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Does Medicare Cover Hair Transplants?

Does Medicare Cover Hair Transplants?

Are you looking for a solution to your hair issues and wondering, “Does Medicare cover Hair Transplants?”

Below, you’ll get an answer to that question in clear, plain English. You will also find the average hair transplant costs and other helpful info.

Does Medicare Cover Hair Transplants?

The short answer is no. In most cases, Medicare will not cover the cost of a hair transplant. Nor does it cover most types of hair loss treatments. 

That said, there may be some situations where you can get these costs covered. Below we’ll take a closer look at this to see when you might be able to get Medicare to pay for your hair transplant. 

Original Medicare Coverage of Hair Transplant

Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) does not provide coverage for hair transplants. So that means you will have to pay 100 percent for your hair transplant. 

This is because Medicare does not provide coverage for cosmetic surgeries if they are done for cosmetic reasons or non-medically necessary reasons.

Medicare Advantage Coverage of Hair Transplant

Like Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C) also do not cover hair transplants. 

Medicare Advantage plans cover everything Original Medicare covers and some additional benefits. However, coverage and out-of-pocket costs will vary depending on the plan you have. That said, we don’t know of any Part C plans that cover hair transplants.

So when does Medicare cover hair loss treatment?

When Does Medicare Cover Hair Loss Treatment?

Original Medicare will only provide coverage for hair loss treatment if it is medically necessary. In rare cases, Original Medicare provides coverage for prescription medications to treat hair loss if administered in a doctor’s office or hospital outpatient setting. Coverage for this type of hair loss treatment is provided by Medicare Part B,

Original Medicare also does not provide coverage for wigs. However, some Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C) provide coverage for wigs for hair loss.

Medicare Part C plans that include prescription drug plans also do not provide coverage for medications your healthcare provider will prescribe to you.

Medicare Part D plans do not provide coverage for hair loss prescription drugs. Medicare Part D is a prescription drug plan. Like Medicare Part C, Medicare Part D plans are provided by private insurance companies. 

How Much Does A Hair Transplant Cost?

The average cost of a hair transplant cost from $6,000 to $8,000. 

More information on Hair Transplants

A hair transplant can be like a magic wand for those struggling with thinning or balding hair. A skilled plastic surgeon or dermatologist takes hair follicles from an area of your scalp where hair is more abundant and moves them to a spot that needs a little extra TLC.

This process is commonly called hair replacement or hair restoration, and it’s usually recommended for people who’ve tried everything to restore their hair and haven’t seen results. The hair follicles are typically taken from the back or sides of your head and transplanted to the top, front, or crown.

Hair transplants can be performed using several techniques, including Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).

The transplanted hair typically begins to grow within a few months of the procedure, and the results can be permanent.

However, the success of a hair transplant depends on several factors. This includes the:

  • skill of the surgeon
  • patient’s hair type
  • patient’s age
  • general health of the patient

It is important to discuss the procedure’s expected outcomes and potential risks and complications with a qualified hair transplant surgeon before the procedure.

Note: Medicare coverage changes all the time. And your specific coverage may vary from plan to plan for Medicare Advantage. Always be sure to double-check with your health care provider and/or Medicare insurance provider about what your plan covers and what it does not.

Additional Info on Medicare Coverage

This article is part of our series on “What does Medicare cover?”

Also, you can check out other articles in this series, including: Does Medicare cover BP Monitors?

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Medicare Plan Tips Team

Annie Kaye is a writer and researcher who was thrown into the Medicare world while taking care of her ailing mother. Even with a degree in Library Science and a long history of fighting for what's right, she felt lost. She learned a lot about Medicare during that time and now writes to help others understand how the system works.