Tell Congress to Support the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act
Millions of children born with congenital anomalies face unnecessary barriers to care due to inconsistent insurance coverage for medically necessary treatments. Congressional action is urgently needed to ensure these children have access to timely, comprehensive care.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS), along with other medical specialty organizations, are working to pass the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (ELSA). This bipartisan legislation (S. 1677/H.R. 3277) requires all private insurance groups and individual health care plans to cover medically necessary services resulting from congenital abnormalities, including procedures and treatments needed to restore normal body function.

The legislation would benefit children born with congenital cataracts and those developing in infancy and early childhood who require swift treatment to prevent permanent vision loss. In addition to surgery, children with cataracts require a combination of contact lenses, intraocular lens (IOL) and glasses. Today there is a huge variation in health insurance coverage for aphakic contact lenses despite the fact that they are considered medically necessary. Many families find the ongoing costs of these contact lenses a major barrier to this treatment, and children are at serious risk for losing vision if they do not have timely access to these medically necessary lenses. 

Children who receive timely treatment and follow-up have a good prognosis as demonstrated by National Eye Institute sponsored studies. The Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act will benefit these children by improving access to appropriate treatments.

Make sure your voice is heard. Contact your members of Congress and urge them to cosponsor S.1677/H.R. 3277. 

    Subject
    Message Body
    Post
    Suggested Message
    Post
    Remaining: 0
  • Hide
    • Please call this number:

      Please do not close this window. You will need to come back to this window to enter your code.
      We just sent an email to ... containing a verification code.

      If you do not see the email within the next five minutes, please ensure you entered the correct email address and check your spam/junk mail folder.
      Enter Your Info
      Your Information
      *
      Home Information  
      Enter Zip for City and State
      Business Information  
      Enter Zip for City and State