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HR3277FEDERALin_committee

Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (H.R. 3277)

Original title: Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act

May 8, 2025

health insurance congenital anomalies birth defects medical coverage reconstructive surgery

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Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Last action

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, 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.May 8, 2025

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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The Frame

What this does

If passed, this law would require health insurance plans to pay for reconstructive procedures and dental/orthodontic support for birth defects, preventing insurers from denying coverage for these specific conditions.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Health insurance issuers

They must update their coverage policies and notices to include treatment for specific congenital anomalies.

Patients with congenital anomalies

They gain a federal requirement for insurance coverage of medically necessary reconstructive and dental services related to their condition.

What changed

Current stage: in_committee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover medical and surgical treatment for congenital anomalies or birth defects that affect the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth, or jaw. It mandates that these services be covered if a doctor deems them medically necessary to restore normal body function or appearance.

Key Facts

Requires group and individual health insurance plans to cover diagnosis and treatment for congenital anomalies affecting the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth, or jaw.
Mandates coverage for reconstructive services, adjunctive dental/orthodontic support, and follow-up treatment as determined medically necessary by a physician.
Allows insurers to apply cost-sharing (copays, deductibles) as long as they are no more restrictive than those applied to other medical/surgical benefits.
Explicitly excludes coverage for cosmetic surgery performed solely to improve appearance or self-esteem if not related to a congenital anomaly.
Requires health plans to provide notice to participants regarding this new coverage by January 1, 2026.
Defines 'congenital anomaly' as a structural or functional anomaly occurring during intrauterine life that may be identified before, at, or after birth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this bill cover cosmetic surgery?

No. The bill explicitly excludes cosmetic surgery performed to reshape normal structures for appearance or self-esteem if it is not medically necessary due to a .

When would this coverage requirement begin?

The bill requires health plans to provide notice of this coverage by January 1, 2026.

What body parts are covered under this bill?

The bill covers congenital anomalies or birth defects that primarily impact the appearance or function of the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth, or jaw.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Lobbying Activity

POLSINELLI PC

on behalf of AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEONS

View filing →

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Expansion of Mandated Health Coverage

The bill seeks to standardize coverage for congenital anomalies across both the Public Health Service Act and ERISA, ensuring parity between different types of health plans.

Public Health Service Act ERISA

Connected Entities

organizationEnergy and Commerce Committee“Committee assigned to review the bill”Map →

personMr. Dunn“Representative from Florida who introduced the bill”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz30
Current news / social attention level

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