Looking for advice on breast reduction. Should I bother with insurance or pay out of pocket?
Hi all!
Seeking advice on getting a breast reduction.
I’ve been extremely self-conscious about my chest size for the majority of my teenage and adult life. I'm 26 years old, a 30FF/G cup with a BMI of around 21. I’ve never had major weight fluctuations - just always had a disproportionately large chest relative to my frame. Like many others who have spoken about their experience on this subreddit, my chest size makes exercising very difficult, clothes never fit properly, finding bras or swimwear that fit comfortably and are supportive is a constant struggle, and I have constant upper back pain.
From the research I’ve done so far, it seems like I meet the criteria that private insurance companies look for when approving breast reduction surgery. However, I have never had/nor currently have private health insurance. From what I understand, even if I started a policy now, I may need to hold it for around 5 years before they would cover something considered a pre-existing condition, even though this is not something I have discussed/documented with my GP previously.
I really don’t want to wait that long, so I’m trying to decide whether it’s worth pursuing through insurance at all, or if I should focus instead on financially planning to pay out of pocket.
TLDR/ Wondering if anyone has been able to get a breast reduction covered as a new health insurance policy holder? Is insurance is a realistic option for me (if so any advice on specific providers and policies), or if I am better off self-funding in order to get this done sooner rather than later. I'm based in Dublin so any general advice on the process in Dublin hospitals/ Dublin-based surgeons would be hugely appreciated! Thanks a mill 😄