Is it possible to get a free nose job? Yes, there are circumstances where nose surgery is considered necessary to correct an injury or medical condition. In these cases, plastic surgery would be paid for by insurance as it constitutes a medical or health necessity.
In general, insurance providers will cover the cost of rhinoplasty if it addresses functional problems such as a breathing problems, congenital defects, repeated nasal or sinus infections, or sporadic nasal bleeding.
A deviated septum represents another reason that surgery may be covered by insurance. The nasal septum is the wall that runs through the middle of the nose, separating the right and left passages. Deviation of the septum can interfere with air flow through one or both nostrils, resulting in difficulty breathing.
However, this procedure is more commonly referred to as septoplasty, not rhinoplasty. This procedure may be performed by a cosmetic surgeon.
In these cases, septoplasty is carried out once the insurer is satisfied that non-surgical attempts at treatment have been ineffective. However, septoplasty is not considered a cosmetic procedure and should not change the external appearance of the nose.
Some plastic surgeons carry out rhinoplasty and septoplasty simultaneously in a procedure known as septorhinoplasty, however, the rhinoplasty component of the surgery would not be covered by the insurance company.
Another reason that rhinoplasty may be medically necessary is due to injuries to the nose. For example, burns can cause facial deformation that requires surgical correction. Broken noses that occur as a result of an accident may also require rhinoplasty to restore full function to the nose.
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a free nose job or free procedures to aesthetically correct the nose. There are residency training programs at university hospitals that offer rhinoplasty at a low cost as the surgery serves an educational purpose. It is vital, however, to ensure the hospital has rhinoplasty surgeons supervising the resident during the procedure. Otherwise, most plastic surgeons offer patients financing options that can make rhinoplasty surgery possible.
Dr. Preston White
