Loose skin removal - is it covered under insurance?

Hi all,

    I'm new to the forums and was just wondering for those of you that have had excesses skin removal or body lifts, etc. We're your procedures covered by your insurance or did you pay out of pocket? I have a PPO an live in CA.  I'm 5'2ish and at my highest weighed 228 - now I'm 142lbs. I know that I must be carrying around at least 20lbs of excess skin. I'm married and have had two kids, our family is complete. I just think I would feel so much better without the extra skin. It's so bothersome and is always in the way, it rubs on my clothes and I break out under my bra from the constant rubbing. I don't care as much about my arms or thighs as much as my stomach and back rolls. You just can't suck in  back rolls! ?

I'd love to read your feed back or advice! 

Thanks,

Sherry

you live in CA, then your PS is covered under CA law, you don't have to worry about functional impairments or anything like that......

I live in California, and my PS will not be covered by insurance.  It is all self pay.

As far as I know, your PS will not be covered by insurance.  It is a cosmetic surgery, and unless you can prove that you have skin irritation, and other problems because of you, it will have to be self pay.

Hi Sherry,

I'm 11 years post op and even though I was getting rashes and such from excess skin, my insurance wouldn't cover it. I've completed 3 skin removal surgeries (arms, tummy, and inner thighs) and have spent approximately $18k. I just scrimped and saved like crazy over the years.

Ask you PCP for a consult with a PS.  See if the PS is covered.  I'm 5'1" and highest weight was 225 and I was weight stable at 140 before I did my plastics.  I had 3lbs of skin removed and a liter of fat lipo'd.  I didn't have enough hanging skin for insurance to cover back in 2011.  Your panni needed to be hanging past your pubic area. 

If insurance denies you, you can petition with Dept of Managed Health Care and see if the latest ruling will allow you to have plastics.  More than likely it will only be for your panni. 

Dr Sauceda, put reconstructive surgery due to massive weight loss and I was covered by CA disability, but paid out of pocket for all my PS.

A lot of people on this site will tell you it's not covered by insurance and then humble brag about how they scrimped and saved to pay a zillion dollars out of pocket. Poppy****! I listened to these folk initially and stopped trying to get covered. I finally empowered myself looked at my individual coverage and found that skin removal surgery was a possibility. The next hurdle was finding a doctor who would accept my coverage. Guess what? I had an extended panniculectomy 7 months ago and am having thigh lift and brachioplasty at the end of the month. If you read your policy and it says you are covered and there are no exclusions you just have to find a PS willing to accept insurance and who knows how to fill out the forms properly. Good Luck!