Breast Implants and Health Insurance: How much does it cost?

Breast Implants and Health Insurance: How much does it cost?

Posted on 22/07/2019 in Blog

“Choosing to undergo breast augmentation—or any plastic surgery procedure, for that matter—is a big decision. This procedure will affect your life in many ways: physically, emotionally, and yes … financially. It’s no surprise that one of the most common questions we’re asked is “how much does this procedure cost?”

Let’s start with the simple answer. A breast augmentation in Toronto, though highly individualized, ranges in cost from $8,500 to $11,000.  

Now, in order to truly answer the question “how much does a breast augmentation cost?”, it’s important that we explore the many important factors that come into play when considering the cost of a procedure like this.

Why does it cost so much? Will my health insurance cover it? 

The truth of the matter is that the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) won’t pay for breast implants unless you have cancer or your breasts are asymmetric to the point that there are several cup sizes difference. The high price point has to do with all of the contributing factors, there is much more that goes into a breast augmentation than the implants and operation itself. A reliable, board-certified surgeon has undergone years of training and has performed hundreds of procedures. 

Cost: 4 Contributing Factors

The Breast Implants

Breast implants are medical devices with a tonne of research behind them and ongoing quality control processes. These are expensive for the manufacturer to make and they cost several thousands of dollars for Dr. Plant to purchase. Traditional saline implants are a bit less expensive, so the cost of an augmentation with those implants will be less. Premium products like the IDEAL implant cost a bit more, so a procedure using those will be a bit more expensive.

Medical Costs

As you’ll learn throughout the surgical process, the cost of breast augmentation includes more than just your new implants. In addition to the cost of the breast implants themselves, fees quoted from our office include all relevant surgical fees, anesthesia, surgical facility fees, nursing fees and medical garments as required. Surgical facility fees include things like the sterile drapes, the sterile equipment needed for performing the surgery as well as the drugs that are used for anesthesia and these things tend to be expensive.

Preoperative and Follow-up Care

Preoperative and follow-up care are essential and important parts of your surgical journey, and of course they factor into the cost. Does the surgeon do their own consults or will you be seeing a patient care coordinator? Who will help you choose the size of implants? Will followup visits after surgery be with your surgeon or with a nurse? In reality, preparing you properly for surgery and guiding you closely through your recovery and healing will be almost as important to your result as the surgery itself. Because it’s important to us that we’re with you every step of the way in your recovery journey, your investment includes all preoperative and follow-up appointments, and at our practice, these are all with Dr. Plant himself.

After your initial consultation Dr. Plant will provide you with a specific treatment plan, however we know questions always come up in the few days afterwards as you think about the plan. Because we don’t ever want any patients to feel they have unanswered questions we encourage you to reach out to the office and ask any and all questions you may have that come up after the consultation. If you need to meet with Dr. Plant for additional consultations we’re happy to set those up for you.

Once your surgery is complete, our staff will schedule regular follow-up visits to ensure your recovery is as quick and comfortable as possible. Unlike some other offices that include a specific number of followups or limit them to 1 year following surgery, Dr. Plant’s surgical procedures all include unlimited followups with him. In fact, he wants all of his breast enhancement patients to see him annually for as long as they are willing to come as part of his ongoing commitment to improving result

Experience and Training

In Ontario, only plastic surgeons can perform plastic surgery; however, there are dozens of providers out there with varied amounts of experience and training. The cost of the surgery is often reflective of the surgeon’s experience and expertise in a certain area. If you are having surgery on your breasts, you want to find a surgeon who specializes in breast surgery. Finding an experienced, qualified surgeon is one of the most important decisions you will make prior to your surgery and that experience is likely to cost a little bit more. Verify credentials and training, confirm the surgeon’s experience with the specific procedure you want to undergo, and ask to see before & after photos of previous patients.

Schedule a Consultation

We understand that cost is always a factor. Dr. Plant offers free consultations so that you can feel confident in your decision and feel comfortable and fully supported throughout your surgical journey. During the consultation, Dr. Plant will ensure you are a good candidate for the procedure and give you a breakdown of the cost and financing options. To get started, contact our office and schedule your appointment today.