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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Will Medicare cover the costs for breast reconstruction?

    Related Topics
    Breast Cancer Cancer Plastic Surgery
    I've had a wide margin excision in my rt breast 6 weeks ago and my surgeon said there wouldn't be any cosmetic issues. But there is.

    My right breast (AA/A cup) has always been smaller than my left (A/B cup). Now after the surgery, that removed a PASH lesion, by removing a piece of tissue 5.5 x 3.5 x 2.8 cm, I have a divot in the top of my breast just above my nipple.

    So there is now a greater difference in cup size. Left side is A/B and right side is flat/AA cup. And my right nipple has inverted also.

    Because PASH is considered benign, am I entitled to have reconstruction covered by Medicare and my Private health fund?

    A ‘friend’, who works for a breast surgeon, told me to be thankful it was benign and not to be so vain. But it really bothers me as I can't find a bra to fit and I'm struggling to hide the difference in size under summer clothes.
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    Dr Andre Safvat

    Plastic Surgeon

    Dr. Safvat is a fully qualified and highly trained Specialist Plastic Surgeon, performing a wide range of Plastic, Cosmetic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery. He is … View Profile

    Thanks for your question. Sorry to hear about your problem. By enlarege medicare covers patinets with significant asymmetry of the  breasts (congenital or post surgical). Its more difficult to replace tissure lost in the upper part of the breast but considering your pathalogy was benign maybe a fat injection (from your own body) to restore the tissue lost can be a solution. If your inverted nipple are as a result of scaring then it might improve with fat injectinn and scar release druing the surgery. Hope that helped.
    Regards
    Andre Safvat FRACS

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    Anonymous

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