WHAT IS HAPPENING TO DIEP FLAP BREAST RECONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW?

A recent medical coding change is taking away the ability for those impacted by breast cancer to choose what breast reconstruction option is best for our bodies.

In 1998, The Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) was put into place as a federal law to protect a patient's right to choose breast reconstruction and have it covered by insurance if their insurance covered their mastectomy. However, it does not protect which TYPE of reconstruction we are able to get and that is what is at stake right now.

In this video I will:
help you understand a basic level of medical codes
explain to you why these codes matter and how medical professionals and insurance companies rely on them
explain to you the importance of UNIQUE codes for each specific COMPLEX MICROSURGERY.
break down why lumping each surgery under one umbrella code is detrimental to the breast cancer community
how this obscure change in billing codes threatens DIEP Flap surgeries.
what YOU can do to help fight this NOW!

HOW WE CAN FIGHT THIS:
1. Reach out to your local representative and your senators and tell your story, why reconstruction is important to you and why you feel your choice matters.
2. Reach out to @drelisabethpotter, email her at [email protected] and head to her website and fill out the form. She is leading this charge!
3. Contact your insurance provider and let them know how important it is to you to have the choice when it comes to your reconstruction.
4. Contact CMS and let them know how big of an error this is and how deeply this impacts you.
5. Contact AMA @amermedicalassn and let them know how big of an error this is and how deeply this impacts you.
5. Contact ASPS @plasticsurgeryasps and let them know how big of an error this is and how deeply this impacts you