South Queens, NY – Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-South Queens) had her historic and first of its kind bill signed into law, providing women with insurance coverage for aesthetic flat closure. A.8537, a bill introduced by Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato and Senator Toby Ann Stavisky amends the insurance law to ensure that women can have either reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy, or choose to go with a flat chest after a mastectomy- granting women the right to choose how they want their post-mastectomy body to look.

“In New York we do not just want women with breast cancer to survive, we want them to thrive. Women deserve autonomy over how their bodies will look, especially after a mastectomy. Part of this bill is about allowing women to love their bodies. I’m so thankful to the advocates who had the strength to show me how their chests had been mangled and were left unhappy with their bodies after a mastectomy when they chose to stay flat. It is from their courage that Senator Stavisky and I successfully worked to give women a choice on how their post-mastectomy bodies will look - and that is what this law does,” said Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato.

Senator Toby Ann Stavisky remarked "We believe women deserve autonomy over their own bodies. If a woman undergoes a mastectomy to combat breast cancer, they have the right to choose from all post-surgery options. If a woman chooses to undergo chest wall reconstruction it should be covered by insurance, in the same manner as breast reconstruction.”

The bill passed in both houses of the State Legislature with 100% unanimous bi-partisan support. With this new law, New York has become the first State in the country to provide this type of insurance coverage, allowing flat closure procedures to be covered by insurance just like reconstructive surgery. If you or someone you love is interested in speaking with someone on flat closure, please reach out to the experts from Not Putting On A Shirt at info@notputtingonashirt.org.