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Breast Implants and Health Insurance: Facts to Know

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In the U.S., getting breast augmentation surgery -- breast implants for cosmetic reasons -- generally costs between $4,000 and $7,000. Most women have to pay that out of their own pockets. Insurance companies usually will not cover breast enlargement surgery, although they will cover breast implants for women who had mastectomies due to breast cancer.

The upfront costs of breast augmentation surgery aren't the only ones you need to consider. Breast implant surgery may lead to further charges, both in the short and long term. Depending on your insurance, the future costs may also not be covered by insurance. Having breast implants may also affect your insurance rates, your coverage, and even your overall eligibility for health insurance.

Additional Costs of Breast Augmentation Surgery

If you're looking into breast implants for cosmetic reasons, here are some additional costs that you need to consider:

Additional Charges at the Time of Surgery. Ask your doctor about all the costs -- the implants, the anesthesia, the hospital fees, the medication, and any other charges. Some surgeons include everything in their fee, while others don't.
Further Surgeries. Women who get breast implants usually need another surgery at some point. Some women need additional surgery right away if, for example, they have an allergic reaction or want to adjust the position of the implant. Others may need to replace the original implants years later.

Like most medical devices, breast implants don't last forever. Some implant manufacturers offer lifetime guarantees. If the implant breaks, the company will offer a replacement at no cost. However, check the details. The warranty may not include the cost of the surgery or other expenses. Keep in mind that removing breast implants can cost more than putting them in.
Diagnostic Testing. The FDA recommends that women with silicone breast implants get an MRI three years after implantation and once every two years after that. This is the only way to make sure the silicone implant hasn't ruptured. (Women with saline implants do not need these tests.)
MRIs can be expensive. The average cost of an MRI scan in the U.S. is $2,000.

Because breast implants can interfere with the accuracy of normal mammograms, women may also need extra X-ray images at additional cost. Health insurance probably will not cover these extra diagnostic charges.

Insurance Eligibility and Breast Implants

Some insurance companies consider breast augmentation surgery a "pre-existing condition," and some women who have had breast implants find that they have problems getting health care coverage.

If you have breast implants, an insurance company might:

Charge higher premiums.
Limit your coverage. For instance, some insurers won't cover diseases of the breast -- perhaps even breast cancer -- if you have breast implants.
Deny you coverage altogether.
Refuse to renew your policy.