorization or pre-certification requirements of the plan or issuer; and (2) include any surgical treatment deemed by the treating physician to be medically necessary to approximate a normal appearance. Defines "treatment" to include reconstructive surgical procedures that are performed on abnormal structures of the body caused by congenital defects, abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors, or disease, including: (1) procedures that do not materially affect the function of the body part being treated; and (2) procedures for secondary conditions and follow-up treatment. Excludes cosmetic surgery performed to reshape normal structures of the body to improve appearance or self-esteem.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 1235 Identical bill Children's Access to Reconstructive Evaluation & Surgery (CARES) Act of 2009
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
 Cosponsors 24
All 24 Democratic 19 Republican 4
D
Matsui, Doris O.
California · Sep 28, 2010
 D
Heinrich, Martin
New Mexico · May 24, 2010
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · May 12, 2010
 R
Sessions, Pete
Texas · Apr 21, 2010
 D
Murphy, Christopher
Connecticut · Oct 6, 2009
 R
Turner, Michael R.
Ohio · Jul 22, 2009
 D
DeGette, Diana
Colorado · Jul 8, 2009
 D
Schiff, Adam B.
California · Jul 8, 2009
 D
Baldwin, Tammy
Wisconsin · Jun 26, 2009
 D
Larsen, Rick
Washington · Jun 26, 2009
 D
Welch, Peter
Vermont · May 12, 2009
 R
Wittman, Robert J.
Virginia · May 12, 2009
 D
Cohen, Steve
Tennessee · Apr 22, 2009
 D
Bishop, Sanford D.
Georgia · Mar 5, 2009
 D
Carson, André
Indiana · Mar 5, 2009
 D
Hirono, Mazie K.
Hawaii · Mar 5, 2009
 D
Kaptur, Marcy
Ohio · Mar 5, 2009
 D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · Mar 5, 2009
 D
Nadler, Jerrold
New York · Mar 5, 2009
Pierluisi, Pedro
· Mar 5, 2009
 D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · Mar 5, 2009
 D
Scott, Robert C. "Bobby"
Virginia · Mar 5, 2009
 R
Smith, Christopher H.
New Jersey · Mar 5, 2009
 D
Van Hollen, Chris
Maryland · Mar 5, 2009
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1339: Children's Access to Reconstructive Evaluation & Surgery (CARES) Act of 2009. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-1339/
MLA
"H.R. 1339: Children's Access to Reconstructive Evaluation & Surgery (CARES) Act of 2009." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-1339/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1339, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-1339/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1339: Children's Access to Reconstructive Evaluation & Surgery (CARES) Act of 2009](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-1339/)
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