18. Insurance Status Does Not Influence Breast Reduction Outcomes

PURPOSE: While insurance status is accepted as a critical social determinant of health influencing surgical outcomes, its impact on breast reduction has not been well explored. As such, the present study evaluates whether insurance type—private or government-based—affects breast reduction outcomes. METHODS: A single institution retrospective chart review was performed for patients who underwent breast reduction between 2019 and 2023. Insurance status was categorized as private/commercial or government (Medicare/Medicaid). Demographics, comorbidities, and pedicle technique data were collected. Postoperative complications evaluated were hematoma, T-point breakdown, wound dehiscence, fat necrosis, nipple necrosis, cellulitis, abscess, and seroma. Fisher exact tests and regression analyses were used to assess associations between insurance type and outcomes, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Of the 1,113 patients, 57.8% (643) had private insurance, and 42.2% (470) had government-based insurance. The overall complication rate was 12%. No significant differences were demonstrated between the two groups for rates of hematoma (1.6 vs 1.9%, p=0.65), T-point breakdown (2.2 vs 1.9%, p=0.68), wound dehiscence (1.2 vs 1.3%, p=1.00), fat necrosis (2.0 vs 2.3%, p=0.71), nipple necrosis (0.3 vs 0.4%, p=1.00), cellulitis (2.0 vs 2.8%, p=0.34), abscess (0.3 vs 0.6%, p=0.66) and seroma (2.0 vs 1.5%, p=0.65). Adjusted regression analyses revealed no significant association between insurance type and overall complications (p = 0.781). CONCLUSION: While various surgical procedures demonstate signfincant differences in post operative outcomes across insurnace types, our study suggests insurnace type does not influence post operative complication rates for breast reduction patients.