Insurance Coverage for Rhinoplasty for Breathing Problems?

It would be best to have an evaluation by someone versed in both functional and esthetic nose problems. In most cases, your symptoms should be treated with prescription medication before you consider surgery for a functional breathing problem. This may be all you need to breath better. If your symptoms are not significantly better, you may benefit from undergoing some type of functional nasal surgery. This includes procedures like septoplasty, spreader graft placement, batten graft placement, and inferior turbinate reduction or submucous resection. In still other cases, you may need to have your sinuses evaluated as well. There is usually very specific documentation and language required to be submitted by your surgeon to the insurance company.

A rhinoplasty is not performed for breathing problems out of the nose. This is called a septoplasty. Sometimes turbinates can be trimmed and adjusted at the same time to improve airflow dynamics through the nose. A rhinoplasty is performed for cosmetic purposes and is not billed to an insurance company. Any cosmetic change in shape to the nose is paid for by the patient. Any medically related breathing problems could be covered by medical insurance.