No. Insurance will not pay for a mastopexy (breast lift). Fee's vary from surgeon and location. In the San Francisco Area fee's could include a surgery center and anesthesiologist. Anywhere from 8,500 to 20,000.00 out of pocket.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Whether or not Medicare will cover breast reduction depends on your reason for having the surgery. There are several common reasons you might want or need a breast reduction, including:

Reconstruction after a mastectomy for breast cancer. After a mastectomy, you may want to have surgery to reconstruct your breasts or to improve their symmetry. For example, if you had a single mastectomy of one breast, you may want surgery to make your breasts match again. Reconstruction can also be done if you had a bilateral mastectomy (or double mastectomy) of both breasts.
Reducing pain caused by having a large chest. Having a larger chest can cause pain in the neck, back, and rib cage. You can also experience poor posture, which can lead to more pain. Your doctor might recommend breast reduction surgery to relieve this type of pain.
Improving your overall appearance and self-esteem. You might choose to have breast reduction surgery because you’re unhappy with the size of your breasts. Breast reduction can sometimes help you have a more youthful appearance or balanced figure.
Medicare only pays for breast reduction for the first two reasons. In both of these situations, the breast reduction is considered medically necessary, so Medicare will cover it.

If you’re in the third situation, Medicare would consider your surgery cosmetic and would not cover it. You’d need to pay for 100 percent of the costs out of pocket. Breast reduction fees vary widely. I charge $8500, but I have my own AACS accredited surgery center, so I can keep prices down!

Published on Jul 11, 2012

No, unfortunately Medicare considers breast lifts a cosmetic surgery.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

This is something you have to find out through your insurance company.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Thank you for your question. Insurance coverage for any cosmetic procedure is generally a tricky and very case-dependent thing. The most critical factor is that a patient meets their insurance carriers definitions and guidelines that deem a procedure, of any kind, medically necessary. I would strongly recommend that you schedule a consultation, or two, with a board-certified plastic surgeon who could evaluate your breasts and hopefully advocate for you with your medical insurance carrier. Out of pocket, or general costs for a breast lift do vary state by state and from surgeon to surgeon.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

In my experience, insurance has never paid for a breast lift no matter what the cause. Insurance will not even pay for congenital anomalies of the breast because it is considered a cosmetic procedure. The cost of a breast lift (mastopexy) without implants, including all fees (surgery fee, facility fee, and anesthesia), is approximately $7,500 in our metropolitan area. Pricing is dependent on your region and the expertise/experience of the board-certified plastic surgeon. I have 16 years of experience and have performed thousands of breast surgeries in private practice. I wish you the best.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Well, it sounds like a breast lift or a reduction/lift would be most appropriate. However, no matter how "appealing" the idea of lopping off the skin at the top part of the breast that would very likely lead to highly visible scars in many types of clothing. You need to have a consultation with a Plastic Surgeon for a proper evaluation. Medicare would very likely deny coverage for a breast lift as they generally consider that a cosmetic problem in my experience unless it is an issue associated with breast cancer. Cost for a breast lift including OR/surgeon's fees/anesthesia can vary widely but is usually in the range of $8,000 to $10,000 or even higher depending on where you live and local costs.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Insurance pays for a breast REDUCTION, not a lift. A reduction addresses symptoms caused by heavy breasts. A breast lift procedure preserves breast tissue and is a cosmetic procedure, which may or may not involve removing breast tissue.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Insurance will usually not pay for a breast lift, especially Medicare. The costs of a breast lift vary from $2,000 to $7,000 depending on what is done, where it's done (region), and how severe your ptosis is. Though the cost is typically out-of-pocket since insurance companies will not front the procedure, some surgeons' offices offer payment plans.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Breast ptosis is a cosmetic issue, not a medical problem. Many might argue the same can be said for large breasts, hence the retreat of many insurance companies to cover breast reduction. Regardless, you will need to find a good and experienced surgeon and pay cash for a breast lift. Best of luck!

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Ptosis is a very frustrating problem for many women. The only way to fix ptosis is through a breast lift. A breast lift is a cosmetic procedure that is not covered by insurance. Medical insurance covers breast reductions only when the size and density of the breasts is significant enough to be a health risk and cause other medical problems such as scoliosis of the spine, pre-cancerous lesions and infections. According to national statisics in 2016, the average cost of the breast lift procedure is $7,500.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

I have never seen an insurance company pay for a breast lift. You would need to see a few PS to see what the cost would be as you would probably need an implant as well to achieve the result you are looking for.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

No! Do not expect Medicare to pay for the breast lift; expect to pay between $6,000 to $10,000, which includes the operation, your surgeon's fee, operating room and anesthesia.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Thank you for the question.

In my experience, health insurance will not pay for your surgery unless it has a reconstructive purpose. I would call your insurance company for more details.

Good luck with your surgery!

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Insurance or Medicare won't pay for a breast lift. It's considered a cosmetic procedure. Without seeing your condition in person, it is difficult to give you an accurate fee. A ball park figure would be between $5,000 to $8,000.

Published on Jul 11, 2012