Question:
I believe my insurance will cover a TT. But I want other things done too.

that I'm sure insurance won't pay for. Arms, inner thighs, boobs...I'm wondering, has anyone had insurance pay for a TT. And self payed for another proceedure to be done at the same time. I know rates vary, would you be willing to share how much your "extra" proceedure cost you out of pocket ? Does the surgeon usually expect payment in full up front ? Bless you all :)    — WABBIT F. (posted on September 16, 2003)

September 15, 2003
My insurance covered the panniculectomy, I added the muscle tightening (making it an abdominoplasty), thigh lift, butt lift (for a total lower body lift) and breast lift. I did have to pay up front, but financed it myself. My surgeon said cost can vary depending on the amount of work you need. The insurance covered OR, anesthesia, hospital stay. I had to pay the "extra" surgeon's fees.
   — mom2jtx3

September 16, 2003
Plastic surgeons ALWAYS want there money up front - typically a minimum of 2 weeks prior to surgery. If insurance has been confirmed that it will pay for a procedure, you wouldn't have to pay that. I combined my abdominoplasty (covered by insurance) with liposuction on my upper arms. The surgeon's fee was $1800 for the liposuction and I had to pay a portion of the hospital charge for the cosmetic procedures ($300). I didn't have to pay extra for the anesthesia on that. I also had my tubes tied and had a modified brachioplasty done at the same time. This was more expensive - probably because 2 doctors were involved and they can easily define when one doctor starts surgery and when they end and the other takes over. I ended up paying $1800 to the surgeon, $1000 for the surgery room and $700 for anesthesia.
   — Patty H.

September 18, 2003
I was recently approved for the TT (after one denial) and that part is covered. I will have to pay out of pocket for the breast implants and breast lift. My surgeon's office said that some of the hospital cost will be covered since I won't have to pay for the anesthesia/operating room/recovery room. I do have to pay upfront for the actual implants which I am able to purchase directly from my surgeon's office to cut on cost. You will be very, very lucky to find any insurance that will cover anything other than the tummy-tuck. It's the only thing that they will consider to be medically necessary in some cases, but you will have to be extremely clear about how the excess skin affects you physically/healthwise. Insurance companies could care less about how the surgery could help you emotionally/mentally, which seems silly to me. Good luck!!!
   — Andrea H.

September 21, 2003
I had all my reconstructive surgery at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. My first surgery (7/11/03) was brachioplasty (arm lift) and breast implants -- all was self-pay. The arm lift was $4,380 and the breast implants added another $4,097 for a total of $8,477. My last surgery was 3 weeks ago and was an abdominoplasty with hernia repair and vertical extension (anchor incision) and thigh liposuction. I only had to self-pay the liposuction, and that was $1,865. And yes, anything that was private pay was paid-in-full before the surgery. Hope this helps! Good luck to you!
   — Lynette B.