Will medicaid cover a breast lift after weight loss if I have hidradenitis suppurativa?

Hello, thank you for your question. Typically, insurance will not pay for a lift. At best, you might qualify to excise the problem areas.

Dear Compassionate856730,
breast lift is considered an elective procedure so the insurance won't cover it. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Medicaid will cover direct excision of the involved tissue with hidradentitis, but will not cover a full lift. They will not cover raising the areolae and nipples up to a better position. You might ask your primary physician to refer you to a plastic surgeon so you can be examined and discuss your options.

They most likely will! There are two ways it could be covered. First, if your hidradenitis is on the bottom part of your breast, this is the tissue that is usually removed in a breast lift or breast reduction anyways. Medicaid will definitely cover the excision of hidradenitis tissue, so if that is your diseased area it will be covered. The other way is to have it covered as a small breast reduction, which uses the same incisions as a breast lift. One of the covered reasons for a reduction is rash or infection that persists despite medical treatment. Because you will not need much volume removed, it may take a bit of back and forth with the insurance company, but you will most likely be able to get it covered one way or the other. Medicaid usually requires prior authorization before you can get a procedure, so your doctor should submit your case and let you know for sure whether it is approved or not beforehand.