Advice re implants following risk reducing mastectomy 16 years ago

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Hello,

I feel that this is such a trivial question, so please forgive me. I would very much appreciate advice; about 16 years ago I had a risk-reducing double mastectomy and hysterectomy on the NHS. More recently, I have had some problems with both implants and so as not to burder the NHS, I used some private medical insurance to see a doctor to check the implants. As luck would have it, I saw the same surgeon who did the original surgery and he confirmed that both implants were leaking silicone and needed to be removed. However, he is an honest man and he said that I would have to wait some time under the NHS in our area. Based upon this and not wishing to burden the NHS I asked my insurer whether they would fund removal and they have refused because they say that did not do the original surgery which was risk reducing and they do not cover such things.I wonder whether anybody here has had a similar experience and could advise how I could persuade the insurers to cover this as I am truly anxious about the leaking silicone. Thank you for your help. 

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@Blackcurrent  - first of all, welcome to this forum. Your question is not at all trivial, all questions are valid and important, no matter what the subject.

I’m not sure I can help personally, but I didn’t want to read and go past without comment. I wonder if you could speak to the surgeon you have just seen - you’ve seen him privately and he may be able to write a letter explaining that this surgery is medically necessary. Insurance companies can be tricky to deal with. They may have misunderstood the reason for your surgery and thinking that it is cosmetic perhaps?

After that, maybe ask to speak to someone more senior in the claims department. Very best wishes to you, Evie xx

Just a few thoughts. I hope that I might bump up this thread and that someone else may come along with some thoughts or advice.