Is Cosmetic Surgery Covered by My Insurance? Sometimes.
Cosmetic surgery procedures such as breast augmentation, tummy tucks, liposuction, face lifts, etc., were originally employed by general surgeons to restore apperance or function after pathologic conditions.
For example, breast augmentation was used to restore the breast after deforming brest cancer procedures. Tummy tucks were used after certain hernia operations. Face lifts were employed after excision of face tumors. Liposuction was used to treat excessive sweating of the arm pits, etc. Botox injections were used to treat certain spastic or painfull conditions.
Over time, cosmetic procedures were being performed in their own right, that is, without any underlying pathology.
Today, about 30% of the patients I see have an underlying condition which may require or be accentuated by, a cosmetic procedure. Thus, we may need to perform a tummy tuck because there is an underlying hernia, or because there is severe back pain, or skin infection (paniculitis). When we can document an underlying pathology, we try to get the patient's own insurance company to cover the cosmetic procedure.
In other cases, it is convenient to perform a cosmetic surgery procedure after another needed operation. For example performing a tummy tuck after a hysterectomy. In such cases, the cost of the cosmetic surgery is reduced because the private carrier has paid for part of the procedure.