ASPS Recognizes 'World Birth Defects Day'
ASPS submitted letters to every member of Congress in recognition of the 5th anniversary of 'World Birth Defects Day' on March 3rd to raise awareness about congenital anomalies and their impact on patients and the specialty. The Society has been a leading advocate in Congress for the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act, which is federal legislation that would require all group and individual health plans to cover medically necessary reconstructive procedures to treat a patient's congenital anomaly. Over the past few months, ASPS worked with the Senate and House sponsors, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Representative Denver Riggleman (D-VA) in preparation of the bill's reintroduction on February 26. Since the bill's reintroduction the Society has focused on conducting outreach efforts, such as the 'World Birth Defects Day' campaign, to promote the legislation and secure new cosponsors for the bill. In less than a month since the bill's reintroduction, the legislation has already garnered bipartisan support with 16 cosponsors in the House and 5 cosponsors in the Senate – including 8 original cosponsors.
To learn more about the bill and ASPS's advocacy efforts, please visit our new webpage dedicated to this critical issue.