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.

Do You Qualify for a Varicose Vein Procedure at AVIA?

By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Mar 1, 2018 | Comments Off on Do You Qualify for a Varicose Vein Procedure at AVIA?

Advanced Vein Institute of Arizona is proud that our offices are staffed with only board-certified providers. To help them determine whether you might benefit from a minimally invasive vein treatment, please answer these questions:

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By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Feb 22, 2018 | Comments Off on Are Your Legs Ready For Spring Break?

Vein Treatment It is easy to forget about unsightly veins in the winter time when leggings and sweats are worn almost 24/7. In addition, the cooler weather helps to mitigate symptoms such as fatigue, heaviness, cramping, and swelling; all indications of underlying venous insufficiency. With spring right around the corner, now is the time to…

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By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Dec 13, 2017 | Comments Off on Don’t skip the cranberries!

As you navigate your way through the barrage of holiday parties this season, it may be difficult to decide on certain indulgences. The general recommendation here at Advanced Vein Institute of Arizona is everything in moderation. However, there is one thing on a lot of holiday tables that can benefit your vascular health…cranberries! Due to…

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By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Oct 12, 2017 | Comments Off on IRONMAN is coming to Arizona, are you ready?

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By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Sep 27, 2017 | Comments Off on Improve circulation in your legs while binge watching

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By Jason Babcock, MBA ACRP-CP | Sep 6, 2017 | Comments Off on Is Varicose Vein leg pain keeping you from dancing with the stars?

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What is PVD – Peripheral Vascular Disease?

By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Aug 24, 2017 | Comments Off on What is PVD – Peripheral Vascular Disease?

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Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Varicose Vein Treatment?

By Jason Babcock, MBA ACRP-CP | Aug 10, 2017 | Comments Off on Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Varicose Vein Treatment?

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By Jilanne Rose, DNP ANP-BC | Aug 1, 2017 | Comments Off on Vein Removal or Vein Stripping Recommended?

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By Jason Babcock, MBA ACRP-CP | Aug 1, 2017 | Comments Off on Sorry I put off varicose vein and venous leg ulcer treatment

HERE’S HER STORY: Magdalena, a 63-year-old retired woman that has lived with painful varicose veins and CVI since the 1970’s. She had vein stripping in the 1970’s and laser thermal ablation in 2010 which both left her traumatized and fearful of any further treatment.  In late August, 2016 she reached a point where she had…

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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.