Will my insurance cover bulging disc surgery

Bulging discs are one of the most common causes of back pain. A bulging disc occurs when a disc loses its normal shape, become flatter and bulging in one or more places. There are several risk factors for this condition, most notably age and obesity.

Many people with bulging discs never experience symptoms, and go through life completely unaware that they have a bulging disc. Among those who do experience pain and other symptoms, the majority can be treated with conservative treatments such as physical therapy. For a significant minority of patients, however, the disc doesn't respond to any treatment except for surgery.

Fortunately for patients who do need bulging disc surgery, insurance should cover it when medically necessary. There are several reasons bulging disc surgery may be necessary:

• Symptoms are very severe
  
• Symptoms are getting progressively worse, especially if the disc is in the cervical spine
  
• The patient has undergone conservative treatments to no avail 

The Process

It's important to start out with a doctor who accepts your insurance. After establishing that surgery is necessary in your case, the doctor will recommend surgery and provide your insurance company with documentation. The insurance company will approve coverage, and you'll undergo your surgery.

With insurance, all you'll have to pay is the copay and/or the deductible. Depending on your insurance plan, this may cost several hundred or several thousand dollars. Most patients are able to cover this cost without trouble, especially those with health savings plans. The small cost of the surgery not covered by insurance is well worth the increased quality of life and work productivity experienced by patients who are finally able to return to pain-free living.

To learn more about whether bulging disc surgery is right for you, please click below and enter your information or call (646) 374-1799.