I have a ruptured silicone breast implant and would like them removed. On medicare disability. What should I do?

Unfortunately, it is not likely that any insurance will pay for implant removal and associated procedures. You should have a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon and check what financial options thay may have available. Good luck.

Hello, thank you for your question. I am sorry to hear about your ruptured silicone breast implant. Please see the attached video to discuss your question. Ruptured implants may be considered medically necessary for removal in terms of insurance. Consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon to evaluate your situation and plan the surgery. If you have any questions about specific Medicare rules or need assistance navigating the process, you might consider contacting Medicare customer service or a patient advocate to clarify the details specific to your situation.

I would suggest meeting with surgeons at a plastic surgery training facility to have your implants removed at usually a much lower cost. Most of these surgeons have completed 5 years of general surgery first and are supervised.

This is often the case when implants are placed for cosmetic reasons, insurance will not cover that. There are opportunities for saving, payment, plans, and other routes to save the money for removal. Often insurance plans will not cover the service those some of them cover it for rupture or capsular contracture. If you cannot get it approved, then sadly, the cost of removal will fall to the patient. However, consider it an opportunity to invest in a lift or mastopexy at the same time, given the fact that, without the volume of the implant, she will likely have more droop to the breast. Happy to help in any way we can.

You should contact your implanting surgeon to inquire which implant was used. Some companies have financial assistance to aid in having the procedure performed. There are also finance companies which approve you for medical, dental and veterinarian services (Carecredit, Alpheon, Icare, Unite Medical).
Best wishes,
Dr. Taranow

You may want to explore companies that specialize in financing for medical procedures. Some examples are CareCredit, Alphaeon Credit, and PatientFi. Check with your surgeon to see which financing plans are accepted there.