While almost all insurers don’t cover strictly cosmetic work – facelifts, for example – the plastic surgeons in the AZATACA Plastic Surgery group explain that there are certain procedures of a medical nature that you can get coverage for. Below are some examples of those conditions, including removal of moles, where potentially the cost of plastic surgery is covered by insurance.
#1 Ptosis eyelid repair
Insurance may cover the correction of droopy eyelids that obstruct your vision. This procedure tightens the weak muscles in your eyelid so that the eyes can open wider. Any excess skin can also be removed at the same time.
#2 Repair of abdominal hernia
Abdominal hernias can contribute to weakness of the core and cause pain and discomfort. Repair of a hernia can be done via a lower abdomen incision (previous caesarean scar) together with repair of diastases recti (separation of the abdominal muscles), if present.
Body contouring procedures, including the removal of excess skin from the arms (brachiaplasty), thighs (thigh-lift), abdomen and back (belt-lipectomy), may be covered by insurance following significant weight loss, such as after bariatric surgery, if deemed medically necessary.
#3 Removal of moles
Facial moles that are growing in size, have a change in colour, cause pain or bleed can be a sign of a dangerous change in the mole. Biopsy and removal of moles will confirm if they are undergoing cancerous change.
#4 Breast reconstruction
Breast cancers often require a mastectomy. AZATACA offers the full range of options for breast reconstruction.
A popular option is using the excess tummy tissue to reconstruct the breast. The surgery is just like having a tummy tuck but instead of throwing the tummy tissue away, it’s used to create a new breast. Other options include using silicone implants or fat grafting.
#5 Breast reduction
Women who have large breasts – known as mammary hyperplasia – can suffer from shoulder pain, discomfort from bra straps cutting into the shoulder skin, as well rashes under the breasts. A breast reduction can help to treat these symptoms.
#6 Excision of male breast tissue
The presence of persistent enlarge breast tissue in males (gynaecomastia) is not normal. It can cause pain and discomfort, as well as psychological issues.
The good news is that the condition can be treated permanently with discreet incisions placed around the nipple.
What you need to obtain insurance coverage
The team adds that, depending on the condition, certain criteria must be met to ensure that the procedure is not done for purely cosmetic reasons.
For eyelid ptosis, for example, an examination by an ophthalmologist is required to verify the severity of the ptosis. They’ll also determine if the vision is obstructed by the droopy eyelid. For hernia repair, patients have to have symptoms of pain, and scans must confirm the presence of a hernia. Males with gynecomastia need to have symptoms of pain and confirmation of the condition by ultrasound. Furthermore, for a breast reduction, there needs to be a sufficient amount of tissue, plus symptoms of rash or pain from the large breasts.
More about AZATACA
Dr Terence Goh, Dr Christopher Chui and Dr Mohamed Zulfikar Rasheed are three surgeons and longtime university friends who teamed up to establish AZATACA in 2017. Between them, they have over 60 years of experience in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. Other aesthetic procedures they carry out include facelifts, fillers, lip augmentation or reduction, facial contouring, hair transplants, double eyelid surgery, eye bag surgery, ear surgery, breast lift and augmentation, breast reconstruction and also tummy tucks.
AZATACA Plastic Surgery Centre
#14-09 Royal Square Medical Centre
AZATACA Plastic Surgery
#03-17 Gleneagles Medical Centre
6778 8648 | azataca.com
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