
Your Medical Insurance May Cover the Cost of Your Wig
If you are experiencing temporary or permanent hair lose due to medical reasons such as chemotherapy, alopecia, trichotillomania, or other medical conditions, you can file an insurance claim to receive a partial or full cost of your cranial prosthesis (wig).
Cranial Prosthesis
A cranial prosthesis is a wig for medical patients/clients who have permanent hair loss (such as alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, trichotillomania), or temporary hair loss resulting from treatment for chemotherapy, radiation, or any other clinical disease.
The term, cranial prosthesis, is used when applying for medical insurance. Other common terms for a wig used for medical purposes include: full cranial prosthesis, hair prosthesis, cranial hair prosthesis, extra-cranial prosthesis.
If this is an ongoing condition you may be eligible to receive full or partial coverage to purchase the full cranial prosthesis by your health insurance company.
Coverage Depends on Your Insurance
For medical hair loss, you may obtain payment for the full cranial prosthesis. Some insurance companies require you to pay upfront and then reimbursed you, others will pay for your prosthesis upfront.
Most insurance companies will cover between 80-100% of the cost for your full cranial prosthesis and will allow you to receive one cranial prosthesis per year for medical hair loss.
Types of Medical Hair Loss Covered By Medical Insurance
Alopecia Hair Loss
Chemotherapy Related Hair Loss
Radiation Related Hair Loss
Thyroid Related Hair Loss
Kidney Related Hair Loss
Cancer Related Hair Loss
Medical Hair Loss Due to Genetics, Stress, Reaction to Medical Illness, Life and Environmental Changes, Aging, Thinning, and/or Balding
Steps:
Contact your Health Insurance Provider's and ask:
If your policy covers a cranial prosthesis
If yes, what type of cranial prosthesis is covered (i.e. synthetic wigs, human hair wigs, etc.)
How much of the cost will they cover
What specific terminology they need to have on the prescription for a wig
What specific documentation they need to submit your claim.
Next:
Request and obtain a prescription for a “cranial prosthesis” (or the specific terminology required by you Health Insurance Provider) from your doctor or physician including the medical procedure code A9282. Make sure the prescription does not say “wig.” A wig is a fashion item and is therefore not medically necessary. Your prescription will include a procedure number/code for your cranial prosthesis that will be used to submit your insurance claim.
Ask your physician to also write a letter explaining hair loss and its effects and have her/him state that it is not simply for cosmetic reasons but for emotional well being.
Keep copies of all of your documentation and invoices from your physician for tax exemption purposes. You will need to your tax advisor first about medical bills and tax deductible opportunities.
If you are planning on paying upfront or out of pocket initially, place your order with your stylist.
Once you place your order say that you need a copy of your invoice for your cranial prosthesis prescription.
You will be provide with a copy of your invoice with a notation on the bottom that states Cranial Prosthesis and Wigs.com’s Tax ID number.
Send all documentation to your Health Insurance Provider.
Information provided in this is based on U.S. Health Insurance Companies only. Information updated on August 7, 2020.
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