Your Insurance: Federal Employees

Whether you get covered for lipedema surgery depends on your plan and where you have your surgery.

If you have a plan that covers lipedema like Aetna it will be much easier than needing a certain appeal with United Healthcare.

Smaller federal employee plans, provided they are not HMOs, can be more reasonable about covering and contracting with your surgeon of choice.

GEHA will likely require an appeal but should contract with your surgeon.

Many federal employees are covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. The plan you get approval from depends on where your surgeon is located not where you live.  Because of currently difficulty with Anthem and Blue Shield of California paying fairly, having surgery in California is not recommended.  Illinois is the best place right now to have surgery as they have approved federal employees and contracted with an out-of-network surgeon.

Most plans will cover skin excisions along with liposuction in most cases unless your plan policy has limitations on reconstructive surgery.