Varicose Veins Does Insurance Cover Removal
April 11 2005 In today's age of beauty and fashion men and women are seeking ways to eliminate the ugly varicose veins they tend to get with age weight and heredity While vein removal might seem like an optional cosmetic surgery many people in their twenties and older frequently suffer from swollen and painful legs as a result of varicose veins In advanced cases patients can also experience leg ulceration skin breakdown superficial phlebitis and in rare instances bleeding
There are a multitude of causes that contribute to a patient's inclination to get varicose veins said to Dr Skip Freedman medical director at AllMed Healthcare Management a leading Independent Review Organization IRO Typically physicians prescribe basic solutions such as compression stockings that squeeze the leg and may alleviate many of these symptoms But these solutions don't work for all patients
According to Freedman the stockings don't make the twistedlooking and bulging veins go away and oftentimes patients find them difficult to put on hot to wear or not suitable for their lifestyle If after several weeks patients are not getting varicose vein symptom relief from compression stockings they are probably going to consider surgery Why With varicose veins the damaged veins cannot pump blood back to the heart causing
the patient 's symptoms Surgery either removes the varicose vein and its tributaries or cauterizes the vein to prevent blood flowing through it Yet except in welldocumented cases most healthcare plans consider varicose vein surgery cosmetic
In order for varicose vein surgery to be covered
A patient's physician needs to conduct a physical exam as well as document
the patient 's history
The patient must follow the conservative treatment plan and wear the compression stockings for several weeks
The physician must track all of
the patient 's general health medical history symptoms and tried treatments to help prove the need for surgery
Dr Freedman added that if
the patient rejects the conservative vein treatment or if further proof is needed a physician could conduct an ultrasound to measure the speed of blood flow through the veins and observe
the patient 's vein structure and determine the reflux backflow of blood This test can also determine if there are other conditions with the leg and provide the insurance carrier the medical evidence need to cover the varicose vein surgery Another advantage of this approach said Freedman is that it eliminates those patients with spider veins looking for payers to cover a procedure that's purely nonmedical and cosmetic
More information about the medical necessity review services offered by Independent Review Organizations IROs can be found on AllMed's web site at httpwwwallmedmdcom
Varicose Veins Does Insurance Cover Removal
