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When is a Body Lift Covered by Insurance?

asked 3 years ago by anon
Latest answer by Chad K. Wheeler, MD
Question viewed 6,333 times
Tags: costs, insurance

I understand that most of the time, body lift surgery isn't covered by medical insurance, but in certain cases it is. What are the normal criteria for having a body lift paid for by insurance?

23 answers to When is a Body Lift Covered by Insurance?

+1

Body Lift

Out of the over 100 total body lift that I have done, none were covered by an insurance company. However removal of the pannis (loose abdominal fat and skin) can sometimes be covered by an insurance if the medical criteria of the insurance carrier is met.
Siamak Agha, MD, PhD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon

www.drsiamakagha.com

+4

Insurance Coverage For Body Lifts

In the Seattle area there are very few insurance companies that will pay for body lifts. If you are hoping to get help with insurance, first check your benefits booklet or place a call to your company to inquire. If it is a covered service, they will often give you the criteria they use. With that information you may strategize how to get the doculmentation they require to preauthorize in your behalf. Do not waste your time if it is not a covered benefit, no matter how... more
Mary Lee Peters, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

www.maryleepetersmd.com

+3

Insurance: The exception and not the rule

Insurance companies are making their approval criteria for panniculectomies more and more stringent. Careful documentation and care from a primary cary physician are often required. 10 years ago, almost all body contouring procedures after massive weight loss were covered by insurance. As the popularity of bariatric surgery increased, so did the requests for post-bariatric body contouring. Insurance companies took note of this and became more selective on their approval process... more
William A. Wallace, MD, FACS

Jacksonville Plastic Surgeon
+3

Insurance coverage for Body Lift

Generally speaking, insurance companies will not pay for a total body lift, but may pay for parts of it. Insurance companies will only pay for procedures they (not your doctors) have determined are "medically necessary", and often have strict criteria for each procedure to be covered. Each plan is different, but sometimes you can find requirements for coverage online depending on your carrier. Also note that "total body lift" includes different things depending on the... more
Anita Patel, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+2

Insurance coverage for body lift

As a rule, insurance companies will not cover a lower body lift. Components of the procedure may be covered however. These include panniculectomy and possible hernia repair. Incisional hernia is much less common since more weightless surgery is being performed laparoscopically. A determination as to whether the panniculectomy is covered can only be made on the basis of clinical evaluation followed by an application to your insurance company. A useful... more
Glynn Bolitho, PhD, MD, FACS

San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.bolithomd.com

+2

Body Lift and Insurance Coverage

A body lift is generally not covered by insurance as it is deemed cosmetic surgery.  However, a panniculectomy (removal of an apron of excess skin hanging below the waist) may be covered if you have documentation of skin rashes, infections or other problems.  Usually, insurance companies require medical documentation of these problems persisting for at least six months.  You need to check with your insurance company to find out the details.  So although a body lift... more
C. Bob Basu, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon

www.basuplasticsurgery.com

+1

Body lifts are not covered by insurance

A body lift is generally not covered by insurance. The most they cover is sometimes a panniculectomy. This involves removing the over hanging skin of the lower abdomen only which can be a deforming operation as the excess tissue on the sides is left in place and the belly button is removed. This is a functional operation to decrease fungal infections and allow the patient to see the genital area for hygiene purposes. A panniculectomy is not a cosmetic operation so... more
Chad K. Wheeler, MD

Spokane Plastic Surgeon
+1

Body LIft covered by Insurance

Thank you for your question. Each insurance company is different with their criteria regarding approving certain procedures. It has gotten more difficult for patients to get insurance to authorize this type of surgery. I would suggest that you visit with a board certified plastic surgeon to get the best advice possible. Best Wishes!
Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+1

Insurance

In my experience, insurance will not cover the costs of a body lift but may cover the removal of excess overlapping skin in the waist if it leads to frequent infections. This is given a diagnosis of panniculitis and may cover about 10% of the whole procedure. Jacksonville prices range from 10- 13 thousand dollars depending upon overnight requirements.
Timothy Fee, MD

Jacksonville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Body lift and insurance

A full body lift is usually n ever covered, On occasion a panniculectomy is covered which has to be well documented by medical doctors for rashes,etc..
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Body lift covered by insurance

a "body lift" by definition is not an insurance covered procedure because lifting your body is a cosmetic procedure.  Sometimes removing the excess skin of the abdomen can be covered if it is causing medical problems.  The challenge is to convey to an insurance company what is "needed" and what is "wanted". Good luck Dr. Korman
Josh Korman, MD

Monterey Plastic Surgeon
+1

Body Lift is not generally Covered by Insurance

The term "Body Lift" refers a cosmetic procedure that is generally not covered by insurance. Other surgeons have described insurance coverage criteria. Hope this helps Nick Slenkovich MD, FACS
Nick Slenkovich, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon
+1

Insurance Coverage for Body Lift

You will have to have documented skin infections in areas where you have excess skin.  Usually this will be the abdomen and sometimes the inner thighs.  Removal of skin is usually only covered if those conditions exist for some period of time. In the video link below (video at top of page) I talk about insurance coverage and my book for weight loss patients. see video
John LoMonaco, MD

Houston Plastic Surgeon

www.DrLoMonaco.com

+1

Body lifts might be covered by insurance

Body lift surgeries are generally not covered by insurance.  The best course of action is to contact your insurance company and request a copy of the criteria they use to determine eligibility for the procedure you are considering.  A platic surgeon experienced in body contouring surgery and post bariatric body contouring will be able to tell you if you might qualify to have all or part of your procedure covered by insurance.
Sanjiv Kayastha, MD

Albany Plastic Surgeon
+1

Will my Body Lift be covered by my insurance?

Hi there- Body lift surgery, like all other cosmetic procedures, is NEVER covered by insurance. I wish I could tell you differently, but unfortunately your insurance company doesn't care how much skin you have. In our office we have spent many hours pleading on behalf of our patients, but I can tell you our pleas fall on deaf ears, and I now consider these efforts a severe waste of time. You should be congratulated for losing the weight, and if you have excess skin should know that body... more
Armando Soto, MD

Orlando Plastic Surgeon
+1

Body Lift could be partially covered by insurance

In my practice, it is a very hard approval to obtain and depends on the individual health plan. In general the only portions that could be covered are the panniculectomy and hernia repair if present. For this to be approved the diagnosis must include a fucntional problem e.g reccurent infection, pain etc...
Hisham Seify, MD, PhD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Body Lift is never covered by insurance

A Body Lift is NEVER covered by Medical Insurance. I THINK you are confusing it with a Panniculectomy, the removal of loose tummy skin without tightening of the muscles or translocation of the belly button. A Body Lift = Buttock Lift + Lateral Thigh lifts (both sides) + Abdominoplasty An Abdominoplasty (Full Tummy Tuck) , which also is a cosmetic procedure, involves peeling the tummy skin off the entire front abdominal muscles, tightening the muscles and repairing the divide (diastasis)... more
Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Insurance Coverage for Body Lift

Insurance companies cover medically indicated procedures, not cosmetic procedures. Body lift after massive weight loss follows specific criteria as described by your individual insurance policy. If you feel you are a candidate for a medically functional procedure, discuss this with our office or your insurance company and you are entitled to proceed with an authorization appeal if the procedure is denied.
Raffy Karamanoukian, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Some portions of the bodylift procedure may be covered

Insurance companies will likely not pay for your entire bodylift outright. Although it is usually a cosmetic operation, some portions of the procedure that need to be done as a component of, or concurrently with, the bodylift may be covered benefits under your insurance plan. Examples of medically indicated procedures are: 1) Panniculectomy. 2) Abdominal Hernia Repair. 3) Repair of disfiguring scarring from trauma or previous surgery.
Kevin Brenner, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Real body lift isn't covered by insurance

Hello, Lesser procedures like simple removal of the hanging abdominal apron (panniculectomy) are sometimes covered by health insurance. They do not give results anywhere as nice as a true tummy tuck and for that reason I do not recommend them. Be careful if you move in this direction as you cannot easily convert a panniculectomy to a real tummy tuck later.
John P. Di Saia, MD

Orange Plastic Surgeon
+1

Insurance Body Lift

Insurance companies will cover a procedure it consider to be medically necessary. One of the procedures that some insurance companies will cover is called a "panniculectomy". This is an operation to remove the hanging apron of skin over the lower abdomen. This is often covered if their is documented recurrent rashes, dermatitis, limitation of function, etc. A panniculectomy however is not a 'tummy tuck' nor is it a body lift. The latter two have cosmetic indications but rarely... more
Nirav Savalia, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

Body Lift never covered by insurance

A body lift is a cosmetic surgical procedure for which there is no medical indication. If your insurance excludes cosmetic procedures, which most do, then trying to bill them for a body lift would possibly be fraudulent. Of course, there are surgical procedures that are indicated for problems such as rashes, infections, etc., but they do NOT include body lifts. Good luck, Randy.
Brian K. Brzowski, MD

Salt Lake City Plastic Surgeon
+1

You should check with your insurance

All insurances are different. The best plan is to call your own insurance company and ask them directly if they cover body lifting at all, and if so, under what circumstances. If they do cover it, this will not be because of cosmetic reasons but rather because of a medically necessary indication like chronic skin infections under the hanging skin rolls.
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

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