The Economic Realities of Breast Implants
Many thanks to one of our readers for pointing us to the Beauty and the Breast blog’s further critique of the NYT’s article on breast implants. They point out,
“Cosmetic surgery is not covered by insurance. So from the time a woman gets her first set of implants (say, in her 20s) until she’s buried maybe 60 years later, she will have had to pay for more than seven operations out of pocket since implants need to be replaced every seven to ten years. In addition, after implants, she cannot rely on mammograms anymore for breast health; the FDA recommends MRIs every two to three years, which are also not covered by insurance. A decent plastic surgeon charges about $6,000 per breast implant operation, while an MRI costs about $2,000. Over a lifetime, this adds up to about $80,000.
$80,000! This is money NOT spent on a down payment for a house, mortgage payments, piano lessons for the kids, college tuition, not earning interest in a retirement account… And if there are complications (which we know are very likely), the price would soar indeed. So, getting breast implants is not just a “trip to Paris,� as plastic surgery Dr. Linda Huang compared it to in the New York Times article, it could cost a life well-lived.
So here are some things I hope the New York Times will follow-up on in future articles:
1) What proportion of implant recipients actually follow the safety recommendations and actually get those MRI check ups and replace their implants every 10 years or so, as recommended?
2) How many women do not follow the safety recommendations because they can’t afford it? How many women forgo treatment when they experience complications?
3) How many families are being driven to insolvency struggling to pay for treatment for illnesses related to breast implants? How many families are breaking up due to the emotional and fiscal toll?”
Filed under: Uncategorized, Atrocities, Sheroes, Women's Health
Its good to let your view point known. If enough people bring it up the survey group will usually include those outcomes in the next study. There has always been a disconnect about what consumers want to see and what the surveyors think consumers want to see.