Is botox for bells palsy cosmetic or medical?

Botox for Bell's Palsy can be covered by an insurance provider. This needs to be pre-approved. I recommend contacting your insurer. I hope this helps.- Dr. Bryson Richards

This can probably be covered by your insurance provider, as it would be classified as medical. Please ask your provider.

Botox can help improve symmetry after Bell's palsy and the coverage really depends on your particular insurance policy. Speak to the medical director of the insurance if you have any issues. Best, Dr. Karamanoukian Los Angeles

Botox can sometimes be covered if done by a neruologist and there is prior approval.  Typically in my practice my patients pay and try to get reimbursed after the fact because they dont want to wait so long for approval (if it ever happens).  Best, Dr. Emer.

I think your question is whether insurance will cover the Botox treatment? In some cases, they will but this requires pre-authorization through your insurance company. I hope this information is helpful for you.Stephen Weber MD, FACSDenver Facial Plastic Surgeon

Hi Peggy, Botox for Bells Palsy may be preauthorized by some insurance providers and therefore can be considered to be a medical procedure.

Neurologists are learning to use Botox to balance the deformity of the face following Bell's palsy.Done by a neurologist, these treatments should be covered by your medical insurance. 

While Botox cannot treat Bell's palsy, it can create symmetry by weakening muscles on the contralateral side, giving a more symmetrical look.While this would certainly seem like a medically indicated procedure, insurance companies are tricky in what they authorize.One argument an insurance company could have is that the Botox does not treat the actual Bell's palsy, and, hence, it is not beneficial to treat the medical condition.A counterargument would be that surgery has been done and paid for in the past for corrective procedures on the opposite side from Bell's palsy for the same purpose.In this case, written preauthorization is mandatory if attempting to get insurance to pay for the procedure.One of the challenges this places on the doctor is the insurance company may very well pay for the injections.Reimbursement for injections is minimal, usually only a small fraction of the cost of the Botox medication itself.Should the insurance company fail or make it difficult for the provider to be reimbursed for his or her cost of the actual Botox, the provider could lose a substantial amount of money.There are many neurologists and other specialists that treat headaches with Botox with insurance compensation.Many of these doctors also perform other Botox-type treatments and are quite talented.Perhaps find a neurologist who does this kind of work since they will be much more familiar with insurance authorization for Botox treatments. They are also the ones who, for the most part, treat and manage Bell's palsy, so you probably already have a neurologist who may be able to refer you to someone else.Best of luck,Mats Hagstrom, M.D.

Botox for medical purposes is different. 1. It requires pre-authorization from your insurance company, always. 2. Only specific types of doctors can do these injections, not all doctors can. 3. To bill for insurance the charges are often outrageous simply because the doctor actually has to recoup appropriate fees. So, for some neurology-type injections I've seen bills of $3000 and up. Whereas, as a cosmetic provider, I may have charged closer to $550 for the exact same treatment areas. Sometimes, especially with new insurance plans and medical costs rising, patients may end up with better pricing for some treatments to see a cosmetic doctor instead.... But it all depends on what you are needing treatment for. "This answer has been solicited without seeing this patient and
cannot be held as true medical advice, but only opinion. Seek in-person
treatment with a trained medical professional for appropriate care."