Can Insurance Cover a Nose Job IF Your Nose is Affecting Your Health?

Insurance often covers nasal surgery to improve breathing or repair fractures of the nose. However, insurance will not cover any procedures to cosmetically improve your nose. That is not considered a covered benefit under any insurance policy, unfortunately.

Stephen Weber MD, FACS

Unfortunately, there's no insurance plan I know of that will cover rhinoplasty performed for cosmetic reasons, no matter how much distress your nose causes you.  You can certainly try calling your carrier about this, but be prepared to be turned down.

What I might suggest you do is start a "nose job fund" and begin saving for the procedure.  Many patients handle the cost of plastic surgery this way.  If you're as serious as it sounds like you are, you might be surprised how much you can save by making little changes in your daily routines.  You might also consider financing part of surgery to get there even faster.  It's not a bad idea to schedule a consultation with a rhinoplasty expert soon.  You just might feel even more motivated after meeting a qualified plastic surgeon.

Elliot Jacobs, M.D.
New York Plastic Surgeon

As a rule, insurance covers only functional nasal problems: breathing difficulties, snoring, nasal obstruction, etc.  The cosmetic improvements are not covered, inspite of the fact that they may affect you socially and emotionally.  Hypothetically, if you do have a diagnosed psychiatric condition for which you have been treated by a psychiatrist, and the cause of this condition could be traced to your unsattisfaction with your nasal appearance, then you could have probably made a case.  But it is hard to prove, would involve a letter from a psychiatrist, probably multiple letters from a surgeon to the insurance company -- and all this without a guarantee that it would be approved.  Your best bet is to save some money and do it the right way.  There are always finance options available...