Dr. Wright and Karen Herbst discuss COVID19 and Lipedema. What would increase a women’s risk of developing COVID19?
No matter how much research continues to support the proper diagnosis and identification of lipedema, there is still opposition in the medical community, including from insurance companies for lipedema insurance coverage. Lipedema is a very real and present condition that affects millions of individuals throughout the world every year. If you have been diagnosed with lipedema or face the challenge of finding a proper diagnosis, you’re no doubt concerned with receiving effective treatment and even how to pay for that treatment. A recent court win by UnitedHealthcare seems to have made this task even more difficult.
Lipedema is not a temporary issue but instead a lifelong condition that will impact your way of life. Treatments can end up being pricey if you do not have the proper medical coverage. Certain insurance companies continue to fight against coverage for certain treatments, stating they are not required or necessary. If you have lipedema, you know full well how necessary it is to reduce swelling and pain in your affected limbs. Some insurance companies may not even provide coverage at all by claiming it to be a pre-existing condition.
Recently, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company was able to defeat a proposed class action lawsuit that claimed their coverage did not include proper lipedema treatment. This is a huge loss for the lipedema community. It is imperative that insurance companies utilize the available lipedema research and cover costs of the necessary treatments.
Lipedema is a condition that many people, including some physicians, refuse to acknowledge. Physicians will claim that there is not enough research to support the identification of lipedema or that it is just obesity. Lipedema patients know this is not just obesity; the subcutaneous fat tissue associate with lipedema is nearly impossible to reduce with your standard diet and exercise. The medical community as a whole needs to understand this condition better, and Dr. Wright continually advocates for improved education regarding lipedema.
Even with all the challenges presented by lipedema, there are those who you can trust. Dr. Wright continues to strive for better education, research, and coverage for the lipedema community. Do not let these challenges bring you down even further; let Dr. Wright and his expert team help you to reduce the symptoms of lipedema and live your life. Dr Wright can help find the right procedure to help manage your lipedema symptoms, such as lymphatic drainage massage. Don’t let lipedema take over your life; contact us today!
If you do a simple online search you can find plenty of cases where new treatment for Lipedema has been denied to potential patients. Lipedema can be extremely difficult to diagnose when you do not have a trusted physician to assist you. Recently, a new lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County on May 16th by law firm Gianelli & Morris. The lawsuit was filed against Kaiser Foundation Health due to an alleged breach of contract by refusing to cover a surgical treatment for lipedema.
The plaintiff was denied the requested coverage for a new treatment for Lipedema by Kaiser Foundation Health. The treatment in question was a liposuction procedure to reduce the impact of lipedema. Kaiser countered the allegation, stating that they did not have access to physicians with the proper experience for the procedure. Instead of allowing the treatment to provide relief to the patient, they denied any form of compensation.
One important aspect of the lawsuit is that Kaiser Foundation Health implied that liposuction for lipedema is an experimental surgery. Studies have continued to show that lipedema liposuction is both safe and effective and can provide relief for the many symptoms of lipedema. The lawsuit specifically points out the benefits identified through various studies at the Stanford University Medical Center.
The plaintiff in the case is being represented by Gianelli & Morris, a successful law firm that has represented several state and federal cases for lipedema treatment denial. Robert Gianelli continues to remain committed to helping lipedema victims receive the treatment they deserve and need. Kaiser had referred their patient to a doctor who unfortunately misdiagnosed them with obesity; the doctor went as far to state they do not see lipedema as an actual condition to be diagnosed. Lipedema treatments deserve to be seen as what they are: a medical treatment that is not experimental or just for cosmetic purposes.
Unfortunately, there are not that many physicians who recognize the disease, and also can rule out confounding diagnoses, such lymphedema secondary to venous insufficiency with a Doppler venous ultrasound. Only with the proper clinical exam of the patient can a doctor rule out secondary lymphedema and other foot disorders to make a reliable diagnosis of lipedema. You should be suspicious of doctors who claim they can diagnose lipedema over Skype. The diagnosis is an important first step in getting the proper treatment and it also helps to build a case if you decide to try to get insurance coverage for your lipedema treatment. Do not let the reports of denied coverage prevent you from seeking the help you need. By easily searching lipedema treatment near me, you can find a lot of information on whether or not coverage is acceptable.
The surgery can be expensive and unfortunately as the Kaiser case above illustrates in some cases, patients may have to use legal remedies to get their medical insurance company to cover the needed care. It can be difficult but some insurance companies are starting to cover some treatments for lipedema.
All the published guidelines recommend treatment should start with compression garments and lymphedema therapy. If the non-surgical treatments like such as compression and lymphedema therapy do not give adequate relief patient medical insurance in some cases will cover specialized lymph sparing liposuction as an out of network benefit. If you chose to proceed with lymph sparing liposuction, please chose an experienced surgeon who fully understands the disease, takes great care not injure the lymphatics and will work with your lymphedema therapist and other members of your care team.
