Varicose Veins: Does Insurance Cover Removal?

Medical Industry is Turning to Independent Review Organizations (IROs) to Help Determine When Varicose Vein Removal Surgery is Medically Necessary

Portland, OR (PRWEB) April 11, 2005 -- In today’s age of beauty and fashion, men and women are seeking ways to eliminate the ugly varicose veins they tend to get with age, weight and heredity. While vein removal might seem like an optional, cosmetic surgery, many people in their twenties and older frequently suffer from swollen and painful legs as a result of varicose veins. In advanced cases, patients can also experience leg ulceration, skin breakdown, superficial phlebitis and, in rare instances, bleeding.

“There are a multitude of causes that contribute to a patient’s inclination to get varicose veins,” said to Dr. Skip Freedman, medical director at AllMed Healthcare Management, a leading Independent Review Organization (IRO). “Typically, physicians prescribe basic solutions, such as compression stockings that squeeze the leg and may alleviate many of these symptoms. But, these solutions don’t work for all patients.”

According to Freedman, the stockings don’t make the twisted-looking and bulging veins go away, and, oftentimes, patients find them difficult to put on, hot to wear or not suitable for their lifestyle. If, after several weeks, patients are not getting varicose vein symptom relief from compression stockings, they are probably going to consider surgery. Why? With varicose veins, the damaged veins cannot pump blood back to the heart, causing the patient’s symptoms. Surgery either removes the varicose vein and its tributaries, or cauterizes the vein to prevent blood flowing through it. Yet, except in well-documented cases, most healthcare plans consider varicose vein surgery cosmetic.

In order for varicose vein surgery to be covered:
- A patient’s physician needs to conduct a physical exam, as well as document the patient’s history
- The patient must follow the conservative treatment plan and wear the compression stockings for several weeks
- The physician must track all of the patient’s general health, medical history, symptoms and tried treatments to help prove the need for surgery.

Dr. Freedman added that if the patient rejects the conservative vein treatment or if further proof is needed, a physician could conduct an ultrasound to measure the speed of blood flow through the veins and observe the patient’s vein structure and determine the reflux (backflow) of blood. This test can also determine if there are other conditions with the leg and provide the insurance carrier the medical evidence need to cover the varicose vein surgery. Another advantage of this approach, said Freedman, is that it eliminates those patients with spider veins looking for payers to cover a procedure that’s purely non-medical and cosmetic.

More information about the medical necessity review services offered by Independent Review Organizations (IROs) can be found on AllMed’s web site at http://www.allmedmd.com.

Varicose Vein Removal, the Twisted Problem

Everybody desires a soft and velvety complexion. Only a healthy skin gives these attributes to the human body. Varicose veins and spider veins damage the skin beauty radically. Enlarged, distended and twisted superficial veins, the varicose veins are both a medical and cosmetic problem. One suffering from the condition of varicose vein goes through the painful experience of ulceration, inflammation and hemorrhage. Also look of varicose vein area becomes distracting by the presence of these bluish and swelled veins.
There are many factors that cause varicose vein, like sex, age, obesity, genetics and the amount of strain on the legs. Aging is the most important of all those factors. With age the veins undergo many wear and tear, because women are subjected to frequent hormonal changes. Pregnancy, pre menstruation and menopause take the toll to develop varicose veins. Then beginning as a brownish discolouration (stasis pigmentation), the veins become twisted, turned, swelled and extended.
There are many reasons why veins become elephantine. Usually it is a much-sitting lifestyle or a hereditary reason. These extra large varicose veins are found often on the backs of the calves or on the inside of the leg. During pregnancy, hemorrhoids, a type of varicose veins form in the vagina or around the anus.
Thanks to modern medical breakthroughs, http://www.plasticsurgeryadvisor.com/skin-improvement-surgery/ultrasound-guided-sclerotherapy.shtml%7Dultrasound">surgical varicose vein removal have made the escape from the painful position easy and affordable.
The conventional vein removal involved much pain, bleeding and anesthesia. But modern practice has alleviates all those problems and employs various procedure for removal. If the varicose veins are small and simple then an ultrasound sclerotherapy will serve the purpose best. In the much complicated conditions one has to undergo surgical removal procedure.
Varicose vein condition becomes complicated and carried over to surgical procedure after much negligence. If the veins are slimmer one can easily remove them by ultrasound sclerotherapy. If one feeling itching in the veins then it is the time for surgical procedure. Generally, the look conscious people finish the matter bit earlier as the presence of veins give an ugly look. Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy removes cluster of spider veins (slimmer and small varicose veins) in a painless method. It is also cost effective. Normally, varicose veins can be removed with simple procedures such as laser vein treatment and sclerotherapy but in some cases. In grave conditions the procedure involves removal by two methods, i.e., ligation (stripping) and ambulatory phlebectomy.

About the Author

Harry John is an expert author. He has authored books on http://www.plasticsurgeryadvisor.com/skin-improvement-surgery/ultrasound-guided-sclerotherapy.shtml%7Dultrasound">surgical varicose vein removal.

Varicose Vein Treatment

Varicose vein treatment
Varicose veins are the result of normal veins being exposed to high pressure over a prolonged period of time. Varicose veins develop when you have faulty valves in your veins and weakened vein walls. When these valves do not function properly, the blood cannot overcome gravity's effects and begins to flow backward and pool in the veins. Because of that pressure builds up and the veins become enlarged, weakened and twisted. As a result the veins become more visible under the skin. Varicose Veins become more prevalent with age and have been reported to affect from 30-60% of the adult population. Varicose veins primarily affecting women.

Signs and symptoms of varicose veins

• Aching pain
• Legs that tire easily
• Leg swelling (usually feet and ancles)
• Redness and heat in the irritated area
• Heaviness in legs
• Skin darkening
• Tingling or burning sensations
• Muscle cramps
• Itching skin

Causes of varicose veins

• heredity
• hormonal factors
• pregnancy
• ageing
• obeseness
• leg injury

People who are overweight or people who are working while standing for a longer time might get varicose veins. Pregnancy,pre menstruation, and menopause are some of the factors in women that influence varicose veins. During pregnancy, hormones relax the veins and more blood travels through the veins. Varicose veins often develop during pregnancy and resolve shortly after childbirth. Lack of exercise, prolonged constipation, and sitting with legs crossed can compound the problem.

Varicose veins treatment
The treatment of varicose veins varies per patient. The most common surgical treatment includes stripping of the long and/or short saphenous veins. Treatment programs such as sclerotherapy, laser surgery, surgical vein stripping,ambulatory phlebectomy and endoscopic vein surgery are tailored to each individual. Patients may receive a combination of treatments, and most patients participate in some self-care therapies as well. Self-help measures - such as wearing elasticised compression stockings, regular exercising, controlling and if necessary your losing weight, not wearing tight clothes, avoiding long periods of sitting or standing - can ease pain and prevent varicose veins from getting worse.

What can be done to prevent varicose veins?
Prevention for varicose veins initially begins with the wearing of support hosieryor compression stockings. They can significant improve circulation of blood. Wearing properly fitted therapeutic compression hosiery, especially during pregnancy, may help lower the risk of thromboembolic disease. Healthy diet is also appreciated if you like to avoid the occurrence of varicose veins. Weight reduction in patients with obesity may reduce valvular incompetence by reducing intra-abdominal pressure. Regular exercising such as walking, bicycling, and swimming are recommended for varicose veins. Limiting excessive standing or sitting may be helpful in alleviating symptoms. Since the above measures do not treat the underlying cause of the disease, varicose veins will usually enlarge and worsen over time.

About the Author

The author Rados S. writes articles about vein treatment, spider veins and varicose veins. For more useful information about vein treatment, please visit site Vein treatment.