Broken Cheek Bone Wasn't Fixed Right Away - Covered by Insurance?
asked 2 years ago by Ryan L in Chico, CA
Latest answer by Peter A. Aldea, MD
Question viewed 343 times
Tags: cheekbones, insurance
Would fixing the cheek now be a cosmetic procedure or do you think my insurance would cover this old injury?
2 answers to Broken Cheek Bone Wasn't Fixed Right Away - Covered by Insurance?
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Insurance coverage of old facial fracture
That depends on what your current complaints are and what your policy language is. Some policies only cover traumatic injuries for a certain period of time after the injury or if they pre-existed the policy. By federal law pre-existing clauses will soon disappear. You are somewhat lucky being in california because the state law has a broader definition of reconstructive surgery. If a lay person looking at you sees a clear defect or abnormality caused by the fracture your insurance has to...
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Aaron Stone, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1
Insurance Payment of Cheek Bone Fracture malunion
Displaced fractures or fractures involving all supports of the cheek bone (trimalar complex, Temporozygomaticomaxillary fractures) need to be fixed close to the time of the injury with plates and screws. Failure to do so allows the chewing muscle to pull the bone down resulting in facial asymmetry and an elongated orbit. Correcting this fracture after it healed poorly is very challenging.
No one knows what each insurance would do. It is clear that a lot would depend on your policy and...
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