The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 (WHCRA)

What every woman should know about

The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 (WHCRA)

The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 was put in to protect individuals who elect to have breast reconstruction surgery after mastectomies due to breast cancer.  This law states if your group health plan covers mastectomies, the plan must provide certain reconstructive surgery and other post-mastectomy benefits to rebuild/reconstruct a woman’s breast after a mastectomy; to produce a symmetrical appearance, (looks almost identical to the other breast), and prostheses and treatment of physical complications at all stages of the mastectomy.  Even if you’ve had a mastectomy for a non-cancerous condition the rule still applies.  As always, there are exceptions to this law.  Certain plans that are church plans or governmental plans may not be subject to this law, so it would be in your best interest to check with your plan administrator to verify if you have this benefit. All your health benefits costs would still apply to this service, such as co-insurance cost, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses.  For more information about your WHCRA rights, contact the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration @ 866/444-3272 or visit the EBSA Website @ http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/ and click on the Contact Us for the addresses of the 15 field offices that can assist you.  You can also request a copy of Your Health Plan and HIPAA…Making the Law Work for You and a list of all publications from the Employee Benefits Security Administration.