Will insurance pay for inverted nipples with sagging breasts?

It is very rare for any health insurance to pay for cosmetic surgery. Inverted nipples that occur with ptosis (sagging breast) may be nicely corrected with a breast lift or Mastopexy. For patients undergoing breast reconstruction, insurance companies will pay for a Mastopexy on the opposite side to correct for asymmetry. Other than this situation, it is unlikely that they would pay for the procedure you are inquiring about. Good luck.

Insurance doesn't usually cover the cost of a breast lift or inverted nipple correction, however you should contact your insurance provider to find out if yours is covered. If it is, it would have to be deemed medically necessary.

In my experience, insurance companies do not pay for breast lift procedures nor do they cover inverted nipple repair unless you have a liberally interpreted medical savings account plan.

Sagging of the breast is call ptosis. While it may make you unhappy this condition does not cause risk to your life or health. As such it is a cosmetic problem and health insurance does not cover cosmetic surgery.

The correction of inverted nipples is not usually a covered procedure.  You can call your insurance company and ask to speak with a claims representative and make the inquiry yourself.  The surgery for an inverted nipple is usually very simple and can be performed under local anesthesia as an outpatient. 

Thank you for the question.

Correction of inverted nipples and/or breast lifting surgery are not procedures generally covered by health insurance plans.

Some information regarding inverted nipple  surgery may be helpful...

Inverted nipples can cause functional problems for women and emotional concerns. An inverted nipple can look flat or a slit like depression or hole at the normal nipple location. There are different degrees of inverted nipples possible. Whether a patient is a candidate for correction of inverted nipples  depends on the  extent of the problem.

Usually correction of the inverted nipples involve division  of the lactiferous (milk ducts). The risks  of the procedure include potential loss of sensation, inability to breast-feed, recurrence of the asymmetry and the potential need for further surgery.

My advice to patients go something like this...  If the nipple is permanently inverted and does not evert  with stimulation, then it is a useless nipple  when it comes to sensitivity and/or breast-feeding. In these  cases correction of inversion is indicated (because the potential gains outweigh the risks outlined above).  On the other hand, if the nipple does evert  spontaneously with  or without stimulation,  then I am more reluctant to perform the procedure given that the risks may outweigh the potential benefits.  At that point, the decision is the patient's to make after careful consideration.

I hope this helps

Both these diagnoses are considered cosmetic and insurance will not pay for either surgery. This would be a fee for service procedure as there is no functional necessity involved.

It is hard enough to get a formal breast reduction covered by insurance. I would be extremley surprised if an insurance company would cover basically a breast lift and inverted nipple repair.

Medical Insurance plans do not pay for Cosmetic Surgery (intended to improve a normal appearance). Inmany cases, they have a hard time paying for Reconstructive Plastic Surgery (intended to either return appearance or function back to normal from where birth defects, disease on injury have put them).
A sagging breast does not fall in this category and if you want to make them more perky and attractive you will have to personally fully pay for it.
Dr. Aldea

If your insurance covers cosmetic problems  -- then it might pay 00 but dont expect it to. Call the company and ask them.