Is circumcision covered by insurance? This question sits on the minds of both parents looking to circumcise their newborn babies and adults who want to rectify a botched circumcision or celebrate their covenant with God. Although the outcome of the circumcision procedure is identical for each of the aforementioned categories, not all circumcision procedures enjoy the same status in the eyes of insurance companies: some judge circumcisions as cosmetic or elective and offer no coverage whatsoever, while others do deduct certain expenses, but some only in a medical setting. Therefore, when is circumcision covered by insurance, and which insurance providers are more likely to deduct your expenses?
Rabbi Avraham Rappaport, a second-generation expert Mohel currently active in the MD/DC/VA area’s and beyond, judges the quality of circumcision not through low prices and deductions but through actual results. He famously says, “cost is an issue in the absence of value.” These are words of wisdom for our general life experiences! After all, what’s the point of saving a few dollars by allowing a doctor to perform your son’s circumcision in a hospital, where 75% of circumcisions take longer than necessary, and at least 4 out of 10 circumcisions are in need of revisions? In the end, your son deserves the best, and Rabbi Rappaport is here to make sure your son (or you as an adult) has a perfect experience!
Which Insurance Providers Cover Circumcisions?
The circumcision coverage mainly depends on the age at which it is performed. For example, companies such as Kaiser Permanente cover infant circumcisions, but only in a hospital setting, without the spiritual benefits of a Mohel’s presence. However, older children and adults receive coverage only in the event of a medical necessity, such as foreskin lacerations, foreskin trauma, recurrent balanitis, phimosis, and penile cancer. The same applies to botched circumcisions, although the responsibility for the imperfect circumcision falls on the practitioner and not the newborn baby.
Insurance coverage and circumcisions are only connected through the hospital setting. Therefore, even if an expert Mohel performs the circumcision, insurance companies will not deduct the costs unless the procedure is performed in a hospital setting. Unfortunately, the system encourages parents to leave their sons’ circumcisions in the hands of unprepared physicians, who leave a significant number of circumcisions in need of revision.
Does Medicaid Cover Circumcision Expenses?
Medicaid is more friendly in its coverage of circumcision procedures. Of course, in most cases, Medicaid offers deductions for medically warranted reasons, such as urinary tract infections or congenital abnormalities. However, baby circumcisions are covered by Medicaid in some states, although only in a hospital setting.
Do Some Insurance Carriers Cover Circumcision Expenses?
The answer to this question depends solely on each insurance carrier. For example, certain insurance carriers offer deductions for non-medically necessary circumcisions. Others, such as AETNA, only cover adult circumcisions if medically warranted, whil TRICARE covers circumcisions only 30 days after the newborn baby’s birth.
The situation changes in the case of HSA medical insurance plans. HSA’s judge infant circumcisions as a qualified medical expense even when performed by a Mohel in the parents’ home. Therefore, as long as the Mohel provides you with a valid receipt with proper codes, you will be reimbursed for your expenses. The same applies to flexible spending accounts (FSA’s) and health reimbursement arrangements (HRA’s). All circumcisions, both for infants, children and adults are an eligible expense and parents or adults can reimburse themselves with their tax free dollars from their above mentioned accounts.
Circumcisions are Not about Insurance Coverage
Learning that your insurance provider does cover circumcision procedures for other than medical necessities is a big incentive for parents to leave their sons’ circumcisions in the hands of doctors operating in hospitals. But, as Rabbi Rappaport warns us, circumcisions are not about choosing the cheapest option. In addition, let’s not forget that a significant percentage of hospital circumcisions require revisions in the future, revisions that will consume both your time and financial resources. Additionally and very importantly, aside from the practical drawbacks of a hospital procedure if the baby is Jewish and receives his circumcision prior to the 8th day it would not be Kosher and another minor procedure would be needed to make it Kosher.
So, instead of constant worries about the future, why not entrust your newborn son’s circumcision to the hands of an expert Mohel, whose training, dedication, and deep understanding of the procedure’s physical and religious facets ensure a perfect circumcision procedure with a lifetime guarantee? You may be spending more now, but the knowledge that your son’s circumcision is perfect and the mental peace accompanying it are priceless! Remember, “cost is an issue in the absence of value!”
Choose Rabbi Rappaport for a Perfect Circumcision Experience!
Rabbi Rappaport is more than ready to put his expert Mohel training at your newborn son’s service! Unparalleled training and mastery of the circumcision field recommend him as the optimal Mohel choice for Bris Milah ceremonies in the MD/DC/VA area. Thousands of successful circumcisions and grateful families helped build Rabbi Rappaport’s expert Mohel reputation! So don’t hesitate to contact Rabbi Rappaport and allow him to support your newborn baby in enjoying a perfect experience in the quickest, most painless and precise way! We also invite you to read or write a review of your experience with Rabbi Rappaport!
“Rabbi Avraham Rappaport did a wonderful job at each of our 3 son’s Bris’s. His pleasant smile, kind words, and quick hand made us nervous parents at ease. We recommend him to all rookie and veteran parents!” – Rebbecca and Max Masinter, Olney, MD.
Let Rabbi Rappaport do the job if you plan to organize a ritual circumcision for yourself or your child. Contact him anytime on his cell at: 443-790-6541. You can also send him an email at rabbi@mdmohel.com or visit his website. He will be happy to support you in making sure you have a perfect experience!
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