Question:
How expensive is plastic surgery? Does most insurance pay?

I'm 5'1", was 248 pounds, am now 124, have lots of excess skin and trapped fat on my inner thighs, inner arms, stomach, butt, actually all over, plus I've lost a lot of breast tissue, a sorry sight to say the least! What kind of luck do people have with getting insurance to pay - here in South Dakota? How expensive to have skin removed?    — Ardis T. (posted on October 30, 2002)

October 31, 2002
I had my Gastric Bypass 6/01 and have lost over 100lbs. My insurance paid for a Tummy Tuck and Breast Reduction/lift, which I had two weeks ago. I have lost another 14lbs since the TT/BL. My Plastic Surgeon got it all approved in one day. He took pictures, showed them the before pics of how much I weighed and then pics of the extra skin. I had rashes and infections under the hanging skin on my breast and stomach. If you do, take pictures and have your Doctor document them. Good luck, a good site to check out is tuckthattummy.com.
   — Gail M.

November 5, 2002
You and I must be twins!! I started out at 248 also (5'2) and weigh 124 now too. I understand about all your problem areas. I have the same ones. My abdominoplasty was covered by the insurance. I paid for liposuction on my arms myself. I'm going to see if the insurance will pay for removal of the excess arm skin since I'm now having rashes and contact dermatitis. The rest I'll have to save for. I would like to have my inner thighs done but at $4200 for just the plastic surgeon, I won't be having it done anytime soon.
   — Patty H.