CURRENT INITIATIVES

Leglislative Alert — New Legislation will Require Coverage for Wigs for Hair Loss Due to Cancer Treatment
In Hartford, your state legislators are about to vote on a bill that would require insurance policies (that are regulated by the State of Connecticut) to cover the cost of wigs up to $350 for patients who lose their hair due to chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer. The wig would have to be prescribed by the person’s oncologist.

The Connecticut Breast Cancer Coalition supports the bill and urges you to e-mail or call your Connecticut representative and ask that he or she support it as well. To find your state legislator, go to http://www.cga.state.ct.us/maps/townlist.asp. (Link opens in new window.)

Connecticut’s law does not currently address the wig issue. According to an Office of Legislative Research report, five states already require insurers to provide coverage for wigs under certain circumstances. We want to add Connecticut to that list.

For many people who lose their hair from chemotherapy, wigs are an important way help to help them maintain their dignity and independence. A wig is a part of the essential care for patients, because they lose a part of their anatomy—in this case hair—as part of a serious medical condition. Furthermore, a wig truly is part of the overall care for patients. When people feel better about themselves, their bodies respond and they are more able to fight against illness and disease. For this reason, a wig is not cosmetic since it helps patients maintain as much of their mental and physical health as possible.

A wig is also important so patients can continue to work while they are undergoing treatment.

Supporters of this bill include: The Connecticut Women’s Health Campaign and The Office of the Comptroller.

Lifetime TV’s Petition to End Drive-through Mastectomies
On April 30, 2003, Connecticut Representative Rosa DeLauro reintroduced the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act (H.R. 1886). This bill is very similar to one that passed in Connecticut a few years ago.

To read more and/or sign the petition to help end drive-through mastectomies, visit Lifetime’s web site: http://www.lifetimetv.com/reallife/bc/pledges/bc_mast_pledge.html. (Link opens in new window)

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