The idea for CoverWell by InjectSure, like many innovations, was born from a frustrating personal experience.
When my husband and I moved to Florida, home of the Beautiful, I was struck by the youthful, fit women in my new community. That inspired me to take on the aging process, beginning with Botox injections in my thirties.
As new de-aging treatments and technologies emerged, I tried several, including laser resurfacing and permanent makeup. I was delighted with my outcomes—until I experienced a complication.
About three weeks after a laser treatment, I developed a dark patch on my skin that would not go away. Nothing about the service had seemed unusual, but there it was—an unsightly mark.
I’d experienced a complication—something mentioned in the medical spa’s informed consent that I’d read and signed prior to the procedure but that I never expected to experience!
So I did the logical thing and returned to my service provider—only to be informed that it was my fault. I had been “too tan” when I received the procedure.
In fact, my med spa practitioner wasn’t neglectful or incompetent, even though my treatment produced a negative outcome. But to protect herself and her business, she’d told me I was to blame for the unsightly discolored patch on my face.
Would my health insurance cover the cost of corrective care? Unfortunately no, treatment for the complications of cosmetic procedures isn’t covered.
I was disappointed and frustrated by my situation. After stewing about it, I finally asked my husband Pat, a personal injury attorney, if there was anything that we could do. Couldn’t the spa’s insurance pay for corrective care? Unfortunately, he explained, that wasn’t how liability insurance worked…my only option was to file a lawsuit. Neither of us wanted to go down that road.
I know now that if I’d gone to a dermatologist, my issue could have been resolved quickly. But I was too self-conscious and embarrassed to see a physician—because my trusted service provider had told me the complication was my fault.
What if, instead, she had been able to offer me the relief of corrective care—as well as empathy? I would probably still be her patient. But at the time, that was impossible.
Unfortunately, traditional insurance forces clients and service providers into an adversarial relationship—even if neither party wants it that way.
So I ended my relationship with the spa.
Pat and I both began to wonder why there wasn’t insurance coverage for elective cosmetic procedures. Still, it took another incident to bring us to the conclusion that a new type of insurance was urgently needed.
I’d decided to do lip blushing, a permanent makeup service. As the mom of three active young boys, I looked forward to the refreshed appearance of fuller lips and some natural tint for those moments when I was too busy to reapply my lip color. I did a great deal of research to select a provider with an outstanding reputation. I would travel from Florida to New York to see the person I believed was the best.
Alas, the experience was nothing short of traumatic. My lips bled an enormous amount. Because my lips turned out to be much too sensitive for the procedure, the wounds turned into permanent scarring. I was left with blotchy, discolored lips.
Of course, none of this was covered by my health insurance. And to get the original service provider to compensate me for the restorative care, once again, we would have had to file a lawsuit. According to Pat, it probably would’ve taken close to two years to get any financial compensation from the provider’s insurance company. Even with an attorney for a husband, I decided it wasn’t worth the time and stress.
So the cost of my corrective care came out of our pocket. And that additional, unplanned expense meant that I wouldn’t have any elective cosmetic services for a while.
As part of our research before starting CoverWell, I talked to other women and men about their experiences with cosmetic procedures. People told me about suffering embarrassment when something went wrong—especially since most of us don’t declare that we’ve had “work done”.
The more I opened up about my complications, the more I learned how common the issue is. Popular procedures—from laser hair removal to injectables, from fat freezing to RF skin tightening to chemical peels—all carry some risk.
So the idea for CoverWell was born: a simple, affordable insurance product purchased by a client at the time of their service. CoverWell doesn’t just protect a patient’s health and appearance; it protects the relationship with their medical aesthetic nurse, doctor, or esthetician—along with their professional reputations.
We want good providers to be able to provide outstanding care, even when a complication occurs. No more “circle the wagons” reaction when a med spa or wellness clinic patient calls to say, “My treatment didn’t go as well as I hoped.”
CoverWell enables providers and clients alike to have “procedures with peace of mind”, by enabling us to act like human beings—to show empathy, to offer relief, to problem-solve together.
I’m excited to hear how CoverWell affects an industry that touches the lives of so many people—maybe even yours!
