had denied Ms. Franquet coverage for her surgery: "Mr. President, I decided that I would give Mrs. Franquet's insurance company a call. When I spoke with the Medical Director, he told me that 'replacement of a breast is not medically necessary. This is not a bodily function and therefore cannot and should not be replaced'...Luckily for her, Dr. Todd Wider agreed to forgo payment of this surgery... I ask you, Mr. President, how many other Janet Franquets are out there? Will they be lucky enough to have a Dr. Wider to take care of them?... Too many women have been denied reconstructive surgery because insurers have deemed the procedure cosmetic and not medically necessary. It is absolutely wrong". Numerous breast cancer patients and groups were supportive, including Long Island breast cancer advocacy groups and ACOG, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Mary Armao McCarthy, Executive Director of ACOG NYS and a breast cancer survivor whose coverage had been denied, was particularly active, as was Geri Barish, president of the Long Island breast cancer advocacy group, "1 in 9." As a result of their work with legislators and health groups, New York State laws were implemented just prior to the federal legislation. On October 21, 1998, the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) was signed into federal law. Since the passage of this law, many thousands of women have had reconstructive surgery after mastectomy. In addition, second opinions at major cancer centers are routinely funded for any cancer patient. The law has an ongoing impact and is still referenced as a resource for patient rights. While the 1998 Act was hugely significant, there is a proposed amendment to this act circulating in the State of California, calling for greater control over treatment implementation by women, coverage by board-certified surgeons who are breast specialists rather than medical generalists, and surgery at hospitals with an appropriate length of stay rather than at a surgery center. See also Breast reconstruction References Sources Congressional Record, V. 144, Pt. 19, October 19, 1998 to December 19, 1998 Congressional Record, Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1997, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Health Care of the Committee on Finance, United States, Senate, on S.249, November 5, 1997. The Gaffe Heard Round N.Y., Washington Post Breast cancer conference focused on rights Newsday Is It Corrective or Cosmetic? Plastic Surgery Stirs a Debate Wall Street Journal