Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act

The Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (ELSA) is a proposed United States law that would require private health insurance plans to cover diagnosis and treatment of congenital anomalies and birth defects.^[1] The bill is considered strong and bi-partisan in both houses of Congress.^[2]

Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act

Long title	To provide health insurance benefits for outpatient and inpatient items and services related to the diagnosis and treatment of a congenital anomaly or birth defect.
Announced in	the 117th United States Congress
Number of co-sponsors	303
Legislative history
Introduced in the House of Representatives as H.R. 1916 by Anna Eshoo (D–CA) on March 16, 2021 Committee consideration by Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means and Education and Labor

The bill was considered stalled as of March 2024^[update],^[3] and continued to be considered by the 2025 119th United States Congress.^[2]

Background

Provisions

Legislative history

As of 15 December 2022^[update]:

Congress	Short title	Bill number(s)	Date introduced	Sponsor(s)	# of cosponsors	Latest status
115th Congress	Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act	H.R. 6689	August 28, 2018	Collin Peterson (D-MN)	16	Died in committee
		S. 3369	August 23, 2018	Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)	7	Died in committee
116th Congress	Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act	H.R. 1379	February 26, 2019	Collin Peterson (D-MN)	313	Died in committee
		S. 560	February 26, 2019	Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)	53	Died in committee
117th Congress	Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act	H.R. 1916	February 2, 2021	Anna Eshoo (D-CA)	317	Referred to Committees of Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means and Education and Labor. Passed the US House (310-110) on April 4, 2022.
		S. 754	February 1, 2021	Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)	61	Referred to Committee of Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

See also

• List of bills in the 115th United States Congress
• List of bills in the 116th United States Congress
• List of bills in the 117th United States Congress