Will Insurance Cover Arm Lift

Brachioplasty, otherwise known as arm lift, is one of the most sought after cosmetic procedures for body contouring. This kind of procedure involves contouring of the upper arm area if a loose skin that looks flabby and sagging is evident. The loose skin may be the result of excessive weight loss, heredity, or the natural aging process. Without proper diet, regular exercise and with fluctuations in weight, our skin loses its elasticity and its ability to return to its original form. By undergoing the arm lift surgical procedure, the excess fats are vacuumed using liposuction and the loose skin is trimmed. The incision lines are sewed with stitches and sutures as well as closed with tissue tape adhesive to prevent the wound from opening.

A lot has been asking if their health insurance will cover any of the expenses associated with the procedure. Some of the expenses include the plastic surgeon’s fee, anesthesiologist fee, the cost of the anesthesia used, the operating room or surgical facility’s cost, and some other expenses like prescription medications, sutures, bandages, dressings, and tissue tape adhesive.

Most of the time the arm lift surgical procedure is done for cosmetic reasons and if this is the case, your health insurance won’t cover any cost. This is because of the widely known fact that most health insurances do not cover cosmetic surgery or its complications. If the brachioplasty is performed for treatment of a medical condition such as post-gastric bypass surgery with excessive hanging skin, or after significant weight loss, then your health insurance may cover some of the cost or the total cost of the procedure. Health insurance will also generally cover reconstructive plastic surgery to repair facial or body wounds or injuries, or if the procedure is medically necessary.

Some hospitals or surgical clinics provide patients some application forms for health insurance coverage and they too will support some of the reasons the patient provides why the procedure is medically necessary. However, the final decision is still up to your health insurance company.

An arm lift procedure can be costly but if you think the results are worth your money spent then go for it. If you wanted to pay in monthly installments, you can ask your doctor about patient financing available in the hospital or surgical clinic. Through patient financing, you never have to pay in full but in low monthly installment payments that are easy on the pocket.