Health Care

by: Jennifer Blackie

When your insurance company doesn't pay for cosmetic surgery because it's elective, and you don't have the money in the bank to pay up front, what are your options? Do you have to wait until you save up enough money before you can have the facelift, tummy tuck, or breast uplift that you want? That, of course, depends on your personal financial situation. You do, however, need to check into the options before you even go for your first evaluation.

Depending on the surgeon you choose, it's possible you may find one who offers a payment plan right in the office. In most cases, this means you pay a certain amount down, and the doctor will agree to accept a set amount in payments each month thereafter. You want to be careful when using this option, because in many cases, the down payment is smaller in order to encourage patients to take advantage of it. However, the monthly payments may be short term, and thus much higher than what you can afford. Although this is not true all the time, it is in many cases. The reason is doctors want their money right away, and as such, they really don't want to be stuck financing patient bills. Therefore, what they do is make it somewhat attractive by offering a payment plan, but at the same time, discouraging patients from using onsite financing because of the future high payments.

Another option is using your credit card, if you have enough available to finance your cosmetic surgery. Financing this way means you don't have to pay a down payment, and you have low minimum payments. On the down side, cosmetic surgery is expensive, so you will tie up a good portion of your credit line. Of course, if you are financially sound and have a substantial credit line, it may not have a detrimental effect, especially if you have a card with a lower than average interest rate. If you had planned to pay a down payment, you can also do that and put the balance on your credit card. This will reduce the amount of your credit line that you tie up with your surgery.

A third option is applying for a personal loan at your bank. Of course, for those who have less than perfect credit, they may need to obtain some collateral such as real estate or a motor vehicle, but it's always possible. If you already have an equity line of credit, you can use that as well, by just writing out a check against your available balance. There are always ways you can come up with the funds you need for different things, including that of cosmetic surgery. You may even choose to take a loan against your 401K plan if you have one, or take a loan against your savings account or other assets you may own. Make certain you know you can obtain the funding before you go any farther than the initial consultation. Make sure you can pay for the surgery before you schedule it and tie up the surgeon's schedule.