Can My Insurance Pay for Bump Removal on My Nose During Surgery for My Deviated Septum?

Insurance companies are getting sneakier all the time. Only the portion of the operation involving functional medical necessity wil be covered. Correcting that little bump can take much longer in the OR than repairing the deviated septum. For generations, insurers paid enough for the deviated septums to cover the cosmetic work and now the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. The allowance for the septum is so low as to be laughable ($750 for example). So, you would be better advised to find a board certified plastic surgeon with whom you are comfortable and to contemplate a fee for service procedure which will, when you crunch the numbers, be less expensive and more productive in terms of your goals.

 

Dear Maribell:

 

Every health insurance plan is different, but most will provide coverage for rhinoplasty and/or septoplasty surgery performed to relieve nasal obstruction caused by a deviated septum.

 

Unfortunately, changing the appearance of your nose (eg. removing a bump) is considered cosmetic in nature and therefore not covered by insurance.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Warmest wishes,

Larry Fan, MD