You desire a certain procedure, but you are worried that it will cost too much. You hope that your insurance will cover the expense, but you have heard from friends that insurance companies are hesitant to cover cosmetic procedures. What will you do?
You should know that insurance might cover your plastic surgery. This however will depend on which health insurance you possess, what procedures the insurance company will cover, and whether the insurance company views the procedure as simply cosmetic, or if it provides medical benefits, in addition.
For instance, if you are seeking breast surgery, the insurance company will discuss the reason why you want a specific procedure. Insurance is less likely to cover normal augmentation; insurance more likely will cover deformities or health issues. Are your breasts asymmetrical, or are they so large that they cause chronic pain? After partial or full removal of one or both breasts, do you need reconstruction? An insurance company thus will want to know if your desired procedure is more than purely cosmetic: this includes eyelid work, ear work, nasal work, or any other type of plastic surgery.
You may feel that you already know if your potential procedure is covered or not. However, before you schedule or cancel your plans, you should speak with your surgeon and your insurance company to confirm all costs. If you, the insurance company, and the surgeon agree, you may have that procedure soon scheduled.
