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  1. #1
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    Default Hair transplants should be covered by insurance

    Over the last few weeks I have seriously started to research getting a hair transplant. I started loosing my hair at 19, and now at 27 have little hair on the top of my head (NW 5A).

    Modern day insurance plans cover all kinds of procedures that are more expensive and technically not medically necessary than hair restoration. Treatment for addiction, alcoholism, and drug abuse is covered. People who use their freewill to make stupid decisions have the ability for insurance to cover their treatment, where we do not.

    Cosmetic breast reconstruction due to cancer (life threatening or not) in women is covered. Breast cancer is genetic, exactly like adrogenic alopecia. I feel that every woman who has had a mastectomy can live just as fulfilling of a life without a breast as I can without hair.

    Like many of you, I surfer from the daily psychological and personal stress that has come with my hair loss. I don't understand why I have to pay for health insurance when it wont pay for treatment of a genetic disease I did not choose to be afflicted with.

    Does anyone have any suggestions, or agree? Has anyone ever forced their insurance company into paying for treatment?

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Default

    I don't think health insurance will ever pay for HTs, not even in a million years. What I believe is that hair loss can and does cause mental disorders (depression, anxiety, social phobia...) and will eventually cause mental and even physical disability to its sufferer in extreme cases. I know for many people with hair loss they become so obsessed with it that it totally disrupts their lives and they will become completely withdrawn. They won't have any kind of a social life and won't even be able to go to school or get a job where they have to deal with people. I don't see why in these extreme cases insurance companies won't pay for an HT or at least pay a portion of the cost. I think in these cases an HT is no longer an elective or cosmetic surgery but a necessary medical treatment. And no, no counselling or therapy (mental) in the world will help.

  3. #3
    Junior Member
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    Nov 2011
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    Default

    Not to mention getting a sunburned scalp everytime I step outside, So I have to put sunscreen in my hair and it melts into my eyes. I agree if they are going to cover aethetic conditions such as breast implants then they should cover MPB which is both aesthetic and decreases your quality of life.

  4. #4
    IAHRS Recommended Hair Transplant Surgeon Dr. Glenn Charles's Avatar
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    Default

    I hear what you are saying, but the insurance companies basically contol everything. Getting them to pay for something that is not medically necessary or caused by some sort of disease is not likely going to happen any time soon. The hair docs would love it because many more patients would explore that option of hair restoration if the costs were covered by insurance.
    Dr. Glenn Charles
    Member, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons
    View my IAHRS Profile

  5. #5
    Senior Member
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    Mar 2010
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    Default

    Like any form of insurance, young to middle aged men suffer discrimination. Car insurance is a classic example; because men don't tend to be sucked into buying the useless extras insurance companies invented a story about young to middle aged men being more likely to have a crash to default premiums higher. For almost every insurance out there, we have to pay the same or more than others to take less out.

    In countries with social welfare, this goes further. Men pay the same rates of tax but are discriminated against in health (far more is spent on breast cancer research vs prostate cancer in the UK for example) and housing (single men are constantly bumped to the bottom of the social housing waiting lists in countries providing such schemes). Of course, women can regularly get breast enlargement treatment via the NHS in the UK for their 'self esteem.' In contrast there is only one recorded NHS hair transplant and it sounds like the guy had to be so depressed that he became a dribbling vegetable devoid of any ability to function to get it.

    My recommendation in the circumstances is to get your own back on the insurance companies. Get as many prescriptions as you possibly can for psychological disorders. Find a friendly doctor who can prescribe you all sorts of things you don't need. The Obama health act is in force now so the bastards can't kick you out of your fund. Eventually, with enough action on this, the insurance companies will realise treating the cause rather than the symptoms is cheaper.

  6. #6
    Senior Member
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    I just found this thread looking for a way to get my insruance to help some of the costs to pay for a transplant. My depression is out of control because of this. Im starting to become more temperamental again, pumping my anti depressants, becoming reclusive, and all around mean.
    I know for a fact this is all due to my hair. Looking at my brother who has a full perfect head of hair almost makes me want to choke him to death or wish something would happen to him just so I wouldnt have to look at his hair anymore and know im the brother with the defunct genetics. Knowing that women always venture his way now due to my taking my idiot fathers genes. I dont know who my other cheated on him with but we all know hes not our full brother.
    disgusting fat asses can get insurance to pay for surgery to lose weight yet we cant get help with our personal mental health. To me this is discriminatory.

    We should really push a white house petition to get some kind of focus on this.

  7. #7
    Senior Member
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    Default

    What about medication? I don't know about other countries, but here in Belgium, Accutane (the acne medication) is reimbursed by health insurrance, and not minoxidil/finasteride. They are all "vanity" medication, if you can leave with hair loss, you can live with acne right? I don't understand this.

    Some would say that cosmetic surgery is never covered by insurance but this is not true. I suffered from gynecomastia last year and my surgery was totally free. We have those double standards in Belgium. So I agree 100% with this thread.

  8. #8
    Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by fred970 View Post
    What about medication? I don't know about other countries, but here in Belgium, Accutane (the acne medication) is reimbursed by health insurrance, and not minoxidil/finasteride. They are all "vanity" medication, if you can leave with hair loss, you can live with acne right? I don't understand this.

    Some would say that cosmetic surgery is never covered by insurance but this is not true. I suffered from gynecomastia last year and my surgery was totally free. We have those double standards in Belgium. So I agree 100% with this thread.
    https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/pet...image/8M86t056

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