You’ve started to notice that you often experience swollen legs and ankles, and you’re starting to see varicose veins or the smaller spider veins appear. You’ve read enough to know that there are serious health concerns associated with venous disease and you’d like to see a vein specialist in Bergen County to find out what your treatment options are, but in the back of your mind is the idea that varicose veins and spider veins are primarily a “cosmetic” concern, so you’re worried whether treatment would be covered by your insurance company.
You are right to be concerned. Health insurers are fickle, and their rules are arcane and often difficult to understand. That is why the New Jersey vascular doctors at Chuback Medical Group are available to work with patients to help them work effectively with their insurers to receive the best care. Although the decision as to whether treatment is fully covered is an individual one – depending on the patient’s case and the insurer – in this article we’ll offer some general information about this issue.
Reasons why your insurance will likely cover treatment that is medically needed
While it is true that varicose vein removal can be thought of as a cosmetic procedure, the vein disease that causes it is very much a real disease. Varicose veins are often caused by an underlying condition called chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) or venous reflux. This condition can cause numerous complications and increase your risk of developing even more serious diseases, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which can potentially be fatal.
That is why we give every patient a thorough examination to determine the exact nature of their venous health in their first appointment with us. If we find evidence of CVI or DVT, there is an excellent chance that your insurance carrier will cover the cost of varicose vein removal, because it reduces the risks to your overall health, and reduces the likelihood of even greater expenditures in the future. If early treatment can be presented as preventative and therefore a way to avoid more expensive therapies in the future, your insurer may well pay for them.
Reasons why your insurer is not likely to pay for spider vein treatment
Because these smaller discolored spider veins are not considered as much of a threat to your overall health, many insurers will consider their removal a cosmetic procedure and it may not be covered under your policy. But if the spider veins are a part of a larger, more extensive case of vein disease, insurers may choose to cover treatment of them in some cases.
Whoever pays for the treatment, you won’t have to miss work to receive it
Whether your varicose vein removal is fully paid for by your insurer or not, the nature of modern NJ vein disease treatment means that you don’t have to check in to a hospital for the procedures, or take time off from work to recover from them. All of the varicose vein and spider vein treatments we offer can be performed in the comfort of our offices, and in about an hour. The procedures are nearly painless so that there is no need for general anesthesia, and no long recovery periods are necessary. You can walk into our offices for treatment and return to your work or other duties the same day.
Because all health insurance companies are different, it is wise to contact your company’s customer service representatives to find out their specific policies. Our New Jersey spider and varicose vein doctors will be happy to help you navigate this process to make sure you receive the care you need. Give us a call today at 201-693-4847 to get the process started.