A consultation is not just an appointment where a surgeon evaluates you. It’s an interview, and you’re conducting it.
Most patients arrive with questions about the result — how it will look, how long recovery will take, and what it will cost. Those matter. But the questions that separate a good decision from a regrettable one tend to be the ones people feel awkward asking: how many of these have you actually done, what happens if something goes wrong, and who pays for it.
Below are the questions worth asking, organized by topic, with a note on why each one matters and what a thorough answer typically sounds like. A printable checklist is at the end.
About your surgeon
Which board certified you, and in what specialty?
“Board-certified” on its own doesn’t tell you much — it’s the specific board and specialty that matter. A surgeon may be board-certified in a field unrelated to the procedure you’re considering. Ask which board issued the certification, then verify it directly with that board. Any surgeon who is genuinely certified will tell you exactly which one and won’t mind you checking.
How many of this specific procedure do you perform in a year?
Not how many surgeries overall — how many of the one you’re having. Experience is procedure-specific, and the honest answer is a number, not “many” or “quite a few.”
May I see before-and-after photos of patients with a similar starting point to mine?
Anyone can show their best results. The useful request is photos of patients whose anatomy, age, and goals resemble yours. If a surgeon can’t produce those, it’s worth knowing why.
Do you have hospital admitting privileges, and where?
This matters more than it sounds. Admitting privileges mean a hospital has independently vetted the surgeon’s credentials, and it means there’s a clear path if you need inpatient care.
About the facility
Where will my procedure be performed, and is the facility accredited?
Ask for the accrediting body by name — AAAASF, AAAHC, and the Joint Commission are the common ones, and some states license surgical facilities directly. Accredited facilities are held to standards for equipment, staffing, and emergency protocols that an unaccredited office suite may not meet.
Who administers my anesthesia, and what are their credentials?
Anesthesia is a significant part of your risk profile. You want to know whether it’s a board-certified anesthesiologist, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, or the surgeon, and what monitoring is in place.
What is the emergency plan if something happens during surgery?
A good answer is specific: what equipment is on site, who is trained to use it, which hospital they transfer to, and whether there’s a written transfer agreement in place. A vague answer here is a meaningful signal.
About the procedure and your results
Am I a good candidate, and is there a different procedure you’d recommend instead?
A surgeon willing to tell you that you’re not an ideal candidate, or that a different approach would serve you better, is demonstrating something useful about how they practice.
What should I realistically expect, and how long until I see the final result?
Swelling and healing timelines vary considerably by procedure, and some results take many months to settle. Knowing the timeline in advance prevents a lot of unnecessary distress at week six.
What’s your revision policy, and is it in writing?
This is one of the most important questions in the list and one of the least asked. If you need or want a revision, who pays — for the surgeon’s fee, the facility fee, and the anesthesia? How long do you have to wait? Is the policy documented, or is it a verbal understanding? Get it in writing.
It’s worth being clear with yourself about the distinction here, because it affects everything in the next section: a revision is a further procedure to change or improve an aesthetic result. A complication is a medical problem — an infection, a hematoma, a blood clot — that requires treatment. They’re handled differently, they’re paid for differently, and conflating them is the single most common source of surprise for patients.
If something goes wrong
If I develop a complication, who pays to treat it?
This is the question almost nobody asks, and the answers vary enormously between practices.
Here’s why it matters. Most health insurance plans exclude treatment for complications arising from elective cosmetic surgery — and that exclusion commonly holds even when the treatment is plainly medically necessary. An infection requiring IV antibiotics and a hospital stay. A hematoma needing surgical evacuation. A workup to rule out a blood clot. All genuinely necessary care, all frequently excluded because the underlying procedure was elective.
So ask directly. Some practices absorb certain costs. Some don’t. Some offer complication coverage. You want to know which before you book, not afterward.
Do you offer complication insurance, such as Aesthetisure?
Complication coverage is a supplemental policy that helps pay for medically necessary treatment of a covered complication after an elective cosmetic procedure, up to policy limits.
A few things worth understanding about how it works:
- You can’t buy it yourself. It’s available only through surgeons enrolled in the program, and the practice has to register you before your procedure. There’s no retroactive coverage, and it can’t be added after a complication occurs.
- It covers complications, not dissatisfaction. Revision surgery because you’re unhappy with how a result looks is not a covered complication. That’s a conversation to have with your surgeon under their revision policy.
- It runs on a defined window. Aesthetisure coverage applies to covered complications occurring within 45 days of surgery, with an extended 12-month period for capsular contracture following a covered breast augmentation.
- Treatment setting matters. Benefits apply to treatment in an emergency room, hospital, or accredited surgical center.
- You don’t need a denial from your health insurer first. Aesthetisure doesn’t require one before a claim can move forward, which removes a common source of delay while bills sit unpaid.
If your surgeon isn’t enrolled, say that you’re interested. Practices enroll because patients ask, and there’s no cost to a practice to participate.
If I had a complication tonight, who would I call?
You want a name or a number, not “the office.” Ask what happens after hours and on weekends, and write the answer down.
A note on emergencies
If you think you may be having a medical emergency after surgery — difficulty breathing, chest pain, one-sided leg pain or swelling, fever, or a sudden change in swelling or pain — seek emergency care immediately. Do not delay treatment to check coverage, costs, or claim details first. Sort out the paperwork afterward.
Coverage questions can wait. Some symptoms can’t.
About cost
What is the total cost, itemized?
Surgeon’s fee, facility fee, anesthesia, implants or materials, garments, and follow-up visits are often quoted separately. Ask for all of it in writing.
What isn’t included?
Post-operative medications, additional garments, extra follow-up appointments, and any complication-related care are the usual gaps.
What are the payment terms, and what is refundable if I cancel?
Deposit policies and cancellation windows vary. Know yours before you pay one.
Printable checklist
Bring this to your consultation.
Your surgeon
- Which board certified you, and in what specialty?
- How many of this procedure do you perform annually?
- Before-and-after photos of similar patients
- Hospital admitting privileges, and where?
The facility
- Where is the procedure performed, and who accredits it?
- Who administers anesthesia, and what are their credentials?
- What’s the emergency and transfer plan?
The procedure
- Am I a good candidate? Any alternative you’d recommend?
- Realistic results and timeline to final result
- Revision policy — in writing
If something goes wrong
- If I have a complication, who pays to treat it?
- Do you offer complication insurance such as Aesthetisure?
- Who do I call after hours?
Cost
- Full itemized cost
- What’s not included
- Payment terms and cancellation policy
Frequently asked questions
Does health insurance cover plastic surgery complications? Usually not. Most health plans exclude treatment for complications arising from elective cosmetic procedures, and that exclusion typically applies even when the treatment is medically necessary. Check your own plan documents and ask your insurer directly, since plans vary.
Can I buy complication insurance myself? No. Aesthetisure is available only through enrolled surgeon practices, and your surgeon must register you before your procedure. If you want this coverage, ask your surgeon at your consultation whether they participate.
What’s the difference between a revision and a complication? A revision is a further procedure to change an aesthetic result. A complication is a medical problem requiring treatment, such as an infection or a hematoma. Complication coverage applies to the second, not the first. Revisions fall under your surgeon’s own revision policy.
What if my surgeon isn’t enrolled in a complication program? Tell them you’re interested. Practices frequently enroll because patients ask, and participation costs the practice nothing. You can also ask what their own policy is on complication-related costs — some absorb them, many don’t.
When does coverage need to be in place? Before your procedure. There is no retroactive enrollment, and a patient can’t be added after a complication occurs.
Learn more about risks and complications by procedure, how Aesthetisure coverage works, or which procedures and complications are covered. For more answers, visit our patient FAQ.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Discuss your specific situation with your surgeon. Coverage described is subject to eligibility, exclusions, limits, and the terms of the policy in force.