Botox Covered by Insurance?

I love the results I’m getting from glycolic and TCA chemical peels, but I’ll use all the help I can get, especially if it comes with only a $20 co-pay! 

Have you heard?  On October 16^th, the FDA approved Botox injections for migraine headaches and gave the drug maker Allergan permission to begin marketing the drug to patients with a documented history of migraine headaches.

Unlike chemical peels, there’s absolutely no downtime with botox, so you can see smoother skin in minutes.  Don’t rush to call your dermatologist just yet; the drug is approved for patients who have a documented history of 15 or more days per month of migraine headaches. It is estimated that about 3.2 million people in the U.S. have chronic migraines.  I have been suffering with 15-18 migraines per month since I was 35 years old; that's TWELVE years!  Yes, it’s documented -- I’ve been seeing my doctor since 1998.

If you have been suffering with migraines, call your insurance company first.  I called mine (BCBSIL), and they said that my doctor simply needs to write a referral that states Botox is medically necessary.  For this use, doctors are required to inject patients in the neck or head every 12 weeks to dull future headaches.  Honestly, that doesn’t sound like fun, but I’m still game.

Why did the FDA finally approve Botox for migraines?

The FDA approved this use based on two studies of more than 1,300 patients who received either a Botox injection or a placebo injection (can you imagine getting a shot for nothing). Patients who received Botox reported fewer headache days than patients given the placebo. On average, patients who received Botox reported two fewer headache days per month without headaches than patients who didn't receive the drug.

Botox is also approved to treat spasms in the neck, elbow, wrists, and fingers; eye muscle disorders; and excessive sweating.  Although it’s not approved for cerebral palsy, but it’s often used for that.

Botox is a purified form of botulinum, one of the most toxic substances in the world.  Oh, what we do for beauty!