foxygoddess 7 Posted October 15, 2006 I've been looking everywhere and I can't seem to find an answer to my question. I have health insurance which covers everything (it seems) but "cosmetic" problems. This means I have to pay out of pocket for my derm appointments as well as what he prescibes for me. This is A LOT of money that I don't have, but I've been struggling with acne for years and since I've been going to the derm it is slowly clearing up. I need to know if there are acne aid programs out there or anything that would help defray the cost of "cosmetic" appointments and meds. Please help!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
libbycopeland 0 Posted October 15, 2006 Go to pparx.org sponsored by pharmaceutical companies to provide medication to uninsured and underinsured persons in the US. In case they remove the link search for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance. Also, try talking to your doctor about ways to reduce cost, tell him how much their treatment is helping, but that you are concerned about cost. There might be some way they can help by reducing cost. Don't be shy about it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlliE_CaT 1 Posted October 15, 2006 Sometimes it depends on how he fills out the claim form, as well. Make him understand he should be billing for acne surgery not a cosmetic thing. That's what my derm does and they have covered it so far. No RX insurance but I don't have any topical rx's at the moment. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
foxygoddess 7 Posted October 16, 2006 Thanks guys, I'll ask my derm about possible discount options. However, I tried one of those discount prescription cards and it only gave me four dollars off of a $45.00 topical cream (which lasts me, on average, five weeks). I'm not sure how well that option's going to work out, as four dollars isn't a whole lot especially when I need TWO creams, the other is even more expensive and a smaller amount! Also, my insurance does not cover my dermatologist services at all, so I don't think asking him to claim acne surgery would work. Any other ideas? Thanks for the help! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beentheredonethat 6 Posted October 16, 2006 Acne is a disease, it is not usually considered cosmetic. If your insurance considers treatment for your disease to be "cosmetic" you need a new insurance company. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbomb 0 Posted October 18, 2006 Acne is a disease, it is not usually considered cosmetic. If your insurance considers treatment for your disease to be "cosmetic" you need a new insurance company. agreed. it's not a cosmetic thing, but arguing that point is neither here nor there since your insurance company has already made up its mind. something else to look into is the correlation between acne and depression (which is relatively common.) if your acne is causing clinical depression, loss of confidence, etc, then it ceases to be "cosmetic." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beentheredonethat 6 Posted October 18, 2006 agreed. it's not a cosmetic thing, but arguing that point is neither here nor there since your insurance company has already made up its mind. Often a dermatologist's letter of explanation will make an insurance company approve acne meds. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
