How to Access Wigs through Medical Insurance

If you’re looking to use your medical insurance to cover the cost of your wig, then continue reading to find how you can start making progress today!

What Medical Insurance?

If you’re undergoing hair treatment, if your hair is thinning, or your hairline begins to recede, there are several ways in which you can make an insurance claim that covers this. According to Milano, the following insurance companies offer  Cranial Prosthesis wigs:

• Aetna
• Blue Shield
• United Healthcare
• Humana
• TriCare

What Wig?

Medical insurance will most likely offer a Cranial Hair Prosthesis. A cranial hair prosthesis is the medical term used to describe a wig that is designed specifically for those suffering from hair loss due to medical conditions. They’re custom-made and designed specifically for the wearer, with their specific measurements in mind. A top tip from Milano is also to refrain from calling the wig units ‘wigs’ entirely! You should instead call them ‘Cranial Hair Prosthesis. 

What Medical Condition?

Milano suggests that there are a few diagnoses that medical isnurance companies accept as grounds for cover below:

1. Alopecia Areata
2. Alopecia Areata Totalis a
3. Alopecia Areata Universalis
4. Trickle-Cell Anemia
5. Postpartum Hair Loss
6. Chemotherapy Related Hair Loss
7. Radiation Related Hair Loss
8. Thyroid Related Hair Loss
9. Kidney Related Hair Loss
10. Cancer Related Hair Loss
11. Medical Hair Loss Due to Genetics, Stress, Reaction to Medical Illness, Life and Environmental Changes, Aging, Thinning, and/or Balding

What Steps Should I Take?

The popular hair company, Milano, suggests the crucial few steps below for attaining your wig:

1. Make sure to receive a diagnosis from your doctor for a medical condition that causes your medical hair loss. 
2. Make sure your doctor writes you a prescription for a cranial prosthesis. 
3. When the wig is purchased it is important for the invoice to list the wig as a cranial prosthesis with the proper medical code. 
4. Submit the claim to your insurance company for reimbursement

Wigs.com has suggested an additional two steps you can take if you find that your insurance won’t help cover the cost of your wig:

Option 1: If you pay for your wig with your own money, save the receipt just in case your purchase qualifies as a tax deduction. If a person's medical bills are over 7.5% of their income, then the wig would become tax deductible.

Option 2: Talk with your doctor or social worker about local resources! Contact your local chapter of the American Cancer Society, National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF), and other foundations about qualifying for financial assistance toward the purchase of a hair piece or wig.

We hope the tips above were helpful in your pursuit of claiming a Cranial Hair Prosthesis through medical insurance. If you still continue to experience issues after following the steps above, we’d advise speaking with a medical insurance specialist or your hospital for further guidance.