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Short Term Disability and Cosmetic Surgery


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Does anyone have a Short Term Disability program which excludes coverage if a request for a medical leave is due to cosmetic surgery? It is my understanding that SDI programs cover elective surgery so I am assuming this would include cosmetic surgery. Thanks.

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When you say "cosmetic", are you referring to a procedure to repair or reconstruct a physical anomoly?

Lori Friedman

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Elective surgery is medically necessary but done at the patient's convenience. This is in contrast to procedures that must be done immediately to save the patient's life or prevent physical damage. Elective surgeries are planned in advance and don't result from emergencies or sudden illnesses.

I don't believe that the term "elective surgery" is ever used to describe a non-essential procedure done for purely cosmetic reasons.

Lori Friedman

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Elective surgery is not always medically necessary, in fact the majority of elective surgery is not me4dically necessary. Some of the most poplular items of elective surgery include hair transplantation/replacement, liposuction, breast enhancement, nose reshaping, eyelids and eyebrows, chemical peels, face and face related lifts etc, skin resurfacing etc, none of which are medically necessary. The numbers of these outnumber the elective surgeries done for medical reasons such as cardiac surgery, hemorrhoids etc etc.

The term elective surgery is what is used to describe non-essential procedures done for purely cosmetic reasons although it is also used for any surgery that is not immediately needed.

Do a Google search on "elective surgery" and you will see how prevalent the use of the term is for cosmetic surgery.

George D. Burns

Cost Reduction Strategies

Burns and Associates, Inc

www.costreductionstrategies.com(under construction)

www.employeebenefitsstrategies.com(under construction)

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I've got to side with GBurns on this one.

Responding to the original post, I've had clients that expressly stated in their medical plan that it wouldn't cover any costs that arose from having cosmetic surgery done simply for esthetic purposes (including any complications caused by that surgery). I realize that the original post related to STD, but this is an example of an extension of that policy decision.

Kirk Maldonado

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