Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the most common questions we are asked during private consultations and over the phone:
- Is varicose vein or spider vein treatment covered by insurance?
If you have symptomatic vein disease (symptoms such as pain, skin discoloration, bruising, swelling of the legs, ulceration, or restless legs) then most insurance companies and medicare will cover the initial consultation and diagnostic ultrasound examination. If the diagnostic ultrasound examination reveals incompetence of the major veins under your skin, then further treatment by endovenous laser is also covered by all major insurance carriers, and medicare.
- Do I pay at the time of service or do you file a insurance claim for me?
For symptomatic varicose vein disease, the initial consultation and diagnostic ultrasound is usually a covered benefit. Therefore, our insurance specialists will file an insurance claim to your insurance carrier on your behalf. Based upon diagnostic ultrasound, further treatment by endovenous laser may be indicated, and in this such case we will seek pre-approval from your insurance company before rendering any kind of treatment.
- I do not have insurance. Can I still see Dr. Garg or Dr. Ashpole?
Yes. If you are uninsured, we provide you a discount of up to 50%. That will reduce your initial consultation fees to $100 and diagnostic ultrasound examination to approximately $300. If further treatment is indicated based upon diagnostic ultrasound, these fees will be deducted from the cost of your treatment.
We are able to provide you this discount because it saves us a considerable amount of time in administrative paperwork to file insurance claims. We happily pass this cost savings to our patients. Patients with high deductibles may also feel free to choose this option
- I have varicose veins. What treatment options do I have?
In brief, you have three options:
You can use thigh-high graduated support stockings. The support stockings do not remove or cure varicose veins, but they do provide some symptomatic relief and slow down the progression of the disease.
You may consider surgical stripping of the veins. This has been the traditional varicose vein treatment up until recently and is now being replaced by non-surgical endovenous laser treatment, or EVLT. Surgical stripping is usually carried out under general or spinal anesthesia in the hospital where small incisions are made along the course of the vein and the vein is stripped out in small pieces. The surgical incisions are closed by multiple stitches. The recovery time may extend into two-to-three weeks and the procedure leaves multiple small scars on the legs.
The latest treatment for varicose veins by a procedure called EVLT. This procedure is done in our office under topical or local anesthesia, takes about 45 minutes, has minimal or no downtime and does not leave any stitches or scars on your legs. Immediately after the procedure, you can drive home, return to work, and quickly get back to your normal routine. During this procedure, a laser fiber is threaded along the course of the diseased vein and the fiber is pulled out slowly resulting in closure of the diseased vein.
5. What happens to my circulation when the veins are removed or closed?
Before we provide any treatment, a detailed ultrasonic examination is carried out to detect diseased veins. Diseased veins have damaged valves and do not take blood back up to your heart effeciently. In fact, after you stand or walk, the blood may start flowing in the opposite direction in diseased veins, causing ulceration, skin breakdown, bleeding, and discoloration around the ankles. This is indicative of advanced vein disease, and treatment at this stage may be more involved and difficult.
6. Do you provide financing and treatment plans.
Yes, we provide flexible payment plans and interest-free financing through care credit.
7. What is the cost of endovenous laser?
Its difficult to provide the cost of the treatment without having an in-person consultation. The treatment plan varies from patient to patient and depends on the severity of your disease.
8. What is the treatment for spider veins, and is it covered by insurance?
The treatment of pure spider veins is usually considered cosmetic and not covered by insurance. Treatment is done by a procedure called sclerotherapy. The cost of sclerotherapy is $300 per session, and multiple sessions are normally needed.
9. What causes varicose veins?
Varicose veins are caused by backflow of blood in the veins due to damaged or faulty veins within your veins. The risk factors include genetics, family history, female sex, pregnancy, and certain professions like waiters/waitresses, drivers, nurses, hair dressers, athletes, or anyone who spends a lot of time sitting or standing.
10. How are you different than other vein doctors?
Dr. Garg is double board certified. He is one of the few physicians to have earned diplomate status from the American Board of Phlebology. Dr. Garg is experienced. He has performed thousands of endovenous laser procedures, and his expertise has been featured on television. We are also one of the only vein clinics in the state to have a board-certified plastic surgeon on staff, and collectively, we maintain privelages at Edwards Hospital in Naperville, Rush Copley Hospital in Aurora, and St. Alexius Hospital in Hoffman Estates. Many of our patients have busy schedules, and we offer evening, Saturday, and Sunday appointments.
