Does Insurance Cover Varicose Vein Treatment?

Are varicose veins covered by insurance?

The answer is YES, varicose vein treatment is covered by most commercial insurance carriers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Champus, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Health Net, Tricare, UMR, and UnitedHealthCare to name a few. Medicare and AHCCCS will also cover treatment.

Many people only try home treatment for varicose veins because they mistakenly believe that veins are only a cosmetic issue. In reality, the patients seen in our office typically have complaints of leg pain and/or ankle swelling in their legs, restless legs or numbing, tired legs and often even leg ulcers. These are real medical problems that significantly impair normal daily living.

If you have any of these symptoms, you should seriously consider seeking guidance and a full vein exam with ultrasound from an experienced vein specialist, as relief may be right around the corner.

Varicose Veins Insurance Story

Recently, a 62-year-old female patient met with our vein specialist Jilanne Rose, DNP-C complaining of left and right leg pain that has progressively become worse over the past several years. We'll call her Rita (not her real name).

Rita noticed a dramatic increase in symptoms in the last 18 months including leg pain, heaviness in both legs, leg fatigue, ankle swelling, leg cramping, restlessness in both legs, and skin discoloration. She was becoming increasingly concerned due to slow healing of wounds and occasional weeping skin in her right leg.

Rita's symptoms were worse after she stood or sat for long periods of time, at night, and at the end of the day. Her pain level had elevated to “severe” over the past month and she was unable to go about her daily personal or work activities.

Rita tried home remedies, such as wrapping her legs with ACE bandages, compression stockings and taking “water pills” which failed to relieve any of her symptoms.

At no out-of-pocket cost to Rita, Dr. Jilanne Rose provided a comprehensive physical examination, reviewed her past medical history,  and completed a duplex ultrasound. Dr. Rose discovered that Rita had several real medical problems with straightforward treatment options. After going over her options, Rita decided to proceed with in-office minimally invasive therapy, including endovenous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for three veins and endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) for another.

Our business office coordinator Michella Reynolds reached out to Ritas' insurance company, UnitedHealthcare, and obtained pre-certification within 24 hours. Five days after her initial visit with Dr. Rose, Rita had the RFA and EVLT procedures completed on several veins over a three-day period, and is thrilled with the results!

Rita said, “When I stood up after the almost painless RFA procedure was done, I noticed the pressure and pain I have lived with for years was MUCH better. After coming back to have my other leg treated, I'm sleeping through the night for the first time in years.”

Varicose Vein Treatment Costs

Our Patient Choice Advocacy Program at Advanced Vein Institute of Arizona is designed to cover your medical treatments using your health insurance benefits while limiting your out-of-pocket expense. We practice medicine based on our belief in maintaining the highest level of patient care, not based on insurance company guidelines. We are a contracted provider with many health insurance plans to minimize your out-of-pocket expense.

Don’t avoid seeking varicose vein treatment because you feel it will be cost prohibitive. In fact, Advanced Vein Institute of Arizona currently offers a free vein screening because we are so confident in our ability to provide superior care in treating your varicose veins.

Varicose Veins and Leg Cramps: The Cause May Surprise You

By Jason Babcock, MBA ACRP-CP | Apr 10, 2018 | Comments Off on Varicose Veins and Leg Cramps: The Cause May Surprise You

Leg Cramps There are many reasons for muscle cramps. A lot of people experience them because of a deficiency of certain key elements such as potassium and magnesium. Others, particularly those that live in warmer climates such as Arizona, experience cramps due to dehydration. A large number of patients I consult, flat out do not…

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Q & A-PAIN regresó después de EVLT… ¿Qué podría estar mal?

By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Mar 21, 2018 | Comments Off on Q & A-PAIN regresó después de EVLT… ¿Qué podría estar mal?

Pregunta: yo tenía EVLT por otro doctor de la vena y resolvió la mayor parte de mi dolor. Cuatro semanas después de que tuve escleroterapia con espuma, mi dolor regresó. En realidad, ha empeorado. Un mes post, me pongo 30-40 mm medias diarias, pero aún así me duele mucho. Veo a mi médico en un…

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Q & a-mis calcetines de compresión están PELLIZCAndo

By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Mar 21, 2018 | Comments Off on Q & a-mis calcetines de compresión están PELLIZCAndo

Pregunta: el calcetín de compresión de rodilla alta está pellizcando la parte superior de mi rodilla y dejando marcas doloridas (muescas). Mi trabajo requiere que me quede todo el día. Tengo venas de araña en mis tobillos y en el costado de mi pantorrilla exterior. ¿Debo seguir gastando la media aunque sea incómodo?

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Q & A – PAIN RETURNED AFTER EVLT…WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG?

By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Mar 21, 2018 | Comments Off on Q & A – PAIN RETURNED AFTER EVLT…WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG?

Question: I had EVLT by another vein doctor and it resolved most of my pain. Four weeks after I had foam sclerotherapy, my pain returned. Actually, it has worsened. One month post, I wear 30-40 mm stockings daily, but still I hurt SO much. I see my doctor in a month, any thoughts about what…

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Q&A – MY COMPRESSION SOCKS ARE PINCHING

By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Mar 21, 2018 | Comments Off on Q&A – MY COMPRESSION SOCKS ARE PINCHING

Question: The knee-high compression sock is pinching the top of my knee and leaving sore marks (indentations). My job requires me to stand all day. I have spider veins in my ankles and on the side of my outer calf. Should I continue to wear the stocking even though it’s uncomfortable?

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Q & A – SHOULD I WEAR COMPRESSION STOCKINGS AFTER…?

By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Mar 21, 2018 | Comments Off on Q & A – SHOULD I WEAR COMPRESSION STOCKINGS AFTER…?

Question: I went to a doctor in Glendale and finished all my Sclerotherapy injections and have had 2 EVLT (endovenous laser therapy) procedures, a vein ligation and a microphlebectomy for spider veins, all of which I wore 20-30 mmHg compression thigh-high hose for 2-3 weeks. After I had laser treatments on my legs, I was…

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Q & A – SHOULD I HAVE PAIN AND SWELLING AFTER VENASEAL?

By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Mar 21, 2018 | Comments Off on Q & A – SHOULD I HAVE PAIN AND SWELLING AFTER VENASEAL?

Question: I live in Tucson, Arizona and had VenaSeal done by a doctor here. Should I have pain and swelling after my VenaSeal procedure was carried out? It was purported to be painless compared to radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

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Q & A – I’M A HEAVY PERSON AND MY FEET ARE SWELLING UP BADLY. WHAT KIND OF DOCTOR DO I NEED TO SEE?

By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Mar 21, 2018 | Comments Off on Q & A – I’M A HEAVY PERSON AND MY FEET ARE SWELLING UP BADLY. WHAT KIND OF DOCTOR DO I NEED TO SEE?

Question: I don’t know who to turn to. I take Furosemide and it doesn’t seem to be helping as fast as it should be. Do I need to see a podiatrist or do I need to get a referral to go see a specialist? I’ve been off work for 2 and 1/2 months from total…

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Q & A – MY WIFE’S ULTRASOUNDS ARE INCONSISTENT, WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Mar 20, 2018 | Comments Off on Q & A – MY WIFE’S ULTRASOUNDS ARE INCONSISTENT, WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

Question: My wife has had multiple ultrasounds. One ultrasound tech found a bad perforator at 5mm, but they wanted to do open surgery. Another ultrasound tech from the Dr she wanted to use who does laser and RF could not find the perforator. What to do?

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Cabbage – Not always an “Irish” food, but beneficial for varicose veins

By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Mar 7, 2018 | Comments Off on Cabbage – Not always an “Irish” food, but beneficial for varicose veins

Cabbage not always an “Irish” food, but beneficial for varicose veins Whether you’re one of the 34.5 million Americans who claim Irish ancestry or not, celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day has some potential health benefits! When the Irish immigrated to the United States, they found beef brisket was inexpensive, and nutrient dense cabbage was affordable and…

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About Jason Babcock, MBA ACRP-CP

Jason is the Practice Administrator and CEO of Advanced Vein Institute of Arizona. Mr. Babcock brings over 30 years of healthcare administration experience to the organization with a strong background in finance, business development, operational improvement and customer service to AVIA.