If I Dont Have Insurance Can I Make Payments on Gynecomastia Surgery?

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons the average #cost of #gynecomastia surgery can vary widely. #Surgery quotes should include the procedure itself, operating room facilities, anesthesia fees, surgeon’s fees, medical tests, post-surgery garments, prescription medication and other related costs. Most plastic surgery offices offer convenient finance plans that allow patients to pay a low monthly payment. Costs will also vary with geographic location. Estimated costs can be found here on RealSelf.com, PlasticSurgery.org or Surgery.org.

It is imperative you select a plastic surgeon who is #board-certified and has a great deal of experience with male breast #reduction. Plastic surgeons who have specialized in breast surgery and cosmetic surgery are suitable to perform your procedure. Aside from checking board-certification, it is suggested that you look at before and after photos of the surgeons actual patients, and read patient reviews. Gathering all of this information will help you make a well-informed decision.

It would be highly unusual for insurance to cover common gynecomastia as is considered a cosmetic procedure by most. Care Credit and other groups offer finance for cosmetic procedures

Unfortunately insurance companies consider gynecomastia surgery an elective procedure and in most cases will not cover it. Most surgeons do not offer payment plans but many will be able to help you get a loan through Care Credit or a similar finance company. Good luck!

Hi NavyDawg89,Thanks for your post. Most plastic surgery practices will not accept payments after the fact. However, in my practice we allow patients to make payments over a period of months leading up to their surgery and then proceed with surgery once the payments have been made in full.  Other options are care credit and other financing companies that many plastic surgery offices offer to patients. Good luck!Sincerely,Dr. Dadvand

 Thank you for the question.
In our practice, we use Care Credit as well as other companies; they have been used by our patients with no problems.  They do have different rates so please make sure you get all of the information you need prior to signing up with any financing company.
Generally speaking, it is always in patients' best interests to achieve a certain degree of financial stability prior to undergoing elective surgery of any type. Patients should also keep in mind that additional surgery may be necessary in the short or long term, following the primary procedure that is being performed;  this additional surgery may be associated  out-of-pocket expenses. Again, best to achieve a physical, emotional, psychosocial, and financial “stable state” prior to considering elective plastic surgery. Best wishes.

Our office requires payments to me made in full prior to each patient's surgery. If a payment plan is the best option for the patient, we would recommend the patient to apply for Care Credit and we will accept this as payment.

Many men may experience discomfort with gynecomastia.  Unfortunately the surgery generally is not covered by insurance because it is considered cosmetic and not medically necessary. Some offices offer in-house financing while almost all offices offer financing through companies such as Care-Credit. Most doctors prefer the card be swiped about a week prior to surgery, while leaving you 6-36 months to pay off the surgery at your own leisure. Be sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon when scheduling surgery.

Insurance companies have been denying payment for gynecomastia as a cosmetic procedure for quite a few years so don't rush out to buy health insurance for this reason (although it is certainly a good thing to have for obvious reasons).  Many plastic surgeons will accept credit cards, Care Credit patient financing or allow you to "bank" money until the procedure is fully paid for but not to operate first and get paid after the fact.

Most plastic surgeons are not going to accept payments.  There are programs available, some with zero interest for one year such as Care Credit that are available if you want to finance your procedure. 

Many physicians offer financing, most commonly through CareCredit. You can find someone who does this at CareCredit.com. The procedure may be less expensive through a university, and some of them also offer financing. There is also the option of saving on a weekly or monthly basis into a dedicated account like you were making a car payment and then using the money for the surgery. This is not as immediate but avoids the finance charges.