Insurance Coverage for Arm lift

I am planning on having an arm lift and had a couple of questions...

I called my insurance to see if the procedure and the person I talked to said no, but I know she didn't know so I did my own research. I did find the BCBSMN insurance policy regarding surgeries for the removal of excess skin and it looks like it can be covered if there is documentation of certain things.

So my question, anyone have an arm lift and have insurance cover it? If so, how easy or hard was it to get it covered? 

Thanks!

Sorry to say I've not heard of anyone getting the arms covered.

Hi Rose,

It is very very difficult to have a brachioplasty covered under insurance.  The nature of the excess skin and fat is usually seen as cosmetic and most insurance companies are unwilling to pay for it.  There are times, however, when the sheer amount of hanging skin and fat is so excessive that insurance MAY cover it, especially if it is combined with another approved surgery.  This is very case-by-case.  Most folks I know could not get their arms covered.  I did.  At 80% anyway and that is because of the size of my arms and I think because I was having breast and back surgery anyway so somehow they approved the arms.  The pictures and measurements taken by my plastic surgeon were submitted.  Neck, shoulder and back pain that I had documented by a chiropractor and a neurologist supported my claim that the excess hanging in my upper body was giving me medical problems and it needed to be removed.

Good luck to you but really unless your arms are huge - by INSURANCE COMPANY standards - the likelihood of coverage is a lot less than other surgeries.