Your insurance company and your plastic surgery

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Your insurance company and your plastic surgery Some of the plastic surgery procedures are performed to correct medical conditions and would be covered by medical insurance. The following is a list of some of these conditions. This list is meant only to give you a general idea about what could be covered but for actual coverage, you will need to discuss your condition with your plastic surgeon and the insurance company.

ABDOMINOPLASTY (TUMMY TUCK) If the excessive skin folds of the abdomen are causing back pain, hernias or skin problems resulting from the excessive sweating e.g. skin rashes or frequent skin infections. If the redundant skin interferes with the ability to work, walk or do the daily chores.

BREAST ENLARGEMENT (AUGMENTATION):To correct a congenital difference in the size of the breasts.To correct the size of a breast lost or affected by a disease or injury. BREAST REDUCTION:To correct a congenital difference in the size of the breasts.To correct the size of a breast lost or affected by a disease or injury.To reduce the size of very large breasts that are causing back, neck or shoulder pain or causing shortness of breath or difficulty in keeping the right erect posture on walking or standing.Enlarged male breasts may be covered by insurance.

BREAST RECONSTRUCTION:To correct a congenital absence of breast.To construct a breast lost to disease, e.g. breast cancer, severe fibrocystic disease of the breasts, or after prophylactic removal of the breasts (patients with strong family history of breast cancer).To construct a breast lost to injury, e.g. burn or other traumas. EXPLANT OF BREAST IMPLANTS:The removal of your breast implants might be covered by your insurance. Barbara Stock, who has been an advocate for patients rights regarding this issue, has extensive information about this topic. If you need more information about how to obtain insurance approval for your explant, if done for augmentation or explant and replacements, if done for reconstruction, E-Mail her at brstock.aolcom (DOT) If you have already been turned down, let her know the name of the insurance company and when.

OTOPLASTY (EAR SURGERY): To correct congenital deformity of the ears,e.g. absence of the ears, large ears, protruding ears, asymmetry...etc. To reconstruct ears that are deformed or damaged by disease or injury.

EYELID SURGERY: To correct drooping of upper eyelids if they interfere with the person ability to see well. If the eyelids are turned inwards rubbing the lashes against the eye or outwards causing dryness and ulceration of the eyelids.To remove skin lesions located on the upper or lower eyelids, e.g moles or skin tags.

SURGERY OF THE FACE : To correct congenital deformities of the face, head and neck.To correct conditions resulting from diseases of the muscles or nerves of the face.To correct the asymmetry resulting from paralysis of the nerve of the face on one side or another.To correct any deformity caused by trauma or injury including burns, post operative and motor vehicle accidents.

SURGERY OF THE NOSE (RHINOPLASTY): To correct congenital deformities of the nose.To correct deformities caused by disease, e.g. skin cancer, or trauma, e.g. boxing injuries, baseball injury, motor vehicle accidents...etc To correct deformities caused by any reason that may affect breathing or cause chronic respiratory problems. HAND SURGERY: To correct carpal tunnel syndrome. To correct congenital deformities, e.g. missing fingers, fused fingers, short or long fingers...etc. To correct conditions like Dupuytren's contracture.To treat traumatic injuries to the hand including blood vessels, tendon & nerve injuries. LIPOSUCTION:If the liposuction is part of any of the procedures described above and for the indications mentioned. Plastic surgeons combine procedures like abdominoplasty with liposuction to achieve the best results. FACIAL IMPLANTS: Facial implants if used to correct any of the conditions described above. HAIR REPLACEMENT: To correct hair loss secondary to certain medical conditions, diseases or drugs. Discuss it with your plastic surgeon.

It is our recommendation to you that you discuss the details of your condition and the coverage of your insurance with your plastic surgeon. Pre-approval by your insurance company will make it easy to find out all about any uncovered part of your procedure. The plastic surgeons listed in our search table will be happy to discuss with you the insurance coverage of your procedures and help you getting the best out of your coverage. Check our page on "How to choose a plastic surgeon?". If you still have questions about any of the procedures, please contact any of the Plastic surgeons listed in our "Plastic Surgeon Locator" for information or personal consultation.