Most patients often wonder whether their health insurance will pay for the cost of a nose job. The patient’s insurance company and the kind of rhinoplasty procedure they require are two factors that will determine the response to that query.
Insurance typically does not pay for rhinoplasty procedures where the primary objective is to change the nose’s external appearance, also known as cosmetic Rhinoplasty. The cost of functional rhinoplasty, also known as an alteration of the nasal passages to improve breathing or correct a deviated septum, however, might be covered by insurance.
What is Rhinoplasty for a deviated septum?
A septorhinoplasty (or ‘nose job’) is a procedure that improves the appearance of your nose (Rhinoplasty) as well as how you breathe through your nose (septoplasty). It entails operating on the bones and also the cartilage that gives your nose its shape and structure, as well as straightening your septum.
Does insurance cover Rhinoplasty for a deviated septum?
Rhinoplasty for cosmetic purposes will not be covered by insurance. However, functional Rhinoplasty or septoplasty, which corrects functional issues, may be partially or completely covered. Functional Rhinoplasty (repair of the inner structures of the nose and creation of free airflow) is performed on patients who were born with a deviated septum or an excessively narrow nose, have had nasal trauma from an accident or sports injury, or have other functional defects.
Functional Rhinoplasty is not cosmetic surgery because it is performed to correct a medical problem with your nose. Although functional Rhinoplasty does not always result in visible changes to the appearance of your nose, the nasal contours can be changed to a more appealing shape if desired.
Discuss your surgical goals with an experienced plastic surgeon, preferably one with reconstructive experience. This will help you achieve positive results by improving both your breathing and your nasal shape.
Before making any assumptions about coverage, always check with your health insurer. In many cases, determining what is considered medically necessary can be difficult.
What are the benefits of Rhinoplasty?Â
Functional Rhinoplasty improves your breathing and allows you to enjoy life more. Nasal obstruction, if left untreated, can have a negative impact on your quality of life. Rhinoplasty can assist with the following:
- Recurring nosebleeds
- Chronic sinus infection
- Congestion
- Mouth breathing
- Dry mouth
- Reduced sense of smell
- Headaches due to sinus pressure
- Insomnia and also fatigue
- Sleep apnea etc.
How to get Rhinoplasty covered by insurance
To get your nose job covered by insurance, you’ll need to show that it’s necessary to address functional issues that haven’t responded to more conservative corrections. If you have difficulty breathing due to the following conditions:
- Nasal fracture
- Deviated septum
- Cleft palate
- Cleft lip
- Polyps
- Structural abnormalities
- Chronic nasal or sinus inflammation
- Misshapen cartilage
Rhinoplasty may be deemed medically necessary and thus covered by insurance.
Why is Rhinoplasty Not Covered by Insurance?
When a patient seeks surgery solely for cosmetic reasons, Rhinoplasty is not covered by insurance. Cosmetic rhinoplasty procedures are generally considered elective surgery and are not covered by health insurance.
If there is a functional or medical component to the procedure, such as a breathing problem or another cause, that portion of the procedure may be covered by a person’s insurance plan.
The Cheapest State to Get Rhinoplasty
Below are our top 5 cheapest countries to get Rhinoplasty (nose job) in the World for you, and they include the following:
- Turkey- from $1750.
- Mexico- from $2400.
- Czech Republic- from $2250.
- Poland- from $2200.
- Ukraine- from $2400.
Conclusion
A Rhinoplasty procedure can address a wide range of issues, including straightening the nose’s profile, addressing asymmetry, enhancing the airways for better breathing, improving the shape, and reducing the nose’s volume.
Finding out if your insurance will cover a rhinoplasty procedure is a step in the process of having this procedure, which generally improves people’s self-confidence in their appearance.
