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Congress·In Committee·S. 3872

Senate Committee Reviews Medicare Wig Coverage for Chemo, Cancer Patients

A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for wigs as durable medical equipment under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.

about 1 month ago·View on Congress.gov
Part of: A congressional bill proposes reclassifying medical wigs as 'cranial prostheses'

Legislative Progress

Senate
House
President
Law

Key Points

  • This bill would allow Medicare to pay for wigs for people who lose their hair because of medical conditions. Currently, Medicare often considers wigs to be for looks only and does not pay for them, even when the hair loss is caused by a serious illness.
  • To get a wig covered, a patient would need a written note from their doctor, such as a cancer specialist or a skin doctor. This note must state that the wig is a necessary part of the patient's treatment or recovery process.
  • The plan specifically helps people dealing with hair loss from chemotherapy, cancer, or autoimmune diseases. By labeling wigs as medical equipment, the bill treats them like other essential tools for health, such as walkers or hospital beds.
  • If passed, this change would help lower the out-of-pocket costs for seniors and people with disabilities who often pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for high-quality wigs during their medical treatments.
Healthcare

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Broader Impacts

Score
Scores: -5 (harmful) to +5 (beneficial)Short-term: 0-2 yearsLong-term: 10-30 years

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 12, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Feb 12, 2026

Introduced in Senate

Related Bills

1 bill
H.R. 7546Related bill

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for wigs as durable medical equipment under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.

Feb 12 — Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for wigs as durable medical equipment under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.

Bill NumberS 3872
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Sponsor

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.