Judy R wrote:
<< The reason health  insurance  companies, including Medicare (for seniors)
and Medicaid (state funded  medical coupons for low income), must cover these
items is for weight  and  balance restoration in order to keep the spine and
shoulders aligned.
 They  are certainly not cosmetic.  >>

Prosthetists use the word "cosmetic" to refer to establishment of something
other than full function. Plastic breast prosthesis do not lactate, however, as
Judy R pointed out, they do serve important functions. There are also
instances where for reasons other than gait/walking, a person who will not be able to
walk on it is fitted for a lower limb prosthesis. It may be to assist in
wheelchair transfers, or to help the person restore a sense of "wholeness" while
sitting in a chair. These are sometimes called "cosmetic" prostheses however,
neither is useless or unimportant. Thanks to Judy R for helping to clarify
something I forgot would not be clear to everyone.
Judy LeVan Fram, PT, IBCLC, Brooklyn, USA

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