Wondering what kind of financial assistance might be available for breast reconstructive surgery after mastectomy? You’ve come to the right place. The AiRS Foundation provides access to options and funding for breast reconstruction surgery after a mastectomy due to cancer.
About one third of all breast cancer patients, as well as a large number of women diagnosed with a BRCA gene mutation, will have a mastectomy as part of their treatment or their plan to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Having a mastectomy can be a serious change in a woman’s life, and reconstructive breast surgery is often an integral part of emotional and physical healing.
Unfortunately, a number of women don’t have the finances to cover the procedure. That’s why we offer breast reconstruction financial assistance.
Costs and Insurance
The price of breast reconstruction surgery varies depending on a surgeon’s experience, geographic location, the kind of procedure, and the patient’s health factors. The costs of surgery may include facility costs, anesthesia fees, medical prescriptions, medical tests and x-rays, and more. There are three different types of reconstruction surgery a patient can receives depending on her individual body.
They are:
- Artificial Breast implants that can contain either saline (salt water) or silicon gel. This type of procedure can be done in immediate and delayed reconstruction.
- Combination of implant and autologous from the back (the latissimus dorsi muscle), along with an implant.
- Autologous tissue breast using your body’s own fat instead of an artificial implant. The tissue may come from your abdomen, buttock or thighs and consists of only fat and skin without the need to sacrifice important muscles.
The Women’s Health and Cancer Recovery Act (WHCRA), approved in 1998, states that insurance companies and HMO’s must provide coverage for woman who elect breast reconstruction in connection with a mastectomy. Unfortunately, many women who have breast cancer don’t have insurance or their insurance coverage is limited.
That’s where we step in.
The AiRS Foundation provides a number of grants each year to women wanting to have breast reconstruction surgery after a mastectomy but cannot afford it. Our breast reconstruction financial assistance program covers a wide range of costs. We believe that every breast cancer patient should have the option of breast reconstruction surgery because it’s a vital step in the process of healing.
Apply for a Grant
Think you or a loved one might be eligible for breast reconstruction financial assistance? Apply for a grant today! The form is short and easy to fill out. Download one here.
