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HR 1339 111th Congress House Health Accidents Child health Emergency medical services and trauma care Employee benefits and pensions Health care costs and insurance Health care coverage and access Hereditary and development disorders Surgery and anesthesia

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

Introduced: March 5, 2009 See on congress.gov
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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 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.

What's happening now April 29, 2009

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

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
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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