Dr. Solomon, do you believe attitudes toward male elective medicine (namely penis enlargement) will ever become as socially accepted or mainstream as the common "nose" or "breast" job? If so, how long do you predict this shift in attitude will take? If not, what are some reasons potentially holding it back from normalization (e.g. stigmas)?
I think that attitudes are definitely changing. I recently was asked to publish a paper in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery on this topic. In addition, I presented at our annual meeting and, as a reviewer for the Journal, I am seeing articles presented for publication almost monthly on the topic of penis enlargement surgery. Awareness of the topic is increasing, so it is likely that it will become more acceptable with time.
Dr. Solomon, concerning costs (*3 Part Question):
how can I go about acquiring the costs for any given procedure?
My office gives a range of costs to patients who inquire on the phone. We do not provide costs by email. However, the only way to get an actual cost for surgery is after an evaluation by me. This is due to the fact that procedures are individualized for each patient. In many cases, patients ask about one procedure, but after an exam, they need something different, which may be less expensive than their original request. For example, men often inquire about getting both length and girth, but after an exam, they may only benefit from one of those procedures, so the cost is less.
are there any procedures my insurance will accept?
There are several parts to this answer. First, medical insurance covers procedures that are defined as "medically necessary." Procedures for penis enlargement are cosmetic in nature (like breast enlargement). Cosmetic surgery is not generally covered by insurance. Your individual policy may have some exception to that rule, but only you can determine that by asking your insurance company or reading your insurance policy. Surgery for revision after failed cosmetic surgery is also not generally covered by insurance. Most insurance plans will not cover cosmetic surgery or complications from cosmetic surgery. Again, the best way to determine your coverage is to review your policy or call your carrier. Even if you have coverage, you will need to find a surgeon who participates with your insurance carrier. Otherwise, the surgeon is considered "out of network", which means you will be responsible for the costs of surgery and you can ask your insurance to reimburse you according to your plan. Most times, they will reimburse only a portion of the costs in that situation.
is financing available? This was mentioned on your website, but I'd like to know more.
My practice works with several outside entities that provide financing for surgery. You need to apply to them directly to determine if you qualify. The two that we work with most often are CareCredit and United Medical Credit. They each have their own rules about financing and they make their decisions independent of my medical decisions.
Dr. Solomon, the Moderation Team would like to know if your Clinic has any exciting new plans, procedures, devices, locations, publications, and/or promotions for the new year (2021) & beyond?
I publish articles on penis surgery in the plastic surgery literature from time to time. These are designed for a medical audience and are not usually available to nonmedical people. You can access them by going to PubMed. I am always evaluating new methods for surgery, but will only discuss them once I have implemented them and have follow up data.
Information Provided by Dr. Solomon. If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment:https://www.phalloboards.info/directory/77-mark-p-solomon-md.html