Would insurance cover a rhinoplasty after a car accident?

Hello.
Great question. I am sorry for your accident. Insurance usually cover nose jobs when it is regarding its function. I will suggest contacting your insurance provider for further details.

Your insurance will probably correct the breathing issues. On the appearance of the nose itself they may consider it cosmetic and therefore not pay for that part.  You can try to get authorization ahead of time but insurance companies are less likely to cover it than maybe twenty years ago. They may give you a hard time.

Hello and thank you for your question. Insurance will cover a septoplasty and functional breathing reconstruction.  Cosmetic changes require out-of-pocket charges.  Typically insurance would cover approximately half of the total cost of a rhinoplasty and septoplasty.  Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and not just a computer animation system.  You should be able to view numerous pictures of actual patients with noses similar to yours performed by your surgeon.  If you cannot find enough real before and after pictures, then consider continuing your search for a surgeon. Best wishes and good luck.


Richard G. Reish, M.D. FACS

Harvard-trained plastic surgeon
 

I have this question posed to me quite frequently.  Your surgeon can submit to insurance for your breathing issues but it is quite unlikely that insurance will cover you for your rhinoplasty.  Your surgeon will submit to insurance only to change the appearance of your nose in order to  restore the nose to its appearance prior to the most recent injury.   Any other changes that you would like to see to the appearance of your nose will likely be out of pocket.  

Hello and thank you for your question! I am sorry to hear that you were in a car accident and have some subsequent breathing difficulties. It is possible that insurance would help cover the cost of a procedure to correct breathing issues. They will not pay for any cosmetic procedure that will alter the appearance of the nose itself. I would recommend having a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss your concerns, explore your surgical options and find out what can be covered by insurance if anything. I hope this helps! Good luck. 

Hi and welcome to our forum!
Insurance carriers have become resistant to coverage of rhinoplasty. The carriers, however, still cover a septoplasty as it is of functional significance. In some instances, a crooked nose may by itself interfere with the nasal airway and coverage may be obtained in that circumstance. The cosmetic segment of the procedure is considered non functional and therefore will not be covered.
Expect ~50% coverage. It may be worth obtaining preauthorization for the upcoming procedure from your insurance carrier.Visit a board certified plastic surgeon for in-person evaluation and discussion.
Best wishes...

It is possible that a no fault carrier would pay for the breathing issues but require proof that the injury wasn’t a pre-existing condition. Neither such an insurer or a health care insurer would cover any cosmetic procedure.