Insurance companies don’t cover the cost of wigs, also known as hair prosthesis, when hair loss is caused by anything other than chemotherapy. And even then, not all insurance companies cover the cost of the hair prosthesis for chemotherapy related hair loss. Lisa Fayed, the cancer guide from about.com writes “If your insurance company does cover the cost of wig, you may need your doctor to write a letter or prescription that includes information as to why you need the wig, noting that it is not for cosmetic purposes, but for your emotional well-being. Request that your doctor prescribe a “hair prosthesis or cranial hair prosthesis”, not just a “wig”. Insurance companies are very particular of wording, and most will not cover a “wig”, but will cover a “hair prosthesis”, even though they are the same thing.
Well the “emotional well being” reason is still applicable for whatever the reason the person is suffering with hair loss. My insurance company covers the cost of orthotics, those little plastic like shoe inserts that are custom ordered from the podiatrist. The cost of the orthotics at my podiatrist, $500. That would provide for a decent hair prosthesis for a hair loss suffer. I suffer much more from my hair loss than I ever did from my unbalanced feet alignment. My foot ailment never caused me any “emotional well being” distress, just a little discomfort and pain, but yet that is covered under my insurance plan. They also cover “psychological treatment” which many women end up needing due to the devastating effect hair loss has on a woman’s self image. The insurance companies should realize that they are being penny wise and dollar foolish. They are probably spending millions on psychological treatment sought by people suffering with hair loss, when if fact that number could be cut down dramatically if they simply offered coverage of the hair prosthesis.
Something to think about.
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I’ve had it out with those darn insurance companies, yelling at them about the foolish things they cover. Paying someone to “listen” to you might be helpful, but its nothing a wig cannot fix. Its a temporary solution to a permanent problem. But I think they would rather dish out those millions on psychological treatment, like you said, because they don’t have control of the hair industry. They have control over drugs, drug companies and insurance companies work together like a machine. I guarentee if they owned a wig company, that would dramatically change. If its something they cannot make money from, they probably would not be likely to help with it. I just wish I could understand their logic.
Where do they find these ideas to regulate the use of a cranial prosthesis?
Why limit and restrict those women suffering and degrade our pain to a cosmetic issue?
Its not fair or logical in any way. Maybe they’re just too afraid that one day, we’ll get together and say we’ve had enough of their crazy drugs that spin us spiraling downward to an abyss of media conglomerates dictating our appearance. We don’t have to accept their ideas, drugs or anything for that matter. We can give them up and not allow them to control us, sabotage our health and damage our well-being. We have to be ourselves, and those drugs do not make us who we are.
There is no money in a cure, only in the treatment. That must be the slogan pasted on the bathroom walls of the pharmaceutical companies. With all the wonderful things they can do with “medicine” they can’t find a cure for hair loss? hummmm.
They can’t find a cure for diabetes either, diabetics are a huge market for pharma, doctors, etc. As to orthotics, mine did cost $500 , my co-pay was actually a little over 100, later I saw a catalog where they would make them for you, send you the material for impressions, for the same 100 I paid. Where is the justice?
Paula Young has a website and on that website are many wigs, many colors, many styles. Lots of sales, but better yet, closeouts. You can try a wig for under $20. And don’t let anyone tell you they are garbage. When my local department store closed down their wig department, I went to a local shop and paid $130 for the same wiglet I got at Paula Young for a quarter of the price. The same thing!
Today I had cataract surgery, they popped a cap over my head, if I had not said anything, no one would have known I was wearing a wiglet. As I dress to look nice for myself and others, I use my wiglet as just another fashion accessory.
Helen
Hi Helen – Thanks for the tip about Paula Young Wigs. I love hearing that you interact with people daily that have no idea that you are wearing your wiglet. That is obviously a HUGE concern when thinking about wearing any type of hair, so the fact that you actually were in the doctor’s office and they put a cap on your head without even realizing is marvelous. Always good to hear.
I am so distressed over my hair loss. There is not a day that goes by I am not in tears over this. I don’t think at this point most people can notice it, but I have really gotten thin on top very fast. I too don’t understand why insurance companies can not cover part of the cost. I have what I believe is androgenic alopecia so no help getting a wig from the insurance company.