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Do you have to have two stages of breast reconstruction?

One-stage breast reconstruction is only an option for breast cancer patients who don’t require additional treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, after mastectomy. This is because radiation therapy and chemotherapy given after surgery can cause a reconstructed breast to lose volume and change color, texture, and appearance. In one-stage breast reconstruction, a breast cancer surgeon removes the breast, and then a plastic surgeon either reconstructs the breast with tissue from another part of the body or inserts a breast implant. The major advantage of this approach is it only requires one major surgery. Additionally, a woman wakes up from her mastectomy with breasts. 

What are the stages of breast reconstruction?

How is the first stage of breast reconstruction performed?

How long does it take to recover from breast reconstruction surgery?

What does it feel like after breast reconstruction surgery?

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

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