A woman who has had a single or double mastectomy or lost breast tissue due to an accident may choose breast reconstruction which is a cosmetic surgery procedure to restore the shape and size of breasts. Breast reconstruction can be performed after a mastectomy or at a later date.
During the pre-op consultation, the surgeon will provide the patient with information on various facets of breast reconstruction and the costs associated with this procedure. Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Hisham Seify provides breast reconstruction surgery to patients in Newport Beach, Orange County, CA, and surrounding locations.
Factors Impacting the Financial Implications
Many factors can influence the sticker price of breast reconstruction surgery. Price tags can vary from one practice to another, and even between two patients at the same practice in some cases.
Location of the Practice
In metropolitan cities and prime urban areas, the cost of breast reconstruction plastic surgery will typically be slightly higher. Conversely, smaller cities and areas in the Midwest may have lower prices due to lower living costs. This is not really shocking. This is the way it is for most items. For example, a pickup truck is much cheaper to buy in Oklahoma than California for a variety of reasons, lower taxes is also one of them.
Surgeon’s Charges
An experienced surgeon with high qualifications may charge more than a new or less experienced surgeon working under the guidance of a senior surgeon. It is advisable to choose board certified surgeons due to their focus on high standards of care, advanced surgical methods, and ongoing education which produces excellent results for patients.
Surgical Venue Costs
The breast reconstruction surgery can be performed in a hospital, an accredited surgical center, or a private suite. The location of the surgery is also dependent on whether the surgeon has operating privileges at a local hospital or surgery center.
Authorized surgical centers are often a preferred location due to their safety standards being akin to hospitals. The patient should evaluate all parameters related to costs and benefits before arriving at a decision.
Surgical Technique
Breast reconstruction plastic surgery typically involves implants. In certain cases, only fat transfer augmentation or flap technique may be involved. The costs also depend on whether the surgery is performed along with the mastectomy or later.
Insurance
Breast reconstruction surgery should be included in the patient’s insurance plan, irrespective of how many years after the mastectomy or lumpectomy the reconstructive surgery is required. This also includes surgeries needed to enhance the reconstructed breast or create a more symmetrical appearance between the two breasts.
According to the Women’s Health and Cancer Right’s Act of 1998, all group health insurance plans paying for mastectomy are also required to pay for prostheses and reconstructive surgeries.
Financing
Professional medical care financing firms provide many competitive financing plans. Loans on low-interest rates are available from these firms for patients that do not have insurance coverage. Some other options that a patient may consider include credit cards, bank loans, and even asking to borrow some money from family and/or friends. Patients should consider these options in case they have no insurance which they most likely do not in this case.
Tremendous and caring cosmetic surgeon Dr. Hisham Seify receives patients from Newport Beach, Orange County, CA, and nearby areas across the California horizon for breast reconstruction surgery and various other surgical and non-surgical aesthetic procedures.
See more procedures and treatments by plastic surgeon Dr. Hisham Seify in Newport Beach, Orange County, Irvine, Anaheim, Fullerton, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, CA and surrounding areas.