Liposuction Q&A
71%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not. See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings or Add Your Review
492 Reviews
Liposuctionbefore & after photos
View Before and Afters

Average Liposuction Cost: $5,150

Learn about Liposuction

2,761 people and 781 doctors are talking about Liposuction

Get Free Email Updates

Is Medically Necessary Liposuction.. Ever Covered by Insurance?

asked 1 year ago by Humpty Bumpty in Los Molinos, CA
Latest answer by Robert L. Kraft, MD
Question viewed 1,066 times
Tags: abdomen, apple shape

I am 175, 5'6" I need lipo for my abdomen. I am not "slightly" apple shaped; I have size 6 legs and a size 16 belly. I feel it is medically necessary:

1) I have severe GERD & the weight around my midsection presses on my stomach. The GERD is always worse when I am sitting up & is often unbearable at work when I have to sit for long periods.

2) Two years ago I had vaginal reconstruction & the pressure is destroying the fix.

3) Losing weight will not correct the fat distribution. Ever covered?

24 answers to Is Medically Necessary Liposuction.. Ever Covered by Insurance?

+3

Liposuction is NEVER covered by insurances!

Liposuction has never been or ever will be covered by health insurances.  Some docs did it yrs ago under the disquise  of a tummy tuck or laparoscopy surgery but it was illegal. 
David Hansen, MD

Beverly Hills Dermatologic Surgeon

www.DrDavidHansen.com

+2

Liposuction not Covered by Insurance

Liposuction is not a means of weight loss and is not covered by insurance companies as it is deemed a cosmetic procedure. From El Paso.
Frank Agullo, MD

El Paso Plastic Surgeon

www.elpasoplasticsurgery.com

+2

Liposuction is not medically necessary

Liposuction is always done for the reasons you describe: Localized fat ccumulation that for whatever reason you can't get rid of. In your case you may have more than the usual difficulties trying to lose the fat, but your health insurance will categorically deny it regardless. From your description it sounds more likely that you would need a tummy tuck, but the same restriction applies re insurance.
Richard Baxter, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+2

Medically Necessary Liposuction?

Liposuction is never considered medically necessary.  If you decide to have liposuction, your insurance will not cover it.  If you are looking for weight loss surgery, then you may want to ask your primary care provider for a referral to a bariatric surgery clinic.  The bariatric surgeries are sometimes covered by insurance.  However, these are not cosmetic surgeries. Good luck.
David Shafer, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

+2

? Medically Necessary Liposuction

Liposuction is a type of body-contouring surgery.  It is best done in patients close to their ideal body weight who cannot achieve a reasonable shape despite appropriate diet and exercise.  It is not a procedure done for weight loss.  Even if an insurance company covered the surgery,  it is very questionable if you would have any significant relief  from your symptoms. 
Stephen Delia, M.D.

Boston Plastic Surgeon
+2

Liposuction through insurance is rare

Medical necessity for liposuction is very rare unless you have a very specialized policy. You can contact your claims administrator for help if you need an explanation of your insurance benefits. It does sound like weight loss is medically necessary and it is probably time to head to the gym. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd
Peter E. Johnson, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+2

No- Liposuction is cosmetic surgery for what you describe.

An insurance company pays for medically necessary procedures that improve the health of patients that are clinically proven. Reducing the weight of the abdominal wall has not been shown clinically to improve the health of a patient by  reducing the symptoms of Gerd nor   pressure on the pelvic area to my knowledge. Weight loss may improve these symptoms.
Walter D. Gracia, MD

Arlington Plastic Surgeon
+2

Liposuction and Health Insurance

Health Insurance companies today are a lot different and are very stringent on what they will and won't cover. I would suggest having a consultation and then submitting to your insurance company to see if they will approve you. Another thing to consider is what type of abdominal fat do you have, is it subcutaneous (under the skin) or intra-abdominal? Liposuction only works for subcutaneous fat. Intra-abdominal fat can only be addressed with diet and exercise
Bernard Shuster, MD

Hollywood Plastic Surgeon
+1

Non-cosmetic liposuction

There is no such thing as non-cosmetic liposuction. insurance companies consider any and all liposuction cosmetic and not medically necessary. You should see a gastroenterologist and pursue medical management of the GERD.
Robert L. Kraft, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Medically necessary liposuction?

I have never had an insurance company cover liposuction, no matter what the reasons are.  I suspect they would want you to try to explore other methods of weight loss first.   I'd also recommend seeing your GI specialist to see if anything else can be done for your troublesome GERD.   Best wishes,
Thomas Fiala, MD

Altamonte Springs Plastic Surgeon

www.plasticsurgeryinflorida.com

+1

Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure

I'm sure this is not the answer you were looking for but liposuction for your abdomen would not be covered by your insurance as they would consider it a cosmetic procedure.  You should explore all avenues to help you lose weight and reduce your abdominal bulge.  Liposuction is not and should not be used as a weight loss procedure.  The effort put into your weight loss may be difficult but is needed and will pay off in many other benefits as well.
Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD

Boston Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction is not a treatment for weight loss

Being overweight will not be corrected by liposuction. Once the surgery is done, you will regain weight if your calorie consumption and exercise regimen doesn't change. To say that losing weight will not redistribute the volume of fat is probably not correct. Once weight is reduced, and the fat diminishes, the shape will improve and your symptoms will be addressed. This will give you a long term solution to your problem. Seek consultation with a nutritionist to help guide you... more
Ronald Shelton, MD

Manhattan Dermatologist
+1

Liposuction

Liposuction is usually not covered by insurance, and it is not a way to loose weight.  My suggestion is to loose the weight first, then consider a procedure to correct what remains.
Shahin Javaheri, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction is not your answer

It sounds as if you would benefit from consultation with a Gastroenterologist for your GERD and Gynecologist for evaluation of your vaginal reconstruction.    If you are considering weight loss, liposuction is not the right solution.  It is not a weight loss method, but a contouring tool for local fat deposits.  It is not covered by any health insurance.   Many plastic surgeons offer healthcare financing, which can help make cosmetic procedures more affordable.... more
Paul S. Gill, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon

www.drpaulgill.com

+1

Liposuction coverage

Liposuction is consider cosmetic surgery and is not deemed medically necessary; hence, it is not covered by your insurance.
C. Bob Basu, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon
+1

Insurance coverage of liposuction.

The insurance company will not consider this an adequate reason to justify coverage of the procedure. If you have a human resources department, you may be able to take up your cause with them but your chances of success are minimal.
Otto Joseph Placik, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction isn't medically necessary even if you think so

You are not the determinant of whether a procedure is medically necessary or not.  What you nee to do is lose weight, not have liposuction.   It isn't easy but it is necessary.
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction and medical insurance

Liposuction is considered a cosmetic procedure most of the time. It is usually not covered by medical insurance, except in certain situations such as breast reconstruction after breast cancer. Additionally, liposuction is not a treatment for obesity. However, it might benefit your situation when combined with healthy diet and exercise.
Stanley Okoro, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

www.georgiaplastic.com

+1

Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity, and is not covered by insurance.

At 5'6" and 175 lbs., you are obese but not morbidly obese. Liposuction is not a treatment for weight loss, and is virtually never covered by any insurance plan for any reason, but certainly not for the abdominal fat you describe as contributing to your GERD, as well as problems with your vaginal repair. Unfortunately, unless you become morbidly obese, insurance does not cover weight loss surgery such as gastric bypass or lap band procedures, so you are in that gray zone where... more
Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS

Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction is NEVER covered by Medical Insurance

Regarding: "Is Medically Necessary Liposuction.. Ever Covered by Insurance? I am 175, 5'6" I need lipo for my abdomen. I am not "slightly" apple shaped; I have size 6 legs and a size 16 belly. I feel it is medically necessary: 1) I have severe GERD & the weight around my midsection presses on my stomach. The GERD is always worse when I am sitting up & is often unbearable at work when I have to sit for long periods. 2) Two years ago I had vaginal... more
Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction and insurance

Liposuction for the concerns that you have is  not covered by insurance. This is a self-pay procedure.
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction - covered by insurance

As the other physicians have stated - liposuction is not covered by insurance.  However, I recommend you see a surgeon for a consultation because depending on what your anatomy is, you may need a panniculectomy - where a section of fat and skin is removed - which is sometimes covered by insurance depending on the indications.  They can submit it to your insurance.   Dr .Cat Begovic M.D.
Catherine Huang-Begovic, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Sorry

Wish I could give you better news than my colleagues, but I have never ever heard of a case where liposuction was covered due to body dysproportionality.  Sorry, but liposuction is always a cosmetic procedure, EXCEPT when it is used for contouring after a reconstructive procedure for breast reconstruction after a mastectomy.  Even then it is almost impossible to get approved.
Steven Schuster, MD

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
+1

Medically covered LIPOSUCTION!

No, Nada, Nien, Never, Forgetaboutit, Some where over the rainbow. Sorry but I got carried away. Liposuction is deemed a cosmetic therapy that health insurance companies exclude in their coverage disclaimer. From MIAMI Dr. B
Darryl J. Blinski, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon

Ask a question