Insurance Coverage For Wigs

How to Get a Wig Covered by Insurance?

One of the first questions clients ask the staff at Chrysalis Custom Hair is whether or not the purchase of a wig is covered by insurance. The answer to this question will depend on your personal insurance policy. If you have a cancer wig, the benefit may be different than a wig for alopecia or other kind of medically necessary wig. While we do not work directly with any insurance companies, we do have tips you can follow to ensure that if your insurance carrier covers a cranial prosthesis (a wig) for your medical condition, you will get reimbursement from them. Cranial Prosthesis and Wigs Insurance coverage is possible!

Find Out If You Have Coverage


  • First: Obtain a prescription for a cranial prosthesis from your doctor. Make sure that a diagnostic code for your condition is present. Diagnostic codes tell insurance companies of your individual diagnosis and therefore can only come from your doctor. Chrysalis cannot provide CPT codes or an NPI number
  •  Second: Talk to your insurance company and ask if they reimburse for a “cranial prosthesis”. Do not use the term “wig.” A wig is a fashion item and may not be considered a medical necessity. Make sure to mention that you have a diagnostic code, which can be found on the prescription from your doctor. Chrysalis does not have diagnostic codes. If your doctor wrote the prescription by hand they will need to manually add a diagnostic code.
  •  Third: Reach us at(844) 384-9447 to make an appointment for a complementary consultation. We can create a custom wig that looks so natural, no one will know it is a wig unless you choose to tell them.

We issue detailed receipts complete with the proper codes so that you can more easily file it. Then you send that receipt along with your prescription to your insurance company in order to get reimbursed. Wig coverage is possible! In other words, when your insurance determines the level of your coverage you may a check from your insurance company. Sometimes you can get in network benefits from an out of network provider by filing a Gap Exception Form. Please find a pdf at the bottom of this page to help guide you through the process. It is as simple as that! Call us today to set up your complimentary consultation.

Custom wigs fit the exact measurement of your head and are cut, colored, and styled according to your preference of human hair or synthetic hair wig. Those who want the most natural look prefer custom made wigs. Depending on your timeline some wigs can be made to include your every specification. Wigs can be all lace, have a widows peak added, or be created on any kind or color of fabric you would like. They can be made to have your own curl pattern whether that is extremely curly or just a little wavy.  Baby hairs can be built in or added on.  You can even have a swirl pattern added if that what you’d like. These ultra custom wigs can take up to 4 months to create. If you need a wig  sooner than that Chrysalis Custom Hair has hundred of custom wigs in stock that have already been sewn together. All that’s left to do is customize it to mimic your color and hair style.

Making a custom wig yourself is challenging, and time consuming. Hand-stitching a wig takes more than 100 hours, costing $1600 or more. The single most important thing you need is to be trained in the highly specialized field of wig making. You will need six bundles of hair at a minimum of 10 inches or more in length, a mesh or lace wig cap, white marker, canvas block, tripod, wig ventilating tools, needle and thread, scissors, and T pins.  Based on the type of hair you’ve chosen, the density selected, the curl pattern, and whether you intend to use a monofilament technique, your wig could take 4-6 months to complete. 
The cost of custom human hair wigs in 2023 starts at around $2,400 and ranges as high as $20,000 for the finest quality Remy human hair wigs. 

A number of online wig shops offer custom wigs. They will attempt to help you get the right measurements and show you wigs virtually.  These wigs, once made, are not returnable and the companies will not offer further assistance once you have received the product. Most novices, even with guidance, are not able to get accurate measurements for a perfect fit. Without seeing, touching, and trying on the hair there is no way to tell if it is going to pass as natural looking. Online stores use special lighting to hide flaws such as hair that is too shiny or thick and thus looks “wiggy”.  You can certainly get a cheaper wig by ordering online but be prepared to accept that the product that may not be what you were hoping for. 

Woman wearing long brown human hair wig for cancer patients
My wig made me feel pretty when a bald head or even short hair simply would not make me feel attractive. I admire women who rock a bald head or short hair, but that is simply not my style. No one could believe the wig was not my real hair even those who I told! The wig put a strut in my step and gave my self-confidence a tremendous boost. I am thrilled to report that both my first and second scans following chemotherapy were clean! I have been off of chemotherapy for nearly a year, my hair has grown back enough for a pixie and while I wear the pixie sometimes, I still don my wig, as I feel most attractive with long hair. I love that I have options!
Chrissie’s Story