Most health insurance plans do not cover facelift surgery or its complications, but many plastic surgeons offer patient financing plans, so be sure to ask.
While a facelift in Los Angeles is also on the pricey side, it's much more affordable than having the procedure in New York City. Average facelift costs in Los Angeles range from $7,000 to $15,000.
Insurance companies use different criteria to determine a patient's eligibility. Typically, the only surgery for skin removal covered by insurance is the panniculectomy.
Get the CPT codes if possible from your surgeons office. Contact your insurance company via phone and provide them with the CPT codes and the name of your surgeon. They should be able to provide you with a coverage estimate based off that info.
Typically reconstructive surgery is considered medically necessary to restore function and normal appearance, and to correct deformities that are congenital, trauma related or created by medical conditions such as cancer.
Cosmetic Plastic Surgery
It is elective and typically not covered by health insurance because it is not deemed medically necessary. Examples include facelifts, breast augmentations (for aesthetic purposes), and liposuction.
Plastic surgery has gained immense popularity, but there are several factors that can disqualify individuals. Unrealistic expectations, psychological considerations, medical conditions, inadequate finances, poor physical health, and lack of commitment to aftercare are all crucial factors to consider.
Cosmetic procedures such as plastic surgery or vein removal are nearly always considered elective and so are not covered. Fertility treatments are only covered in certain states, and even then, there are loopholes that allow insurers to deny coverage.
California law, moreover, requires that insurers cover even procedures that are cosmetic so long as they are necessary to restore a patient's appearance. For example, insurance providers must cover reconstructive surgery if someone's face or other body part was severely damaged in an accident.
Depending on your provider, insurance companies can take anywhere between 1-30 days to approve the request. Stay in communication with your care team, as timing for approval varies between insurance providers.
Even if your insurance company will pay for your surgery, it's sometimes more cost-efficient to pay out of pocket if you have a high deductible plan. Paying in cash is also another way to save, as many hospitals and plastic surgery clinics offer small 5-10% cash discounts for paying in cash upfront.
The expected cost of body lift surgery
As we mentioned, you can expect to pay between $11,000 – $15,000. Your current health insurance providers may not cover body contouring surgery since it is an elective procedure.
Insurance does not cover laser resurfacing because it is an elective cosmetic surgery.
Another innovative option is the 30-Minute Facelift or 20-Minute Permanent Facelift, which are minimally invasive procedures that use cutting-edge technologies like ultrasound and radiofrequency to achieve impressive results without the need for extensive surgery.
This is because women in their mid-forties or early fifties still have sufficient skin elasticity to achieve optimum results. As you get older, excellent results can still be achieved for women in their sixties, seventies — or older if you are in good health and overall fitness.
Government or Charitable Assistance
Financial assistance programs, sometimes called "charity care," provide free or discounted health care to people who need help paying their medical bills. The Affordable Care Act requires hospitals with 501(c)(3) nonprofit status to have programs to provide this care.
Nationwide, high-volume insurers with higher in-network denial rates across HealthCare.gov states included Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama (35% for its 12 plans in that state), UnitedHealth Group (33% across 274 plans in 20 states), Health Care Service Corporation (29% across 915 plans in four states), Molina ...
Assuming you're using a medical provider who participates in your health plan's network, the medical provider's office will make the prior authorization request and work with your insurer to get approval, including handling a possible need to appeal a denial.
During your conversation with your health insurance provider, ask how to get reimbursed for any cosmetic surgery procedure. They'll most likely want to know if the procedure is medically necessary vs. elective. The reality is that many procedures can fall into the gray area between those two classifications.
If you have any questions about what your plan covers, contact your insurance company. Member Services representatives are there to answer exactly these types of questions. They can tell you whether a doctor, prescription or service is covered, plus how much your insurance will pay.
Reasons your insurance may not approve a request or deny payment: Services are deemed not medically necessary. Services are no longer appropriate in a specific health care setting or level of care. You are not eligible for the benefit requested under your health plan.
If your skin is not flexible, or if you're significantly overweight, this isn't the right procedure for you. You also need to accept that a facelift is not a permanent solution to aging.
The good news is, that the age of the patient does not matter for plastic surgery. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a study finds cosmetic procedures just as safe for elderly as for young. Patients over the age of 65 can undergo cosmetic surgery with the same complication rate as younger patients.
Most patients report that rhinoplasty is only a 2 to 3 on a 10-point pain scale. Comparatively speaking, it's among the least painful cosmetic surgeries.