- After decreasing weight, panniculectomies and tummy tucks are done to remove extra skin around the lower stomach.
- A panniculectomy is considered a medical need after a large amount of weight loss, but a stomach tuck is a cosmetic treatment.
Safety
- Pain and numbness are common side effects of both surgeries. Scarring is also a possibility, though it will fade over several months.
- Infection, severe pain and numbness, and bleeding are all rare consequences.
Convenience
- Both treatments are invasive surgeries that necessitate extensive planning and post-operative care.
- Finding a board-certified surgeon with substantial experience in each treatment is critical.
Cost
- A panniculectomy is more expensive than a stomach tuck, although medical insurance generally covers treatment. The price tag can range from $8,000 to $15,000, without including anesthesia and other fees.
- The cost of a belly tuck is less, but it is not covered by insurance. The average cost of this elective treatment is $6,200.
Efficacy
- Tummy tucks and panniculectomies have equal success rates. The objective is to decrease weight prior to surgery, as weight maintenance is critical to the success of your treatment.
How is a tummy tuck medically necessary?
Abdominoplasty, without a doubt, provides numerous cosmetic benefits. In reality, a belly tuck can provide medical benefits, especially when it becomes a required corrective surgical operation for individuals suffering from the following conditions:
- To fix a ventral hernia: A ventral hernia occurs when your intestine or abdominal tissue protrudes through your abdominal wall, forming a pouch or sack. This hernia can form for a variety of reasons, including abdominal weakness caused by rapid weight loss, an appendectomy, or a cesarean section. A belly tuck can repair a ventral hernia by addressing weaker abdominal muscles and relieving pressure on your skin, much way it can flatten your stomach.
- To relieve stress urinary incontinence: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a bladder control problem that occurs when your bladder and urethra are under too much pressure. SUI is defined as uncontrollable leakage caused by sudden and powerful activities including sneezing, coughing, laughing, or exercising. Although the condition is usually treated without surgery, research have indicated that a belly tuck may benefit SUI sufferers. The issue is most frequent in women, particularly after a normal birth, although it can also affect men.
- Abdominoplasty can also be used to alleviate back pain, which is a prevalent complaint. Women may experience back pain as a result of weakened stomach muscles after giving birth or losing a considerable amount of weight. A tummy tuck tightens weaker muscles by flattening the abdomen and removing excess stomach fat, resulting in much-needed abdominal support that can ease back pain.
- To enhance posture: Better posture is a result of stronger abdominal muscles and less back pain. Due to the tightened muscles that provide additional support to your spine after a stomach tuck treatment, you may notice an improvement in your posture.
Does insurance cover a tummy tuck after weight loss?
“Can a tummy tuck be covered by insurance?” is one of the first concerns many of our patients ask. Yes and no are the answers to this question. A belly tuck is frequently just a cosmetic treatment, and most insurance policies do not cover it. However, if you are suffering from rashes or skin infections, the operation becomes a medical necessity. In this instance, you might be able to acquire insurance to cover some of the costs of your belly tuck.
You might wonder why only portion of the costs are covered. There are two steps to a tummy tuck. To achieve a smooth contour, the first procedure is strengthening the underlying abdominal muscles. The second phase is eliminating the extra skin and tightening the remaining skin over your midsection. When a procedure is medically necessary, insurance will pay the second portion of the surgery, as eliminating excess skin is vital to avoid rashes and infections.
How do you qualify for a Panniculectomy?
What kind of people are ideal candidates for a panniculectomy?
- You experience rashes or infections underneath the hanging fold of skin that are reoccurring or persistent.
Does insurance pay for tummy tuck for back pain?
Abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck surgery, is a procedure that removes extra fat and skin from the stomach. Dr. Paul Zwiebel, a Denver plastic surgeon, may tighten abdominal muscles, pull in the waist line, and tone the entire abdominal area with a stomach tuck. Abdominoplasty may provide certain health benefits, including as fat reduction, core strength and balance restoration, and increased mobility – all of which can improve exercise capacity. Tummy tuck surgery may also be beneficial in the treatment of chronic back discomfort caused by obesity. Abdominoplasty, despite all of these advantages, is not covered by insurance.
At the Zwiebel Center for Plastic Surgery, we believe that money should not be a barrier to individuals seeking procedures that can improve their physical and emotional well-being. That’s why we provide a variety of cosmetic surgery financing solutions to fit almost any budget and make tummy tuck surgery a reality.
If you’re thinking about having an abdominoplasty but are concerned about the expense, call our Highlands Ranch office at 303-470-3400 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Zwiebel and learn more about your options. Dr. Zwiebel is a compassionate and board-certified plastic surgeon who seeks to fulfill the needs of each patient he sees. He would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss your abdominoplasty financing choices as well as the many benefits that stomach tuck surgery has to offer.
Will insurance cover a tummy tuck if I have a hernia?
The cost of any medical procedure is usually at the top of the list of considerations. Is this anything that insurance will cover? The good news is that an Umbilical Hernia Repair is frequently considered a medically required surgery by insurance. Because it is considered an aesthetic or cosmetic operation, it must be paid for out of pocket if done in conjunction with a Tummy Tuck.
While a Tummy Tuck tries to remove extra skin and reattach the abdominal muscles to the abdominal wall, a hernia repair frequently involves the first part of a Tummy Tuck surgery, where the muscles are brought together.
You may need to find both a general and a plastic surgeon to conduct both treatments at the same time.
It’s also crucial that you tell your insurance provider exactly what you’re doing so that you know what they’ll cover and what they won’t.
Your surgeon may or may not advise you to have both surgeries done at the same time. There is a higher chance of the umbilical stalk losing blood supply, and the hernia may not be in the optimum location for an abdominoplasty.
As with any medical operation, it’s critical to understand the expenses and what your insurance will and won’t cover.
Dr. Hovsepian will do everything he can to assist you in this process. He will also go over any potential dangers and side effects of the treatment with you to ensure that you are confident in your decision to get plastic surgery.
To speak with Dr. Hovsepian personally, call our office now and book a consultation.
How much does it cost for a tummy tuck?
What is the price of a belly tuck? The overall cost of an abdominoplasty is estimated to be between $15,000 and $20,000 (including hospital, anesthesiologist, and surgeon’s expenses). Body lifting can cost anywhere between $26,000 and $29,500.
Will a tummy tuck help with back fat?
3D belly tuck surgery can be used to remove stubborn fat and loose skin from the abdomen, just as a traditional tummy tuck. The 3D tummy tuck, on the other hand, treats excess skin and fat on the hips, flanks, and lower back, resulting in a more comprehensive makeover that can be appreciated from any angle. The celebrity tummy tuck results in more proper proportions and a lovely, natural-looking new physique by fixing abnormalities all the way around the patient’s waist. One of the most significant advantages of 3D tummy tuck surgery over regular stomach tuck surgery is the reduction of the fat pocket on the lower back.
What is the difference between tummy tuck and Panniculectomy?
The most significant distinction is the surgical procedure’s purpose. A stomach tuck tightens the abdominal muscles while also removing extra fat, skin, and tissue, whereas a panniculectomy eliminates a pannus.
Is a Panniculectomy covered by insurance?
Excess skin around the stomach is common in people who have lost a lot of weight, and it can cause skin rashes, irrational behavior, discomfort, and other issues. This is referred to as the pannus.
Many patients who have lost weight through lap band surgery, gastric bypass, or natural means consult with plastic surgeons to discuss their alternatives for resolving the issue.
A panniculectomy is a surgical treatment that removes excess skin from the pannus, which is located around the midsection. The pannus usually stretches from the abdomen to the back, causing skin irritation and other issues.
Making an incision similar to a stomach tuck and extending it around to the rear of the body as far as the excess skin occurs, the pannus is removed. This technique is done as an outpatient procedure with general anesthesia administered by a board-certified anesthesiologist. It’s frequently combined with other body lift treatments like a breast lift, breast reduction, or thigh lift.
PANNICULECTOMY VS. TUMMY TUCK
Both a panniculectomy and a tummy tuck are treatments that remove extra skin from the mid-section in order to obtain a flatter abdomen. A belly tuck, on the other hand, targets muscular laxity (diastasis), whereas a panniculectomy tackles solely the extra skin and tissue of the pannus. Your plastic surgeon will discuss which operation is ideal for you based on your objectives. Patients who have lost a lot of weight may need a panniculectomy first, then a stomach tuck 6 months to a year later to tighten the muscles.
Panniculectomy covered by insurance
Panniculectomy surgery is often reimbursed by insurance. Insurance companies frequently require documentation from medical professionals relating to weight reduction and/or weight loss surgery, skin irritability, or other disorders that affect daily living in order to qualify. In order to authorize the operation, most insurance companies also want images prior to the procedure.
PPO insurance is accepted by the board certified plastic surgeons at California Surgical Institute. Please complete the form below to receive a free insurance verification to see if you are eligible for panniculectomy with insurance and what type of copay you will have.