Can rhinoplasty be covered by insurance?

If you’re wondering whether or not rhinoplasty or a nose job is covered by insurance, it helps to dig a little deeper. Things like the reason for the procedure and the terms of your insurance service provider will determine whether or not your rhinoplasty can be covered by insurance.

Cosmetic Rhinoplasty vs Functional Rhinoplasty

A rhinoplasty or nose job can be done for multiple reasons. Broadly, it could be classified as a cosmetic procedure or a functional one. The former is done purely for aesthetic reasons and like most other forms of plastic/cosmetic surgery is not covered by insurance. So what qualifies as a cosmetic reason? If the procedure is elective - in other words, it is something you yourself opt for and is not something recommended to you by a medical professional - it is not eligible for payment by insurance.

The latter, however, may have some underlying problem that it is trying to correct. For instance, you may be suffering from breathing problems that interfere with your sleep and daily life or might even be life-threatening. If that’s the case, you may need to undergo what’s dubbed a functional rhinoplasty.

Functional Reasons for a Rhinoplasty

There are some medical reasons for getting a rhinoplasty. Broadly, functional rhinoplasty is done to correct obstructed nasal breathing, correct birth defects in the nasal passages which impair function, fix nasal valves or nostrils that are collapsed or narrowing, and to treat a nasal injury or trauma, correct deformity resulting from infection, a tumor, or trauma.

During this procedure among other things, your nasal valves might be repaired, your nasal bones may be straightened, and nostrils reshaped. It may be conducted under local anesthesia, intravenous sedation, or general anesthesia. Depending on the kind of sedation, costs could also go up. General anesthesia also involves additional expenses for the anesthesiologist, for example. You’d understandably, want to know whether this can be covered by insurance.

Insurance Might Cover Some Types of Rhinoplasty

For absolute clarity on whether or not your insurance service provider counts these as eligible for coverage is something you will need to check with them directly. However, if the procedure needs to be done to correct an injury from an accident or some form of trauma or correct a problem arising from an illness or infection it could just qualify. Sometimes, if your rhinoplasty also includes a component that is being performed for functional reasons, your insurance provider might cover just that part of the expenses. For example, if you have a deviated septum that’s making breathing a struggle, this part of the surgery could be covered. But the aesthetic component, like making your nostrils smaller or making your nose look narrower or more symmetric purely for cosmetic purposes, will not be paid for by the insurance company.

Find out More About Rhinoplasty and Insurance

To get a better understanding of what the procedure entails and to check whether or not you qualify for insurance coverage for your procedure, the first step is to consult a good cosmetic surgeon. Dr Jamil Asaria at Face Toronto is a reputed board-certified facial surgery cosmetic surgeon who can help you with your rhinoplasty and other facial surgery needs. Drop in at the cosmetic surgery center at 251 Davenport Rd, Toronto, ON M5R 1J9, Canada or call (888) 684-7066 to find out more and get some answers to your questions.