Usually liposuction is not covered by health insurance. Because liposuction is a cosmetic surgical procedure it is not covered by medical insurance unless it has some therapeutic benefit. Female breast reduction surgery is often covered by insurance because surgical breast reduction often relieves chronic pain of the back and shoulders. When female breast reduction is accomplished by tumescent liposuction, insurance may reimburse the patient a portion of the liposuction surgical fees. Similarly, sometimes health insurance will cover liposuction for the treatment of subcutaneous lipomas (small fatty tumors just beneath the skin).