How much will it save me on my cost for rhinoplasty, with Medicaid covering septoplasty? Rough estimate out of pocket (Photos)

Hi, thanks for the questions.  Performing a rhinoplasty at the same time of the septoplasty is a common practice.  There will be a cost savings to you but it will depend on the facility and a number of other factors.  Please consult with a board certified plastic surgeon.  She or he will examine you and go over the details of what needs to be done to create the nose you are looking for.  You should be able to get an idea of the costs and savings you can expect by combining the two procedures. Good luck!Sincerely,Dr. Michelle Spring

Hi trishyy1234,Thanks for your question. I perform many rhinoplasty procedures at the same time as a septoplasty.  You are correct that doing the procedures at the same time is smart.  Performing them together will often save $2000 to $3000.  Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns! 

Functional nasal surgery such as a septoplasty is performed in the back of the nose and will not change the shape of it. There will be three fees submitted to your medical insurance, operating room, anesthesia, and surgeon's fees. Co-pays and deductibles will still apply. A rhinoplasty procedure  is performed to change the shape of the nose such as narrowing and straightening the bridge line,  refining the nasal tip, and shaving down the dorsal hump. There will also be three fees associated with that procedure which included operating room, anesthesia, and surgeon's fees. The Rhinoplasty will take much longer than the septoplasty procedure, since it is much more difficult. Rhinoplasty is one of the most difficult procedures to perform correctly in the entire field of cosmetic surgery, so it is important to choose your surgeon very wisely. Study their before and after rhinoplasty photo gallery to make sure it's extensive and reflective of their experience. It may also be difficult to find a very experienced rhinoplasty surgeon who takes Medicaid. For our rhinoplasty current price list, please see the link and the video below

I do a fair number of combination functional/cosmetic rhinoplasty.  For a couple of reasons you may find that the cost difference to you between these 2 options is negligible.
A surgical center or a hospital charges the patient a fee just for coming through the door. Insurance will cover this in cases of functional surgery, like septoplasty. If it's a cosmetic procedure, the patient pays that fee. Even if you're already in the OR for a functional surgery, if you are also having a cosmetic procedure performed, you (the patient) are charged an additional facility fee which insurance will not pay. You will also pay out-of pocket for anesthesia for the cosmetic portion of the procedure, just as you would've at the office. So you have two options:
1. Have your surgery at the office if the surgeon is able (some surgeons do not have in-office surgical suites) and willing. Pay out-of-pocket for the septoplasty and leave the other facility (and their additional fees) and anesthesia group out of it.
2. Have your surgery at the facility and bill insurance for the functional part, but then you're responsible for an additional facility fee at that facility as well as anesthesia fees during the cosmetic portion of the surgery. 
I've found that the difference in the patient's costs between these 2 options is often negligible. So in that case patients often choose to have their surgery where they are most comfortable, which is invariably at the office.
Best wishes!  Harry V. Wright MD, Sarasota, Florida

Doing the septum is a smaller part of the rhinoplasty, so it doesn't really save a lot. Many surgeons will not combine these because of the difficulty of getting paid when combining cosmetic and insurance procedures. Out of pocket will still likely be $6-8k for the rhinoplasty. Best of luck!