I'm a 21-year-old male, on antibiotics every 2-3 weeks for the infections that get very bad and painful without treatment. I also have extreme body hair that has prevented swimming or other activities in public since middleschool. Will insurance (BCBS Georgia) cover the treatment for any reason? If not, is it still a viable treatment and good route to go, and how do I go about it?
April 10, 2012
Answer: Laser hair removal for pseudofolliculitis barbae
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
April 10, 2012
Answer: Laser hair removal for pseudofolliculitis barbae
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
Answer: Laser hair removal NOT covered by insurance There are several reasons why laser hair removal is not covered by insurance. The first is 99% of the hair removal is cosmetic. I know everyone feels their problem is the worst, but braces and large noses are not covered either.Second, there is no CPT code, or billing code for the procedure. That means that unscrupulous companies can state they will cover the procedure and mail a check for $20 and expect the doctor to accept that in full. The companies can make up the price since there is no code and no reasonable and customary charge (which in itself is another debate) and thus it is cheaper for them to say we will cover it, and mail a low amount, than spend the time contesting it. Physicians learned the hard way after trying to help patients they were being ripped off. Since the laser hair removal market is NOT like the overcharged drug company market or outrageous hospital bills, and the market has multiple NON doctor laser hair clinics competing, the market price is very fair and not excessive.Some of the "insurance" type cases take two staff members an hour of time, on a $150,000 laser, that requires an annual $7000 service contract, and office overhead that is another $100 an hour and somehow a $20 or $40 payment is supposed to be reasonable. Thus it costs at least $200 to provide the service and a $40 payment is not going to cover that, and thus no one can do laser hair under insurance knowingly.
Helpful
Answer: Laser hair removal NOT covered by insurance There are several reasons why laser hair removal is not covered by insurance. The first is 99% of the hair removal is cosmetic. I know everyone feels their problem is the worst, but braces and large noses are not covered either.Second, there is no CPT code, or billing code for the procedure. That means that unscrupulous companies can state they will cover the procedure and mail a check for $20 and expect the doctor to accept that in full. The companies can make up the price since there is no code and no reasonable and customary charge (which in itself is another debate) and thus it is cheaper for them to say we will cover it, and mail a low amount, than spend the time contesting it. Physicians learned the hard way after trying to help patients they were being ripped off. Since the laser hair removal market is NOT like the overcharged drug company market or outrageous hospital bills, and the market has multiple NON doctor laser hair clinics competing, the market price is very fair and not excessive.Some of the "insurance" type cases take two staff members an hour of time, on a $150,000 laser, that requires an annual $7000 service contract, and office overhead that is another $100 an hour and somehow a $20 or $40 payment is supposed to be reasonable. Thus it costs at least $200 to provide the service and a $40 payment is not going to cover that, and thus no one can do laser hair under insurance knowingly.
Helpful
