Beauty surgery: When does the health insurance company pay?

Under a condition

When the health insurance company pays for beauty operations

Nasal correction, breast enlargement, earn ears-beauty surgeries are in demand, but expensive. The health insurance companies only cover the costs in exceptional cases.

The desire for a better look leads many people to plastic or aesthetic surgery. But if you hope for a assumption of costs by the health insurance company, you will usually be disappointed. Because beauty operations are usually not among the cash benefits – neither for the statutory nor in private insurance.

An exception only applies if there is a medical indication – for example in the event of a nasal septum curvature with breathing problems, a breast reconstruction after cancer or in children with heavily protruding ears that are under psychosocial suffering.

Other cases in which health insurance can cover the costs for cosmetic operations are, for example:

• Belly ceiling tuck, for example, if there is severe weight loss, skin irritation or inflammation occurs,
• Oberlidstraffung, provided the hanging eyelids restrict the field of vision,
• Liposuction in the case of pathological fat distribution disorders that cannot be curable or can be changed by a diet,
• Label reduction due to proven impairment or dysfunction.

The medical service usually decides whether the cash register pays after you have made an application to your health insurance company. For purely cosmetic reasons, health insurance generally does not take on plastic-aesthetic interventions. Read here which beauty surgeries are currently most popular.

If you can operate without a medical necessity, you will not only bear the costs of the intervention, but also possible follow -up costs. It can even return sick pay (Section 52 (2) SGB V).

Tip: If you choose a voluntary surgery, you should think about taking out follow -up costs. This steps in when high sums are incurred during post -treatments. But be careful: not all interventions or countries are insured – the small print counts.

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Another risk: Not every practice that offers beauty surgeries is also qualified. Because: The term “cosmetic surgeon” is not protected in Germany. If you want to be sure, you should pay attention to a recognized additional qualification – such as the designation “Specialist for plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery”.

Nasal nose and throat doctors or mouth jaw facial surgeons are also allowed to offer cosmetic surgery if you “Plastic and aesthetic operations” carry. If you have invasive interventions at cosmetic studios, you risk serious mistakes – because beauticians are not allowed to carry out operations.

Precisely because beauty operations are not medically necessary, particularly strict information obligations apply. Doctors have to educate about all risks, possible failures and consequential damage. This also includes the indication that the result does not have to be permanent.

Patients should receive at least one day and ideally have several consultations. A conclusion of a contract directly in the first conversation is not a good sign.

Beauty surgeries in Turkey or Eastern Europe are often significantly cheaper-but the price has its reason. Quality standards, aftercare and legal protection do not always meet German standards. If there is a treatment error, a lawsuit is difficult. The after -treatment can also be problematic due to the geographical distance.

If you still plan the intervention abroad, you should insist on a treatment contract under German law and find out about medical qualifications and clinic standards.