Topic: Tattoo & Insurance questions

Tattooing should be covered by your insurance, as part of the reconstruction.  If it is done by the same physician that did your recon, there is no choice.  If it done by a tatto artist, it has to be someone who has been vetted by the insurance co.  Or, like me, they person can do it at no charge, and then it is a no brainer...JUDY (Facecrafter)  

It's their job...Try not to take it too seriously.  If you have a problem with insurance, ask for a case manager.  One will get assigned to you, by the insurance co...and they really do help..JUDY

Thaks for all your feedback...this is what I have found so far.

In Tucson, where I live there is no PS that does the tattooing here.  My PS referred me to a woman who does permanent makeup and restoration work.   This is who he refers his patients to.   She told me as well as my PS that the insurance stills considers this cosmetic and will not pay for it., The only way they will pay for it is if its done by a PS.  The frustration is high because this has happened to many women in my PS practice.  He had one patient who fought with the insurance company for over a year and he told me if anybody could have gotten it done she could have but to no avail.  Evidently because the 1998 womens ACT has not been updated in 11 years there is no provision for this procedure. I was thinking about that.  So many advances have been made in reconstruction in the past 5 years alone it makes sense to update this ACT, yet its never been done.  Who would we have to get listning to get this going I wonder?   However they will pay 100% if I have the surgery.  Where is the logic?  So frustrating to have to deal with this at the same time that we are dealing with so much else.  Anyhoo I will wait till next year and if I have to pay out of pocket so be it.  I am,working with the group who sold my company the insurance to see if we can file an appeal and see if we can do anything to get them to pay for it.  If anybody does hear or know of a Tucson PS or free tattooing please pass on to me.

I have done hundreds of areola procedures (tats), spent a year doing all the paperwork to get insurance to cover...got an NPI number, filed all the forms and still have a folder an inch think of unpaid claims. They make it soooo hard on the person trying to get paid that we just give up after a while. Permanent Makeup Artists and tattoo artists are NOT in the medical field and therefore standard insurance rules do not apply, plus there are hundreds of insurance companies....who has the time to file all the pperwork, and refile and refile, after so many denials. There is no way they will make it easy on us EVER!!!! That is their job......

The docs may be paid a small amount if it is done in their office or by their nurse, but trust me even if you see them send a claim in for  $1000 tat, they're not getting paid that either. <Many times it is considered part of the whole reconstruction and they cannot file a seperate claim for it. Every insurance coverage is different, even within the same company.

This is why many of us in the industry such as myself, Judy and renee offer this service at no charge...so women can get quality work to finish such a long ordeal, without the headaches for any of us!

Good luck ladies, I hope you can find someone to help you in your area,

and thanks Judy for all the referrals you are finding for everyone...

Di-- Who is the lady in Tucson?  We need to know...JUDY

I have decided to give up the aggravation of the fight with the insurance.  I'm just going to wait until next April and then pay out of pocket for the tattooing.  I do feel fortunate that I have health insurance that has paid for everything else and  I have been thinking and I feel fortunate that I was able to have the one step procedure.  Had I had the expanders I would still be waiting until next year anyway plus I have read on some of the posts that your implants could shift or drop so its better to wait months before the final stage. 

This is where I'm at now and if anybody hears of something new I all ears and who knows what will happen in the upcoming months.

I am so happy that I am able to discuss these issues with others who are experiencing the same thing.  This is so helpful and healing to just be able to talk to others.  :)

Facecrafter - do you know of anyone in the Portland area that tattoos areolas? thanks!

If you want to look up some cosmetic tattoo artists go to 

www.spcp.org  and look up artists by state. You may need to call 

and see if they do areola repigmentation....

I am sure Judy will let you know if she knows of anyone.

She is the best for putting together a list...Thanks Judy

Renee 

Hi Judy -

Thanks for Susan's name - I will absolutely give her a call as well.

Allyson