Vein Treatment: How Frequently Can You Get Treated?
"Woohoo! My vein treatment is approved!" This is music to many ears after getting that letter from the insurance company. But then comes the next big question: how frequently can you get vein treatments?
The quick answer is: as often as your insurance approves! In many cases, you could even come in the very next day.
Your Treatment Schedule: A Collaborative Approach
I typically treat one leg at a time, alternating sides. For example, we might start with the right great saphenous vein ablation, then move to the left. As long as you're comfortable walking around, we can keep going!
Insurance Plays a Role
Every insurance plan has its own unique rules. Some might approve 6 procedures at once, while others only approve 2. This means your personal treatment pace can vary.
The "Motivation Factor"
If you're highly motivated and have a good pain tolerance, you could technically come in every day! I've seen an increase in this, especially towards the end of the year (October to December), as patients look to maximize their insurance benefits before the new year. I even had a group of four amazing ladies, my "Fantastic Four," who came in daily and completed all their vein treatments in just two weeks!
However, if you're unsure how your body will react, it's always smart to take it slower. We can do your first procedure, follow up with an ultrasound in about a week, and then decide on the next steps. Remember, vein disease isn't typically a life-threatening emergency, so there's no need to rush.
Many patients also choose to come in every Saturday to avoid missing work or disrupting their routines, and that's perfectly fine too!
Don't Let Your Authorization Expire!
One thing I absolutely do not recommend is waiting too long between procedures. Prior authorizations have expiration dates – some insurance companies give you only a month to complete treatments, while others allow up to six months. If we have to resubmit for the same procedure code (CPT), the insurance company's system might flag it as a duplicate and reject it.
Understanding the Bigger Picture: Varithena and Healing Time
While there often isn't a required wait time between catheter based procedures (like Radiofrequency ablation, Endo venous Laser Treatment or Venaseal), there might be for foam sclerotherapy (Varithena). This is very specific to your individual insurance plan and can be hard to predict. The typical wait time ranges from six weeks to three months. This allows your body to continue healing from the Varithena treatment.
However, It's tough to generalize healing time, as it's influenced by many factors:
Vein branching pain
Vein size
Compliance with compression stockings
Treatment order
Location of the veins
The Bottom Line
Stay motivated, keep an eye on your prior authorization expiration dates, and collaborate with us to create an overall treatment plan that works for you.
