Seeking care for varicose veins can be daunting. You might wonder whether you can afford it or if insurance can cover the cost.
Money should never be a barrier to proper medical treatment. Several factors determine whether insurance will cover your varicose vein treatments. Here’s what you should know.
Appearance vs. Discomfort: Which Is More Important?
Medical insurance companies often look at how your condition impacts your quality of life. This doesn’t include any cosmetic or aesthetic concerns, so knowing what you’re getting into before treatments is important.
Varicose veins can be unsightly. The enlarged, dark veins on your legs are very noticeable and can be a source of embarrassment. However, insurance won’t cover varicose vein treatments simply because they look bad.
Daily discomfort, pain, swelling, and cardiac problems are all valid reasons to get varicose vein treatments through insurance.
While the presence of these symptoms is no guarantee that your treatments will be covered, they must be present for insurance companies even to consider paying for them.
The True Health Consequences of Varicose Veins
While varicose veins impact your appearance, they can also damage your health in the long run. Proper varicose vein treatments are necessary to prevent issues in the future.
Pain: Aching, Throbbing, Sore Legs
Varicose veins can cause a lot of discomfort in your legs. They are caused by the abnormal twisting of the veins that circulate blood back to your heart. When this happens, your muscles and nerves in the area are affected.
A common symptom of varicose veins is aching and throbbing in your legs. Insurance may be more likely to cover your treatments if you experience trouble walking, standing, or moving around throughout the day.
Backward Blood Flow
Your veins are designed to carry blood back to your heart, not the other way around. If you experience backward blood flow, also known as venous reflux, this is a legitimate medical problem.
Venous reflux can cause ulcers, extreme pain, discoloration, and swelling in your legs. Over time, the lack of proper blood flow throughout your body has serious consequences.
If we identify venous reflux through ultrasound, you may be eligible for insurance coverage for varicose vein treatments.
How to Get Varicose Vein Treatments Covered by Insurance
If you want to reduce your out-of-pocket costs for varicose vein treatments, you must submit the proper documentation to your insurance company. You must also demonstrate that treatments are a medical necessity.
Document All Medical Problems
The most important step in getting varicose vein treatments covered by insurance is to document everything. Any symptoms, complications, or procedures you deal with due to your varicose veins should be on paper.
When we evaluate your condition, we take detailed notes that will be helpful for insurance coverage. Depending on your provider, you may need more or less paperwork to get coverage.
Avoid Aesthetic Concerns
You shouldn’t mention aesthetic varicose vein treatments. While proper medical treatments will reduce their appearance, this isn’t a valid reason for insurance to cover the treatments.
Avoid mentioning anything related to appearance, aesthetics, or cosmetic concerns as you file for coverage. Instead, focus on how your varicose veins impact your quality of life from a medical perspective.
Try Beginner-Level Treatments First
Before you undergo any medical procedures to treat varicose veins, insurance companies want to see that you’ve tried to solve the problem. This usually involves wearing compression stockings, elevating your legs at night, and other non-invasive measures.
We will help you with your first line of treatments before undergoing more intense procedures. This will show your insurance company that your varicose vein treatments are necessary.
Talk to a Representative
You can call your insurance company directly to find out how to get coverage for certain procedures. A representative from the company will know more about the process than your physician will.
Sometimes you can learn new, important information from a phone call that you wouldn’t find on a website or business card. Try calling your insurance company before resorting to other measures.
The Best Varicose Vein Treatments: Metropolitan Vein and Aesthetic Center
At Metropolitan Vein and Aesthetic Center, we make every patient feel at home in our office. Come to us for top-quality varicose vein treatments!