Is BII real and can insurance pay to remove implants?

While it is true that there is no association between breast implants and autoimmune disease, it is also true that many women with the symptoms that they attribute to the condition experience improvement after the implants are removed. There is no specific test for the condition so it would not be recognized by insurance companies.

I personally believe that BII is real but extremely unlikely following breast augmentation. When a woman develops many of the symptoms of BII and has seen several doctors without a diagnosis, implant removal is the last option. I have performed many explants with capsulectomies (en bloc) and have found that over half of these patients have improvement in their symptoms. It is rare for insurance to cover this operation since the original surgery was cosmetic.

Yes, Breast Implant Illness (BII) is real. Although the FDA does not have a specific diagnosis for BII yet, many signs and symptoms are linked BII.

Hello @ivrn1, thank you for your question. Yes, BII or Breast Implant Illness is real. It is a group of symptoms related to the autoimmune response of the organism. It causes, in some people, an autoinflammatory response that affects different systems of the organism and generates a variety of symptoms. The illness is caused by silicon, a foreign substance in the body. In some women, this breast implant illness results in an autoinflammatory response, which affects different body systems and generates a range of symptoms. The thing about explant is that after patients have undergone surgery they star to feel better, their symptoms start reducing so at that time we can say that the patient had BII. Here is a video that sheds more light on the topic. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS. American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS), International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science” Member (IFATS), Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery member (SCCP).

It seems to be real for some patients, fortunately very few. Removal of implants, with or without BII symptoms (it is very hard to prove it with any lab tests) does not seem to be covered with insurance. However, you may try. Good luck.

Dear ivrn1,
it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Hello there. BII is real and your symptoms are real. I have seen patients' symptoms improve after removal of implants. I have never seen implant removal for BII be covered under insurance. However, in some cases removal of implants can be done under local anesthesia. Good luck!

Thank you for this question, and it is a very good one. I think the hardest part about this question is that evidence still needs to be gathered, analyzed, and understood, and generalized, so that an appropriate scientific determination can be made about the diagnosis known as BII. What is important is that you have symptoms. And, these symptoms are specific to you. If removing implants relieves some of your symptoms, then this is an individual win. It is difficult to back the reproducibility of this with science at this time, however, focusing on you and your goals, should be the concern of your surgeon. Removal is safe and can also be combined with a breast lift for an aesthetic result. It is my hope that you start to feel better with whatever choice you proceed with. We are happy to help in any way we can.

For some women, they do get relief once the implants are removed, but many more see no change. Most insurance companies still do not cover removal of implants since it was an elective cosmetic procedure. If the implants are ruptured and gels, the companies might cover removal only.

There is no specific test for BII. It is categorized by a group of vague symptoms that may be related to breast implants. Some patients who elect to have their implants removed report improvement or complete resolution of symptoms. It does not seem to be a covered benefit under insurance to have them removed. I've included a video that addresses removal and BII that I hope you find helpful.