Woman loses court bid for breast reduction

WIESBADEN, Germany, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- A court in Germany's Hessen state ruled that breast reduction is not a medical issue and therefore insurance companies are not required to cover the surgery.

The court sided against a 38-year-old woman who sought to have her insurance company cover the procedure after the weight of her breasts caused her to suffer orthopedic and physical problems, Bild reported Monday.

The woman's lawyers said her doctors had advised her to get breast reduction surgery, but the insurance company refused to pay for it, claiming her health problems were related to her overall weight and could be solved by non-surgical weight loss and muscle building.

The court's ruling means insurance companies in the state will only be required to pay for breast reduction procedures in cases involving deformities, Bild said.