Varicose veins are typically characterized as twisted, enlarged veins that appear most commonly in the legs, but can affect other areas of the body depending on the situation. For most people, varicose veins are simply a cosmetic concern – but depending on the patient they could become swollen and/or painful to the point where you’re considering medical treatment.
Of course, this demands the question – will insurance pay for your varicose vein treatment, or will you be going fully out of pocket? The answer to that question requires you to keep a few key things in mind.
Symptoms of Varicose Veins
Symptoms of varicose veins fall into two different categories: ones relating to veins that are simply cosmetic in nature, and one relating to those that cause pain.
To speak to the former, signs that you may have varicose veins include but are not limited to veins that are either dark purple or blue in appearance, and veins that appear twisted and bulging.
When things advance to a more serious stage, you may experience symptoms like an achy or otherwise “heavy” feeling in your legs, burning, throbbing and muscle cramping in the affected area of your legs, and pain that gets worse after you’ve been sitting or standing for a long time.
Note that you may also experience itching around one or more of your varicose veins, along with a certain level of skin discoloration around the area that gets worse over time. But again, it really depends on the patient regarding which of these two categories that you fall into, and whether or not you’ll move from one to the other with time.
Why Insurance Often Covers Varicose Vein Treatment
Insurance often covers varicose vein treatment because while the veins start out as a cosmetic concern, they can easily become swollen and painful if left unchecked. In fact, varicose veins can also contribute to other issues in the body like ulcers, backward blood flow and similar conditions, at which point your procedure will be deemed “medically necessary” and your insurer will cover some or even all of the cost moving forward.
The Amount Your Insurance Will Cover
Unfortunately, the amount that your insurance will cover for varicose vein treatment is difficult to pin down because it depends not only on your level of coverage, but on your specific situation. Most insurance providers will definitely ask to see the results of a venous ultrasound before deciding if they’ll cover the recommended procedure at all.
Because of this, you’ll want to call your insurance provider and ask before you make any decisions one way or the other.
Get Treated by Our Vein Doctors at The Kimmel Institute in Florida
If you’re located in South Florida, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach or any of the surrounding areas, it’s important to understand that varicose veins are not something you need to worry about any longer. To find out more information about your potential treatment options, visit our website to view our before and after images, meet our vein physicians in Florida, or schedule an appointment today.
