Is it possible to have a breast reduction and have implants? Could I get my insurance to pay for the reduction portion?

You should first meet with a surgeon and have a predetermination of benefits letter submitted to your insurance carrier. Based on miscellaneous cirterai they will either conditionally approve or disapprove the surgery. You can then establish a payment plan wiht your surgeon regarding the uncovered portion of the procedure.

Yes a lift with or without reduction and implants are a great combination. Unless you are preapproved for a breast reduction (usually 500 g or more which your photos don't seem to support) with multiple documented functional problems it will be difficult at best for insurance to cover this procedure.

You want a breast augmentation-mastopexy, a LIFT with implants.  Reduction is the opposite of augmentation, and NEVER are the two indicated at the same operation.

Hi there-

Generally speaking, and under very particular circumstances, it is possible to perform a limited reduction of breast tissue in conjunction with placement of implants.

It is very important to understand however, that the indications for this would be very narrow and your candidacy for this option would depend not only on your goal, but also heavily on your anatomy. In other words, whether this would be in your best interests or not is a much more complicated answer....

Your best bet is to find a surgeon you like and feel you can trust before spending much more time trying to identify the procedure you think you want... Going into a new Doctor/Patient relationship with firm ideas about the operation you think you want because of what you were advised on the Web (by people who haven't formally examined you) will only unnecessarily complicate your experience and possibly compromise your outcome.

The very best advice I (or anyone else) could give you would be to find a great surgeon, communicate your goals, listen to the options offered, and decide with them what is best for you. Only someone with the combination of our education, training, experience, and a thorough knowledge of your starting anatomy and your goals will be able to responsibly advise you on the best options for you.

A combination of a lift  and an augmentation is a very common procedure. A small reduction of the existing breast tissue can be performed at the same procedure when indicated. In that case, the implant is being used as a shape preservation device, not for increased breast size or volume. The implant preserves the upper pole fullness that is generally lost fairly quickly when lifts are performed without an implant. Insurance dose not cover these procedures. For a breast reduction to be covered by insurance, a very significant down-sizing of the breast has to occur.

Since your breasts are only excessively long and not heavy you would most likely not qualify for a breast reduction.  You have a generalized lack of upper pole fullness.  It would be worthwhile for your to consider a breast lift with a breast augmentation otherwise you will not be left with much upper pole fullness.  It would be possible for you to have a vertical type lift, an shifting of the ptotic breast tissue creating an auto-augmentation effect without the use of an implant.  If you are happy with the current size of your breasts, when in a bra, then this would be a second option.  

Hello,

While I can see how this might make sense to you, it is a case very likely to be denied by health insurance adjusters leaving you with a large liability. I would encourage you to just call this what it is...a full breast lift plus implant operation.

 

Best Regards,

 

John Di Saia MD

It is very possible to reduce the volume of your breasts (which as they age tend to concentrate volume at the bottom) with the replacement of volume (through an implant) at the upper aspect of the breast.  A reduction/lift alone does not achieve what a implant can in terms of shape and upper pole fullness.  As for insurance coverage, you would need to discuss the details with your surgeon and provider as there are specifics that you need to meet to be approved.  Paying for elective cosmetic procedures at the time of insurance based procedure is possible, however.

Best of luck

Vincent Marin, MD, FACS

La Jolla Plastic Surgeon

It is true that breast implants will give the breast a firmer fill and a supported rounder upper fill. The problem with the logic is that reduction and placement of a breast implant is no longer breast reduction, but a breast lift and augmentation. True, insurance will provide coverage for breast reduction in many cases and you can complete your reduction (and the lift reduction provides) if benefits will apply, though you probably should wait until after the reduction to decide if you even need the implant at all.

Best of luck,

peterejohnsonmd

If you wnat  more volume , you would need a lift and an implant placed to fill the breasts out.  Insurance will not cover this surgery.