New Ruling Helps Make Breast Reconstruction More Accessible Than Ever
Access to surgery is something that the expert plastic surgeons here at Atlanta Plastic Surgery feel very passionately about. This is especially true in the case of reconstructive procedures like breast reconstruction surgery. (Breast Recon basics). This is why we were so thrilled to see that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have decided to maintain HCPCS Level II codes covering a wide variety of autologous breast reconstruction procedures.
We’ve had incredible success over the years performing autologous breast reconstruction procedures for women who want to rebuild their breast contour following breast cancer. Autologous breast reconstruction utilizes the patient’s own natural tissue (instead of breast implants) to restore the breast after a breast cancer surgery like a mastectomy. The results achieved with breast reconstruction can be incredibly powerful and truly help a woman start fresh again following her cancer fight.
With this in mind, we were so pleased to see that the CMS has chosen to uphold HCPCS Level II codes S2066, S2067 and S2068. These codes cover breast reconstructions that utilize the DIEP flap, GAP flap, and SIEA flaps. Although these codes were expected to expire at the end of next year, the extension means that people who use Medicare and Medicaid will retain their access to these incredible procedures indefinitely. They deemed that autologous breast reconstruction is an essential option for women who have undergone a mastectomy, and maintaining these codes was central to ensuring continued access to the procedure. It’s a major win for breast reconstruction access and something that will help thousands of women be able to undergo the reconstruction procedures that they desire in a more affordable way in the years ahead.
For anyone unaware, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is an offshoot of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). They are responsible for administering the Medicare and Medicaid programs on behalf of the government. They use their code system to determine which healthcare items or services fall under Medicare benefit categories and will be covered by the program.
Our surgeons are incredibly happy to see this result and look forward to continued success using autologous breast reconstruction to help our patients in the years to come. For more information on our reconstructive procedures or if you would like to schedule a plastic surgery consultation today, please contact Atlanta Plastic Surgery at one of our Atlanta, Cumming, Canton or Lawrenceville area locations. And don’t forget to follow along with us on Facebook and Twitter for additional plastic surgery tips, news, photos, and much more.
