Can I combine my insurance covered umbilical hernia repair with a mini tummy tuck? (photos)

Dear cheyennebendriss,a small umbilical hernia is something that can be fixed during a tummy tuck procedure. I routinely repair these during my tummy tuck procedures. Not everyone feels comfortably repairing these however. Make sure to follow up with your plastic surgeon.Daniel Barrett, MD, MHA, MS 
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery  
Member, Am. Society of Plastic Surgery

In most instances, a TT can be performed after umbilical hernia repair while preserving the belly button.  The TT will not be covered by insurance, but hernia repair typically is (though the reimbursement is pathetic). You will be responsible for the deductible.As a bodybuilder, I have a lot of models, fitness competitors, and bodybuilders.  You can have a low short scar TT that is the same length as that of the mini TT.  While the mini TT is less invasive, it also isn’t as comprehensive as the full TT. A short-scar TT, however, offers double the amount of loose skin and fat removal that a mini offers.Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

Yes it is possible to combine an umbilical hernia repair with a mini tummy tuck. You will first need to visit with a board certified plastic surgeon for an evaluation and discussion of your concerns to determine the right procedures for you.

You will need to discuss this with your insurance company. Some companies are very strict and will cover nothing if an elective cosmetic procedure is done. If it is covered with the tuck, your company only will cover the OR time and anesthesia time needed to repair the hernia and not for the tuck. Your company will ask for the operative note and will know what was done in surgery. Usually, it is best to do these two separately.

Thanks for your question.  As my colleagues have suggested, the procedures are commonly performed during the same operation.  This approach has several advantages.  Recovery and social down time is reduced compared to two isolated procedures.   Your pre-operative physical exam and lab work may be a covered service.  In addition, the time in the OR dedicated to the hernia repair, as well as the time to put you to sleep, likely would be covered by insurance, as well as part of the anesthesia professional fees.  The tricky thing can be finding a general surgeon and plastic surgeon whose schedules will permit them to coordinate your procedure.  You may want to search out a plastic surgeon who earned Board Certified in General Surgery before getting Board Certified in Plastics, so that both procedures can be performed by the same provider.  Best of luck!

Thank you for your photo. Insurance companies can cover hernia repairs, however they will not cover the cosmetic portion of your procedure for the mini-tummy tuck including the surgeon's fee and the operating room fees during the times which are used for the tummy tuck. Coordinating the two procedures can be done through your plastic surgeon's office and they can be able to better give you a breakdown of the estimated costs for both part of the surgery. Hope this helps!Johnson C. Lee, MD Plastic Surgery@drjohnsonlee 

Yes, these procedures can be combined especially if the hernia is small. Large hernias may best best fixed in a separate procedure to minimize the risk of compromising blood supply to the belly button. Your insurance will not cover the tummy tuck surgeon fee, nor the portion of your anesthesia fee or facility fee that is attributable to the time spent on the tummy tuck in the operating room. Many outpatient facilities have blended cash/insurance rates that allow them to properly bill for only the insurance component to the insurance and bill the remainder to the patient for self-pay. These may include ambulatory surgery centers that are owned by hospitals or privately owned ones as well. When you consult with board certified plastic surgeons, ask whether a combined insurance/cosmetic billing option is available in the facilities where the surgeon operates. This is very common for things like this as well as for combined functional/aesthetic rhinoplasty. You may be a candidate for a shorter scar tummy tuck but only physical exam in the office can determine that.

Yes, we would bill you insurance after a pre-authorization for the umbilical hernia repair and that would not only cover that portion but the time it took for the operating room and anesthesia fee. Then, the remaining cosmetic portion would be your responsibility. We also now do offer excellent verry low cost financing as well as in house financing if you do not qualify. Dr. Edward Jonas Domanskis is Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
1441 Avocado Avenue, Suite 307
Newport Beach, California 92660
949.640-6324/1.888.234-5080(Ca)
FAX- 949.640-7347 Assistant Clinical Professor of SurgeryWOS-Plastic,University of California (Irvine)
Orange County’s Physician of Excellence/America’s Top Physicians/Top Doctors
Plastic Surgery- 2005-2017
President,American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons 
Organoderm Skin care/ScaRxTape